Pump allowed during ALF Tellico Race

[FullGnarlzOC]

Does anyone else think allowing pumps for an openboat race is an absolute travesty? Why not just allow skirts while we are at it? Both don't make you pay for getting water in the boat.

- the lure to open-boat racing, and why I feel it proves to be a more entertaining race than kayaks - is that you have to dump if you run a crappy line - or just paddle full and have less performance(worn out tires in nascar).

I was pretty disappointed to see people cruising on through at the race with dual pumps blasting. Even more disappointed to hear it was allowed. It is great that Mohawk has been throwing the race every year - it is one of the best days at ALF annually.... I just hope next year - we keep in mind what our sport is all about - and keep pumps out of the equation.

Let's not forget the #1 principal that makes open-boating more challenging than a kayak or c1....Keeping water out of your boat. A large skill-set in itself. Lastly - what does this say to our children...and future generation openboaters? That it's OKAY to get water in your boat?! Yea, sure! Just flip the switch!

[2opnboat1]

Tommy get over it The word race is used very loosely. I guess the pumps caused you to swim in a huge eddy.

[2opnboat1]

And if you dont like the way the race was ran feel free to not enter next year or any other. I do not charge entry fees. and the whole thing is to give a boat to a kid.

[FullGnarlzOC]

No sht Richard. I'm not going all deadwood on you - nor am I upset in anyway about how I raced(I was just racing joe)... You are missing the point.


so why allow pumps? besides straight up crapping on tradition... pumps in a race are just laaaame

[ian123]

Yeah, I d say using a pump in open canoe race is a bit shabby. I with a few exceptions, I generally think that about pumps though...

[2opnboat1]

Honestly pumps where allowed because the wide majority of folks runn a pump and I did not want to go around and check every ones boat. If there was prizes I would take it more seriously, but calling it a race is just a good way to get everyone together at the beginning of ALf.

[Bill M]

Uhh, except don't piss off the ranger I didn't think there were any RULES! Thats as it should be.
Bill

[FullGnarlzOC]

Well - 'gentlemen's code' would be enough. you wouldn't have to monitor it - nor should you - as you've said - it's just for fun. I'm sure some people would accidentily flip their pumps on - due to habit... but their peers would just give em sht for it...

If we took a step back - and thought of it as a 'serious' race or even not - those that are still hardcore enough to paddle without pumps would be penalized. The only way to keep it an even playing field is to have no pumps allowed.


Moreso than keeping everything on an even playing field.... its just plain wrong!

[2opnboat1]

But by that logic toss that PE boat and go back to royalex. Heck lets just go back to birch bark and call it good. With the invention of new we must et go of things of yesterday.

[eddyhops]

But by that logic toss that PE boat and go back to royalex. Heck lets just go back to birch bark and call it good. With the invention of new we must et go of things of yesterday.

Hmmm, hope that's not your marketing plan... you'll be out of business in no time


BTW, this was a switch- I was dogged out by more than one person last week... for NOT HAVING A PUMP!

That's a helluva note

[cmnypny]

Don't be hatin and stop your whining

So many type of boats from a Spark that is a race boat to the heavy things that resemble bath tubs

[ian123]

If you equate improving canoe materials to installing one or more electric bilge pumps from a traditional stand point, then we might as well be speaking different languages.

[gumpy]

i for one was quite surprised (and dare i say even a little disappointed) to see fine boaters paddle by with two pumps blasting, even after years of passionately advocating the opposite! now maybe it stung a bit more because i was dumping my boat out as others easily passed me with sloppy lines to boot, i don't know. but it didn't hurt (as much) to see tommy beat me, because he did it like a gentleman: fair & square. he was the better boater that day.

[Paddler]

have two classes.

[KNeal]

The solution to this specific type of issue/concern/rant/bashing/whining is to scale back the boat type all the way to the original whitewater open canoe--the Grumman. Keel required, inner tube floatation, and everyone wearing yoke-style (horse collar) life preservers. Type paddle can still be personal preference. That way, everyone is on "even ground" and nobody could complain about pumps n' such.

Now, of course, this would most likely make longboatin' and lengthy the race winners. Except longboatin' would probably require a pre-race boaters' meeting so everyone could vote on the necessity to have coolers in the race boats, and that the bow stays pointing ahead of the racers the whole time.

What do y'all say about that? I'm game.