Riverfest @ B&O
 

Sunday, 02 June 2019, is Riverfest at B&O Station. So that means it is time to give our illustrious president Mike Danko an idea of who will be helping out this year. I understand that Jodi may not be able to help out at her usual position on the dock, so I volunteer to be the Dock Overflow Coordinator (Dock DOC) this year.

If you haven't done so already, please let Mike know if and where you can help out at this year's Riverfest. I am sure he will greatly appreciate it.

Not likely to be there this year
 

There is a strong likelihood that I will not be able to attend this year's Riverfest. So I encourage the club's other open boaters to try to make it, if possible, to give canoe rides. It's a nice service to provide the public.

And on another public service note...For the past several years, I have warned those who ride in my canoe during Riverfest of the dangers of low head dams. Nearly all have been unaware of this safety hazard. I think it's important to let those who may not be familiar with river safety to stay away from low head dams.

JP

Riverfest Volunteer
 

I will be there and will work at registration.

Ken + canoe
 

I plan to come with the classic Grumman canoe.

JP three questions...

Is Bob tough enough to do Jodi's job?
Will Bob expect someone else to give him a canoe ride? AND let him paddle?

KenM

How dare you question my toughness!

I sleep with a night light on, not because I am afraid of the dark, because the dark is afraid of me!

When I do a push-up I don't lift myself up, I push the Earth down.

I grew up in Youngstown, Ohio...enough said.

Pinky and I will be there, I an load boats in Bobs place.

river gauge ref
 

fyi...

Riverfest 2016 404 cfs 1.59 ft

Riverfest 2017 904 cfs 2.30 ft

2017...More current made for some tough paddling if I didn't have a good bow paddler..... which was almost all of my passengers that day

Mahoning River Fest-Presented by Friends of the Mahoning
When- Sunday June 2nd
Where-B & O Station 530 Mahoning Ave Youngstown, OH 44502
GPS- 41.10253, -80.65771
Time-River Fest is from 12-5, TCT will be giving canoe/kayak rides 12-4 or until we get tired!!!
I will arrive no later than 10:30 am to set up and help other unload so we can be ready at NOON
Once unloaded I believe we may still park at the old Mr. Anthony's or at the WTA

Calling all members & CANOES to help at the annual Mahoning River Fest presented by Friends of the Mahoning.
This is an opportunity to do what the original member of this club wanted to do. Make the public aware of the Mahoning River and how fun it is to paddle.
TCT is able to give the public a quick glance at paddling a canoe or kayak as well of a quick view of the river. We are to help guide them up stream and back to the B&O dock. We don't need to teach them everything just keep it VERY BASIC and enjoyable so the public might get interested in the sport.

We have a tried and true system that flows like clock work and I don't see any reason to make any major chances.
Hear is what we need-
1) All Canoes/Two Man Kayaks possible with a members who can control the canoe/kayak with people who might not be as experienced.

2) A total of four very easy recreation kayaks for the public to use/Then four kayaks manned by TCT members to Shadow the public kayaks. (total of 8 kayaks)
Example- Jessica will paddle her Wavesport Ethos kayak, she will guide the public who will be paddling my Perception swifty kayak up stream and back. She can offer help and answer any questions.
When shadowing the public in kayaks always go up stream towards west ave dock. If they are unable to paddle up stream then they can float back to the dock.
Any extra kayaks that show up can be used as displays and to make a path to guide people from our tent to the life Jacket station & to the Dock.
ALL BOATS MUST BE UP TO DATE ON TAGS & NUMBERS

3) Members to work our tent & Life Vest Station & Dock- Dock workers will help load and unload boats and keep the waiting public off the dock until there turn. (aka the Jodi Vallecorsa rule) In the early years of this event we had problems with everyone on the dock and she came up with idea to have everyone wait off the dock for safety

4)Any and all extra Life Jackets we may have. All Sizes for kids and adults(Mark your Name in Each Life Vest so it doesn't get lost!!!)

For members who haven't been to this event this is our system.
1-Public comes to our tent, -Must fill out our Waiver Form, -Must receive a ticket from the tent.(The Ticket allows the life vest station and the dock workers and Paddlers know they have signed the waiver form) (Dock worker or paddler can collect the tickets)

2-Go to Life Vest station-Get fitted for a life vest.(If we don't have a life jacket big enough or small enough for people to wear then they are unable to get in to a boat!!!!!)

3-Have the public wait in line by the dock. If possible lets try to see what the public would like to do before they enter the dock. Example a person might be waiting for a kayak but the person behind then is waiting for a canoe ride. A canoe opens up then the canoe rider will go first.

4-Loading Canoe Riders-The Canoeist will have the final say on how many riders they can have in a boat at on time. In past years I have had 1 adult and two small kids as my max. Other might be ok with more or less.

5- Load Kayakers in to kayaks

6-Unload Canoe Riders and Kayakers

7- Have the public return to the Life Vest Station and return life vest.

Please note-we will always need extra members who can sub in and out of stations to give breaks. Just because you might not be at a station to start the day; please stay and help give breaks during the 4 hour event.

Hope to make this year a success like the past years
Mike Danko

Bob K thank for posting, I was camping and had no access to computer.
Thanks again to all who will be coming
Mike

Sorry I won't be able to make it. Have fun!

Does anyone have a pop up canopy? I am unable to bring my dads.
Mike

Mark and I cannot attend Riverfest as we are leaving that day for New England. Hope you all have a good time.

Mark and Kathy Murtha

what is the current current?
 

I plan on being there with the big blue canoe on Sunday. I have extra pfd's and a pop up. I am a little concerned about water level and flow. Could make for a tuff up stream paddle. I don't know what would be "too high", but we should keep an eye on the water gauges.

Looking at my records, I have the same numbers as ken.
In 2017 we were dead tired at 2.30 ft 904 cfs.

Anything above 2.5 feet will to much to ask of anyone, and for safety, there will be no rides
If we are a hair under 2.5 I say go only a hour or two
Mike

Ps.thanks to all who have posted

Riverfest
 

I am unable to make it this year.

I might be able to Bring a 12 X 12 popup but will have my grandson with me so can't really work it

Water level
 

At 7pm the mahoning river west ave gauge is at 3.86ft
The max we will go is 2.5ft.
I highly doubt it will drop.

We will still have our set up and still can talk to public
Watch the gauge and see what happens
Ed Hahn is bring us his 10x10 pop up tent

Over 4ft now with a flow of over 2000cfm! Might be fun for a run to Lowellville but not for taking the public on rides. I'll still stop by though.

That would be a fun paddle to lowellville

At midnight level is above 4ft
NO CANOE RIDES OR KAYAKS DEMOS

Lin and I will be stopping by around 2pm and can give tent workers a break if needed.

8:15 am gauge 6.69 and rising
 

We made a three hour drive home from Toledo last evening. Drove in the storms all the way across Ohio turnpike. Somehow I didn't think we would be paddling today.

And I washed out all the bugs and spiders from the Grumman too! Dang.

We have some friends that are doing a river cleanup on the Tusc today so will try for that if the water level allows.

KenM
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Got skunked on the cleanup too. Tusc came up about 1.5 foot but was moving too fast to manuver a canoe to pick up trash.

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