How Private Boaters Can Learn to Row and Rescue
Guide school, swiftwater rescue classes and baseline safety gear: how private boaters get real rowing and rescue training without becoming commercial guides.
Why Inflatable Kayaks Flip, and Why Self-Rescue Matters
What I have seen cause inflatable kayak flips, how IKs differ from hardshells, the gear that matters, and why self-rescue is the skill to learn in person.
The Upper Clackamas at 6,500 CFS: A High-Water Swim and Recovery
Rowing the Upper Clackamas at 6,500 cfs in a Super Puma: a swim at high water, a good recovery, and what to know about big-water days.
Upper Clackamas Kayak Flip: Raw Footage
The raw, unedited footage of my SOTAR SL inflatable kayak flip on the Upper Clackamas in 2025, the companion to my step-by-step breakdown.
Breakdown of My Kayak Flip on the Upper Clackamas
A step-by-step analysis of my SOTAR SL inflatable kayak flip and swim on the Upper Clackamas in 2025: what went wrong, what went right, and the fixes.
Hardshell Kayaking Roll Practice
Pool roll practice in a hardshell kayak, and why repetition is what makes a roll reliable on the river.
Carnage on the Upper Clackamas: How Not to Hit a Lateral
I hit a lateral wave crooked on the Upper Clackamas and flipped my inflatable kayak. Here is what a lateral is and how to hit one right.
The Upper Santiam at 4,000 CFS
Big water on the Santiam at 4,000 cfs, with a tree in play, and why wood is the biggest hazard at high flows.
Hardshell Kayaking: A Near-Flip and a How-Not-To Lesson
A near-flip in a hardshell kayak after I let go with one hand and did not brace, and the simple habits that would have kept me upright.
Learning to Roll a Hardshell Kayak in a Pool (Successfully)
How I landed my first hardshell kayak roll after two pool sessions and about four hours, plus tips for learning your roll in a pool.
High Water on the Lower Santiam, Part 3: The Unusual Channel
Part 3 of the fall 2023 Lower Santiam high-water run: following a kayaker down a side channel that is normally not floatable, and how to judge one.
Lower Clackamas Chills and Spills 2023: Three Swims and a Rescued Paddle
A hardshell paddler swims three times on the Lower Clackamas, a splinted paddle floats away, and I track it down. Lessons from a chaotic 2023 day.
Rainie Falls Fish Ladder 2023: Unsticking Boats on the Rogue
A technical day at the Rainie Falls fish ladder on the Rogue River: problem solving, freeing stuck boats, and how the fish ladder channel works.
Oar Snubber: What It Is, Why to Run One, and Which Fits Your Sawyer Oar
An oar stop, a snub and a leash in one piece of gear. Here's what it does and how to pick the MXS, MXS-G or MXL-G.
Pak Pocket Knives and Waterproof First Aid Kit: The Small Gear That Comes on Every Trip
Four Pak knife options starting at $30 and a $25 waterproof first aid kit. What each one's good for and why they ride in my bag.
Getting Into Whitewater: Immerse Before You Invest
No gear yet? The best first step costs nothing. How to look, learn, train and try before you spend.
R1, R2, C1: What the Terms Mean
Raft and canoe shorthand, canoe-style vs. raft-style strokes, and deadsticking.
Don't Flinch: Be Proactive, Not Reactive
The most common mistake I see on the water, and why attacking whitewater beats reacting to it.