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Best Practices Questionnaire v2.4
This is an attempt to query the boating community for "best practices."
Please use this as a general guide and do not simply use the most voted on answers to each question as a best practice.
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I am
Primarily a commercial river guide
Primarily a private rafter
A former commercial guide who is now a private rafter
Primarily a kayaker
Primarily a packrafter
Primarily a stand up paddle boarder
Primarily a Creature Crafter
An outfitter (raft company owner)
Primarily a rescue professional/instructor
Other:
Clear selection
I generally focus on
Day trips
Multi-day trips
Both day trips and multi-day trips equally
Swiftwater rescue
Other:
Clear selection
I consider myself at this skill level
Class II
Class III
Class IV
Class V
Class V+
Clear selection
What difficulty of whitewater do you most commonly paddle?
Class II
Class III
Class IV
Class V
Class V+ Gnar
Clear selection
What is your optimal river trip group size for a multi-day river trip?
Solo
2-6 people
7-12 people
13-20 people
21-30 people
I don't do multi-day trips
Clear selection
What is your favorite river?
Your answer
What is your favorite river craft (the more detail the better)?
Your answer
Do you leave a knot in the free end of your throw bag rope?
Yes
No
Other:
Clear selection
When is a good time to throw a throw bag from a raft?
Any time!
Never
Only out of desperation when danger is imminent and the consequences of throwing a rope from a moving boat have been fully considered
Other:
Clear selection
What is good behavior at boat ramps?
Do what ever is best for your and your group
Be respectful of other river users by preparing before you get there, being respectful, and not hogging the ramp
Commercial outfitters are generally disrespectful so be preemetively rude the them
Private boaters are generally slow and have too many boats so get in their way before they hog the ramp
Other:
Clear selection
How difficult is Bedrock Rapid on the Grand Canyon at low flows (below 9000 CFS)?
Class II (includes II- and II+)
Class III -
Class III
Class III+
Class IV-
Class IV
Class IV+
Class V (includes V- and V+)
I've never done the Grand Canyon so have no valid opinion
Other:
Clear selection
What oar retention system do you prefer?
Spinnies (AKA "open oar locks")
Oar locks with oar rights
Pins and clips
Pro locks
I am competent in all oar retention systems and base my preference on the style of river
Other:
Clear selection
Which statement about carabiners do you most agree with?
They should always be locking
They should have a minimum static strength of 20 kN
Unlocking carabiners are okay as long as stored in a way where accidental clipping isn't possible
Locking carabiners are dangerous and should be avoided around moving water
Carabiners are the best way to attach extra stuff like water bottles to your raft
Other:
Clear selection
Drain or don't drain the cooler to maintain cooler temperatures in the cooler?
Drain
Don't drain
Other:
Clear selection
In general, which boat carries the heavy duty pin kit?
Lead boat
Sweep boat (not the Idaho sweep boat)
Every boat should carry tons of rescue gear
Duct tape repair and deflating tubes can handle most situations
Other:
Clear selection
In general, which boat carries the comprehensive first aid kit?
Lead boat
Sweep boat (not the Idaho sweep boat)
Every boat should carry tons of first aid supplies
The boat with the person who has the highest level of medical training
Other:
Clear selection
On regards to alchohol and rafting:
It's fine on the river as long as it's in moderation
I like to drink while I raft
In camp or at take-out only
There is a pretty serious problem in the rafting world with drinking
Other:
Clear selection
In general, what is the best way to store throw bag in a raft?
I'm a kayaker and have no valid opinion about rafts
On a waist belt throw bag around your waist
On a waist belt throw bag around a thwart
Clipped in the raft or on a frame
Other:
Clear selection
What is the best knife placement?
In a PFD pocket
Externally mounted on PFD
I carry one knife externally mounted and one knife in a PFD pocket
In a dry bag
Scissors are better than knives for cutting rope
Other:
Clear selection
When is nudity on river trips okay?
Any time!
Only in Hot Springs
Only in the big rapids
Only when other group members agree it's okay
Never
Other:
Clear selection
When throwing a throw bag, what do you do with the end of the rope?
Wrap around your hand
Step on it
Tie to your rescue vest
Hold on to it with your hand
Other:
Clear selection
Where do you carry carabiners, prussics, and pulleys?
On a raft
On your body (PFD or waistbelt)
On a raft and in my PFD
Somewhere Else
I don't bring those items
Other:
Clear selection
Where do you carry your personal flip line?
Tied to the side of your raft in a cute little bag
In a PFD pocket
Around your waist
I don't flip
On a waist belt like Batman
Other:
Clear selection
NRS (Northwest River Supplies)
Makes high quality river gear for the discerning whitewater paddler
Makes cutting edge equipment for the whitewater professional
Makes low priced rafting gear
Makes high priced rafting gear
Is a great place to get a variety of river gear
Other:
Clear selection
In theory if you had to choose just one of these items to bring with you rafting, which would it be?
I am unable to answer an interesting and thought provoking theoretical question
Personal Flip line
Throw Bag
Knife
Whistle
Other:
Clear selection
In theory if you had to leave behind one of these items, which would it be?
I am unable to answer an interesting and thought provoking theoretical question
Personal Flip line
Throw Bag
Knife
Whistle
Other:
Clear selection
Most of my boating experience is
Eastern U.S.
Western U.S. (includes Idaho, Montana, Utah, and West Slope Colorado)
Front Range Colorado
Europe
South America
Asia
Africa
North American (but not U.S.)
Australia
Other:
Clear selection
A PFD safety harness is:
A valuable piece of equipment for anyone trained in swifwater rescue
Generally useless for rafters
Generally useless for everyone
An important tool for safety kayakers and kayak instructors
Other:
Clear selection
When is amplified music okay on the river?
Any time!
Any time as long as you turn off the volume when other groups are around
Never
When it's crucial for my personal mental health and headphones will keep me from hearing other river users that need to be rescued
Other:
Clear selection
The trucker's hitch:
Is like cursive - no longer needed
Useful on occassoin
A knot everyone should know and use
Other:
Clear selection
A pre-trip safety talk should:
Be As Comprehensive as Possible
Cover Important Points and be About 10 Minutes
Keep it as Short as Possible
Other:
Clear selection
When you're not running lead raft and it's pool drop at low water, what is your gear boat rigging philosophy?
Aaron's Breakaway Method - barely tie anything in and get your dry bags in the eddy after wrap/flip
Tie your bags in well
Rig to flip
Other:
Clear selection
Is there ever, ever, ever a situation where Aaron's Breakaway Method (the ABM) is appropriate?
Yes
No
Other:
Clear selection
For water temperature at 50 degrees, what do you wear?
Drysuit or wetsuit
Fleece
Suns out guns out
Other:
Clear selection
Helmets should:
Always be worn (including driving and in camp)
Should always be worn on the river
Be brought on trips but don't need to be worn at all times
Are only needed for Class IV rivers
Other:
Clear selection
In addition to good traction on wet rocks, proper footwear should:
Be closed toed shoes
Can be sandals as long as they stay on your feet
Primarily be comfortable
Other:
Clear selection
Should private trips have pre-trip safety and informational talks/discussions?
Yes
No
Other:
Clear selection
Should private trips have a trip leader?
Yes
No
Other:
Clear selection
On a multi-day trips should debriefs occur
On a regular bases
Any time it's needed
Never
Other:
Clear selection
When is the best time to have a debrief?
In the morning
After an event
In the eventing
Wait until after the trip is over
Other:
Clear selection
What is the best color for a sun hoody?
Darker color
Ligher color
Camo
Who cares?
Other:
Clear selection
A private trip can be considered a pirate (illegal) trip by government land managing agencies when:
Some trip members pay less for their ability to row/cook/provide safety
Some trip members pay less for providing gear
Both
Neither of those would make it a pirate (illegal) trip
Other:
Clear selection
What is your good luck river superstition(s)?
Your answer
Creature Crafts
Are a cool tool for doing high water trips
Are for people who don't have boating skills
Are not for me but fun to watch on YouTube
Other:
Clear selection
How long should your throw bag rope be?
75 Feet
65 Feet
50 Feet
The longest rope you can accurately throw
Other:
Clear selection
What is generally the best tool for providing downstream safety?
Really good boaters using great boat spacing and boat order
Safety Kayaks
Safety Catarafts
Throw bags
Other:
Clear selection
The river signal for stop is
Both arms stretched out horizontal to ground
Hand in a fist
Eddy out signal works fine
Arms crossed in front of your body
All of the above, depending on the circumstance
Other:
Clear selection
Spare oars should generally be stored
Handle forward
Blade forward
On the right side
On the left side
Other:
Clear selection
Flipping an oar raft back over is generally easier and safer:
By bringing the boat to shore and flipping on the shore line
With a bunch of people on the raft in deep water with flip lines
I'm going to say "it depends" because I don't understand what the word "generally" means
Other:
Clear selection
Flip lines should be carried by:
People who know how to use them
Everyone
Why bother when you can buy flip dangles from NRS?
Other:
Clear selection
The best way to learn to row is:
Go out and do it
Find a good mentor or boating group to take you out
Take a rowing school
Take a raft guide school
Take an ARTA Professional Guide School
Take a Lake Tahoe Community College Guide School with Aaron Cavagnolo
Other:
Clear selection
Perimeter lines
Should be mandatory on all rafts even if they are loose
Should be mandatory only if they can be kept tight
Are a dangerous entrapment hazard
Are better for higher water, continuous rivers than for low water, pool and drop type rivers
Other:
Clear selection
What is the primary reason you carry a throw bag?
Rescue swimmers floating in the river
Rescuing stranded swimmers on rocks
Playing games in camp (ammo can game)
Drying your clothes in camp
Tying your boat to shore if trees are far away
Lining rafts
Getting a line to pinned raft
Because my friends tell me I need one
Hanging bear bags
Z-Drags baby!
I don't understand what the word "primary" means so I'm gonna write "all of the above" in the comments
Other:
Clear selection
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