has anyone ever pinned/bridged/wrapped a plastic open boat?

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truckeeboater
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has anyone ever pinned/bridged/wrapped a plastic open boat?

Post by truckeeboater »

I don't want to stir up any bad memories for anyone, but was just curious how this situation would be dealt with. I've wrapped/unwrapped plenty of rafts, one aluminum Grumman canoe (THAT was pretty amazing! :o ), and assisted in the rescue of a few pinned kayaks, but never any plastic open boats. Any personal stories/anecdotes with relatively happy endings would prove helpful. Also wondering if anyone carries a small wrap/pin kit in their boats with them, or if folks just tend to rely more on a throwrope and muscles to free any stuck boats.

Thanks!
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ian123
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Re: has anyone ever pinned/bridged/wrapped a plastic open bo

Post by ian123 »

I ve pinned my fly when I had it and I ve seen a couple of L'edges pinned. The outcomes have all been good. Little or no boat damage. The airbags seem to keep it from getting too serious. If one were to burst, that
would be a different story.

I carry something of a pin kit in my pfd. I ve never needed it.
...
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KNeal
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Re: has anyone ever pinned/bridged/wrapped a plastic open bo

Post by KNeal »

ian123 wrote:I ve pinned my fly when I had it.
Let's keep the personal stuff out of this post, ian. :lol: :wink:

I've pinned/wrapped my 17-foot Coleman several times during the early years of my budding whitewater interest. Got pretty good just jumping on the rock or just below the pin and lifting an end of the boat to release the water pressure and the boat came off nicely enough. Then I'd stand inside the boat, grab the gunnels, and then lifted the sides til the hull popped back into shape (plastic memory). :-?
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Re: has anyone ever pinned/bridged/wrapped a plastic open bo

Post by Mike W. »

Don't pull too hard on the thwarts on an Old Town. The gunnels have come off at least one. :oops:
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Re: has anyone ever pinned/bridged/wrapped a plastic open bo

Post by dwinchester »

Just got back from a swiftwater rescue class where we intentionaly pinned a prelude a couple times. Wasn't really stuck bad but made for good practice for setting up z-drags. If you have a length of webbing, a couple carabiners, a prusik or two, and a sturdy throwrope you have a pin kit that will fit in even the tiniest kayak. Why wouldn't you carry this stuff in an open boat?
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Re: has anyone ever pinned/bridged/wrapped a plastic open bo

Post by sbroam »

By plastic, you *don't* mean Royalex, right? Been there, done that and lost the gunwales to prove it. PE? I've gotten stuck, but would never call it a pin. Its certainly possible, but fortunately less likely due to the size and bulbous shape.
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Re: has anyone ever pinned/bridged/wrapped a plastic open bo

Post by drrpm »

I pinned an Old Town Discovery 158 against a railroad bridge abuttment in Raes Creek near the Augusta canal years ago. The water was pretty shallow and my paddling partner and I were pretty strong so we were able to muscle it off by pushing it along the abuttment until 1 end caught enough current to push it free. The current was very strong that day as they were running water out of the canal which was why we had flipped and pinned there. Once it was loose I had to swim after it which was more exciting at the time because that part of Raes Creek was a popular dumping ground and there were lots of old appliances in it.
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the great gonzo
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Re: has anyone ever pinned/bridged/wrapped a plastic open bo

Post by the great gonzo »

Yes, I pinned my Prelude a few times, but I always got it off fine.
as far as pin kit, it is, except when doing park and play or squirting, always on me. Got 2 prussiks, 2 pulleys and 4 biners on my PFD, a 16 fy piece of tubular webbing (raft flip line) and another biner around my waist. as is a throw bag with 70 ft of 3/8" spectra rope. If it gets serious, I'll throw in the 150 ft 3/8 inch spectra rope, too.

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Re: has anyone ever pinned/bridged/wrapped a plastic open bo

Post by Todhunter »

I used my poly throw rope to un-pin a canoe (Zoom) from under a log once this winter, and I'm ready to invest in some spectra rope. The poly is fine for throwing to a swimmer, but it is WAY too stretchy for use in a pin situation.

I've never pinned my PE boat though.
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TNbound
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Re: has anyone ever pinned/bridged/wrapped a plastic open bo

Post by TNbound »

A pin kit should go everywhere with you. Especially on creeks, having a pin kit in your pinned boat will do you no good. I generally have 2 pulleys, a couple locking biners, 2 prussiks and a cordelette for making anchors.
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Re: has anyone ever pinned/bridged/wrapped a plastic open bo

Post by truckeeboater »

I definitely agree that you should always have sufficient rescue equipment ready and accessible. I know most folks sometimes end up using their throw rope as a haul line, which we all know works up to a certain point. For the folks who have upgraded their poly throw rope to something more substantial and rescue-worthy, what diameter spectra are you using? And what length? What are the detriments of using something that's weight-rated as a throw line for swimmers? Thanks again!
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Shep
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Re: has anyone ever pinned/bridged/wrapped a plastic open bo

Post by Shep »

The big disadvantage is just wear and tear. It's no fun spending the extra money to replace a spectra rope, but it's certainly less money than getting most other new gear. Usually someone here is buying a spool of Spectra, and then the rest of us pay per foot for their leftovers. That's what I did to replace the poly rope in my compact bag. I don't think there are any other disadvantages.

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