Pinned Canoe ... Interesting Day

We had an interesting day on the river recently!

Very early in a group trip on a local river we decided to line the canoes down a rapid as it was judged that one or two group members might succumb to a potential pinning hazard should they attempt to paddle it. The lining process started well.

However, toward the end of the lining exercise a Mad River Explorer 14 open canoe became pinned. It was stuck fast with the river right bow jammed under a rock ledge & an area around the centre of the boat being forced on to a large mid stream rock by the powerful current.

An initial attempt was made to free the boat by attaching a throw line to the "jammed" end (river right) & pulling from the opposite bank - this was simply the easiest & lowest risk option for rescue. It didn't work.

It was felt that attaching a line to the mid-stream end of the boat would likely have a greater effect. This, however, involved the increased risk of having to wade out into the current in order to attach an appropriate line.

The risk did, though, produce the hoped for reward and some brute strength on the newly attached line freed the trapped craft!

Its a testimony to modern materials & boat building that a canoe which had been so firmly pinned and subject to such huge forces emerged from its ordeal just about unmarked!

The day had a bit of everything really - interesting!