Richard Ferguson wrote:
: I have been watching the news, and my view is that the best boats would
: be the larger (16 foot or more) outboard motor boats. Air boats have
: also been used. You would probably want a crew of two people, and be
: able to safely carry 4 or more victims. I heard that there are a bunch
: of volunteers using their fishing boats for that purposes. Bass fishing
: boats are very common in the south, and should be well suited to rescue
: work. Bass boats have outboards, and are frequently used near shore
: around obstacles such as submerged trees.

: I don't think that canoes, kayaks, or other small boats are the right
: tools for the job of rescue, in general. Don't carry enough, and are
: too slow. Obviously I would use my own canoe to rescue myself and
: family, if I was in the affected area, but I think that the distances
: from the launch point to the victims could be quite a few miles. The
: other problem with canoes, etc., is that they could easily tip over when
: loading victims, who cannot be assumed to be wise to the ways of small
: boats.

: Kayaks and canoes for rescue is a nice idea, but not practical.

: Richard

Well, as of yet, I haven't received a reply when I asked if this was a
serious request and for additional contact info... keep in mind I didn't
contact them, they contacted me... I too am not sure that we can move
enough stuff to make a difference... although, if you get food or water
to one person, I suppose that is making a difference... will let you know
if I hear back... mean time, think of a place along I-55 with a large
parking lot that could be used as a meeting place... but don't start driving
yet...

--
John Nelson
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Britain extracted all its troops from Europe when they wee forced back
to Normandy in Private Boats donated freely by their owners most of
whome stayed with the craft to help the evacuation.
What is being suggested is not unheard of.
Canoes and Kayaks .... I am not sure they are appropriate.
The Bass boats, hover craft and air boats would be the cats meaw.

wrote:
: Britain extracted all its troops from Europe when they wee forced back
: to Normandy in Private Boats donated freely by their owners most of
: whome stayed with the craft to help the evacuation.
: What is being suggested is not unheard of.
: Canoes and Kayaks .... I am not sure they are appropriate.
: The Bass boats, hover craft and air boats would be the cats meaw.

I agree, although it might depend on just how much fuel they have around
to burn...

--
John Nelson
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On 4-Sep-2005, wrote:

Canoes and Kayaks .... I am not sure they are appropriate.

They are being used by those in the area that have them.

There was an item on last night's news of a Canadian fellow
that drove from Colorado (where he's attending university)
to New Orleans with his kayak. He rescued one person and
has been helping where he can. This kayak is a big recreational
kayak with a canoe-like cockpit.

I could see a sea kayak or similar being used to poke into places
a larger vessel couldn't go and assisting the crews of larger
craft.

Mike

Michael Daly wrote:
On 4-Sep-2005, wrote:


Canoes and Kayaks .... I am not sure they are appropriate.


They are being used by those in the area that have them.

There was an item on last night's news of a Canadian fellow
that drove from Colorado (where he's attending university)
to New Orleans with his kayak. He rescued one person and
has been helping where he can. This kayak is a big recreational
kayak with a canoe-like cockpit.

I could see a sea kayak or similar being used to poke into places
a larger vessel couldn't go and assisting the crews of larger
craft.

Mike


Where kayaks are going to prove useful is later, after areas have been
cleared of survivors that we know of. Teams of people in kayaks or a
canoe will be able to go house to house... to find and count bodies and
mark the rooftops accordingly.

People won't be lining up to volunteer for that.
That takes something you can only expect from paid help with the
equipment, training and psychological support after the fact to do a
job like that.
Without a uniform I would be frightened some fool would shoot me
thinking ( Not without cause ) that I was in to steel his or her
property .
I have served with our army, I have seen death. This is incramentally
beyond what I would want to do to myself. There is no dinner
conversation ( or other civil circomstance ) where this becomes
appropriate banter.

This job will be done and the people that do it will need support. I
for one would not want to take this baggage home to my wife and kids.
I am also the guy that can paint the walls with other peoples blood, It
does not faze on me: But the pure scale of this ............