Dreams of floating wild stretches of untamed rivers filled my imaginings so much so that I made a promise to myself that I would follow those dreams and act on them while I was still able to do so. There was just one problem, I needed a boat and not just any boat. The boat I needed to fulfill my dreams had to be custom built, and I would be the builder.
The process was simple enough and the idea of building my own boat was appealing to say the least. I found a complete set of detailed plans for a Jonboat in an old book I purchased from a book store. The boat was constructed entirely out of 1 inch boards with the exception of the bow and transom which were fashioned from 2 inch stock. Built in this configuration, the boat may be too heavy for non-trailerable loading and unloading. Trying to negotiate a steep back would make for some hilarious drama too, not to mention bruises, cuts and the need for first-aide and ice packs. I want a boat that I can tie to the roof of my vehicle and launch it from anywhere. I don't want to be boat ramp dependent. I decided to build the boat lighter by using 3/8 inch plywood for the hull sides and bottom. The Jonboat is much lighter now and the need to waterproof multiple joints has been reduced considerably. I made no changes to the hull plates at the bow and stern, I kept the board dimensions of 2 inches for ram strength. All of the joints on the hull exterior had 6 inch wide fiberglass tape applied and were then saturated with resin, which made the hull watertight and strong.
I could hardly wait for the last coat of paint to dry. My first customized homebuilt Jonboat was complete. The time had come to test this build and to set a dream on the road to reality. My fishing buddy and I mounted the Johnboat on top of my car, canoe style, and we headed for the river. There was no need to find the local boat ramp. We simply found an accessible aproach to the river and carried the Jonboat down the bank to the river. That is access without complication and it makes any stretch of river your playground. There were a few concerns at first about the seaworthyness of the Jonboat. It had never been at float and the need to prove itself trustworthy was still ahead.
When we reached the river, the bank was a sheer 3 feet above the water. We lowered the Jonboat to the surface of the stream and the next thought that went through our minds the second the Jonboat hit the water was, "who's going to wind up in the drink first"? That question was quickly answered when my buddy jumped from the muddy bank into the Jonboat. He struck dead center on the sole like a gymnast off the parallel bars. For a split second, all vitals stopped. He stood perfectly still waiting for the inevitable. It never happened. The Jonboat held together in stark defiance, barely bobbing in the current. A smile broke on our faces as we realized the Jonboats' strength, we had ourselves a river boat. That incident broke a positve light on any fears I had initially. It was a calming relief to know that the homebuilt would hold together and not fall apart in midstream. Thus began my first float trip in a boat that I built with my own two hands.
We paddled the Jonboat out to mid stream and almost immediately I was astonished at how changing your point of view opens up a whole new world. I knew from that moment on that I would be hooked on the outdoors and exploring secluded areas would be my quest. We continued on downstream enjoying the raw beauty of nature and the animals that inhabited that quiet stretch of stream. The sun was starting her decline and the woodland creatures were stirring like an orchestra tuning their instruments for the evening synphony. Up ahead, the river made a sharp turn to the right and nothing about the scene was alarming so we proceeded without thought, tuned in to the entertainment. We paddled the boat toward the inside bank to negotiate the bend, this manuver prooved to be a big mistake in judgement. The closer we got to the inside bank, the faster the current took us until finally, it whipped us out into midstream again only this time, we were at its' mercy. When I looked downstream in the direction the current was hurling us, my jaw dropped open like it had suddenly turned to lead. Lying thirty yards in front of us, and completely blocking our path, was the biggest tree I had ever seen, up to that point, and we were headed for that monster, "broadside". I've been in a few bad spots in my lifetime, but I can't remember any that I completely froze up from indecision. It was like, there is nothing I can do to stop this. Sometimes, the only way out is through. And then it happened!
C-R-R-A-A-K-K-K was the only sound I heard when the Jonboat slammed into the tree, and I thought, "Oh my God, this current is going to rip us out of this boat, drag us under the tree, and stuff us in a snag like a cork in a wine bottle". Where's a cop when you need one, right? At the time, I wasn't sure what the right thing to do was however, I was keenly aware of what not to do, panic and giving up was not an option. Hitting from the side like that, the strong current tried to drive the Jonboat up on the side of the tree which caused the outer gunwale to submerge. When water started pouring into the boat, we knew instinctively what we needed to do. In a heartbeat we shifted our weight toward the tree and resurrected the gunwale but, we were still locked in position by the strong current. In order to get to safety, we needed to push the Jonboat away from the tree and maintain that distance in the strong current so that we could scoot the boat toward the bank with the root ball end of the tree. If we went the other way, we would have to fight the branches and be in a hell-of-a-mess. So, that's what we did.
We rose to our feet and balanced our weight to keep the attitude of the boat as flat as possible. Hand over hand we inched the boat toward the root ball and the safety of the bank. When we reached the root ball, we noticed that there was a gap between the root ball and the bank that was just wide enough to paddle the Jonboat through. It was a welcome site indeed. We negotiated the gap and were relieved to see that this tree was the only obstruction in sight.
That was my 'debut' float trip and I made some major life threatening mistakes in the process. I took a lot for granted through ignorance and hastiness. I should have taken the time to prepare for the mission even though it was of short duration. I was not equipped for an emergency. There was no first-aide kit, no fresh water, no emergency supplies such as waterproof matches and knife, I didn't even have a flashlight in case we were caught after dark. I would have been at the mercy of the elements.
The most critical of my mistakes was my careless disregard for danger on the stream. When safety is at question around a bend, it is better to beach the watercraft and scout the waters ahead for dangerous conditions, "better safe than sorry?", indeed. I should have taken the time to insure that the bend was safe to manuver.
A floater would be wise to 'not' take the inside turn in a bend because your vision and reaction time are limited. If we had stayed wide and kept the craft to the outer bank, we would have seen the tree in time to beach the craft and see that there was a passage between the bank and the root ball.