Uncategorized – Historic River Boats Afloat

2016 trip

pam — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 20:40:29 +0000

The trip will prepare for launch on the 14th and launch on the 15th. On the evening before launch we will have an Eat Hearty Before We Launch dinner and movie (www.frenchkayakfilm.com) at the Lees Ferry motel. If you can join us let me know!

As you have heard, we had some excitement at the Eat Hearty dinner. But all worked out well and the group is now down at Whitmore camp.

Doing this can be pretty tiring, but it is very fulfilling. It doesn’t affect me as much as it used to, mainly because I found an excellent health supplement that has been working great for me. It is natural, and very effective. I highly recommend it. If you would like to check it out, here you can Know More.

Dave

Port Townsend Boat Show 9/7/2012

pam — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 02:47:47 +0000

The 2012 Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival was three days packed full of fun events. Actually four days – as Thursday, the set up day, is really a day for presenters and locals to get a preview of what is to come. And preview we did. There were hundreds of wooden boats of all sizes. As well as vendors for and information about the many processes to help you buy or build your own vessel.

And of course there were many boats exhibited for our viewing pleasure including donate a boat to charity event. The most colorful were five HRBA replica Grand Canyon whitewater boats. Susie R, Flavell, Susie Too, Portola and GEM were all resplendent in the colors of Grand Canyon boats. Dave Mortenson showed the film Big Water Runners of the Colorado River twice to appreciative crowds. Tom Martin gave a talk and power-point presentation on the history of Grand Canyon river running.

We were pleased at how many of our visitors had had the experience of running the Colorado through the Grand Canyon. And there were hundreds who have it on their “bucket list”.

Orcas – Eastsound Film Showing

pam — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 04:43:53 +0000

MONDAY – SEPTEMBER 10, 2012

IN MEMORY OF TWO ORCAS RESIDENTS:

V. R. “BRICK” MORTENSON – EARLY COLORADO RIVER RUNNER

DR. T. MAGDA MISCHE – RIVER RUNNER & ADVENTURER

PRESENTATION BY: DAVE MORTENSON

This short video was produced to honor early river runners and tell their amazing story. Magda contacted Dave this last winter about having an Orcas presentation since they shared a passion for Orcas and for the Grand Canyon. The tragic loss of Magda this spring added to the importance of having this event for the Orcas community.

PROGRAM AT THE ORCAS CENTER

6:00 pm: Social Hour – Replica 1950’s whitewater boat display

7:00 pm: Featured Presentation

7:30 – 8:00 pm: Questions & Answers

ADMISSION FREE

Donations will be appreciated to cover presentation costs 
All additional funds raised will be divided between two causes:
 For Brick - Orcas Lions Scholarship Program 
 For Magda - Power Past Coal Campaign
Please invite family and friends

Donations will be appreciated to cover presentation costs

All additional funds raised will be divided between two causes:

For Brick – Orcas Lions Scholarship Program

For Magda – Power Past Coal Campaign

Vancouver, WA Film Showing

pam — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 18:16:13 +0000

Big Water Runners of the Colorado River

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 12, 2012
SPONSORED BY: OREGON WHITEWATER ASSOCIATION
HOSTED BY: RIVER CONNECTIONS – YOUR RIVER CONNECTION STORE SINCE 1999
LOCATED IN MOUNTAIN VIEW PLAZA
2804 NORTHEAST 65TH AVENUE, BLDG D, VANCOUVER, WA 98661

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PROGRAM
6:00 PM: SOCIAL HOUR – REPLICA BOAT DISPLAY – RIVER CONNECTIONS VISIT
6:30 PM PIZZA SERVED & OWA MEETING ANOUCEMENTS
7:15 PM FEATURED PRESENTATION NEXT DOOR TO RIVER CONNECTIONS

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FIRST FRIENDS CHURCH – 2710 NE 65TH AVE. – VANCOUVER, WA 98661
ADMISSION FREE — PLEASE INVITE FAMILY AND FRIENDS
PURCHASE OF RAFFLE TICKETS APPRECIATED TO COVER COST OF FOOD & ROOM RENTAL.
FREE PARKING – USE BACK CHURCH LOT – FOLLOW SIGNS

Congratulations to Sawyer Story Winners!

pam — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 04:07:21 +0000

Dave Mortenson and Greg Hatten both wrote about our HRBA 2012 trip and won! They each have gift checks to spend at Sawyer. Dave will spend his on oars for future HRBA boats. Follow this link to read all about it. http://www.paddlesandoars.com/NewsLetters/Sawyer_Newsletter_45th_Anniversary_Winners.html

And go to this site to read all the stories that sawyer recognized. http://sawyerstoryblog.blogspot.com/

Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival

pam — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 04:49:52 +0000

The Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival will have a good showing of colorful Colorado 1950 and 1960 boats. The festival runs from Friday Sept 7 – Sunday Sept 9. Come join us to learn lots about wooden boats, and hear several presentations by members of HRBA.

Big Water Runners of the Colorado River – Video Trailer

jaci — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:17:59 +0000

Big Water Runners of the Colorado River “Official Trailer”

Susie R. 1957 to today…

jaci — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:47:43 +0000

1957 - building the replica - running the river

Our Mission . . . River Running History.

jaci — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:40:05 +0000

The mission of Historic River Boats Afloat (HRBA) is to restore or replicate and return to active use historic river-running vessels. These early whitewater craft were often homemade and innovative with materials and designs. As new technologies became available river runners pioneered different approaches to how they tackled the wild rivers of the west, usually at the highest flow levels. HRBA is dedicated to preserving and protecting the recorded information of the river boats and people who built and ran these craft. We desire to create a means where people can learn to use, enjoy and understand these legendary river-running boats. Our focus will be on education about historic boat building and river-running skills, traditions and values, and document how the rivers and whitewater activities have changed over time. Specifically, we are into boats that can be on the water again so it can be learned how they handled on the river. What the pioneers of river running developed and experienced are the discoveries we seek. This can best be accomplished by building and running the craft they used. Our accomplishments will be measured in what we replicate or restore, as well as how we tell the story behind each boat, its builder and its history, since they use different tools to build these boats, including an electric staple gun which is a tool used from these times. Our first round of boat replication is complete: Two “cataract”-style boats first built by P.T. “Pat” Reilly in 1954 and 1955 and one “dory”-style boat built by Moulty Fulmer in 1952 are now about to run the river that they last did together in 1958. Historic River Boats Afloat is a non-profit organization filed in Washington state and we are in the filing process with the IRS for a tax exempt status 501(c)3. Our challenge is time. The record of these earlier river runners and their boats is being lost. Today, we can no longer use disk tapes, floppy discs or computer operating systems only a few years old. Imagine the treasure we seek are the boxes of old slides, the can of 16mm film, or the journal unread for a half century. All these valuable tools are usually lost as one generation leaves its “record” to the next. Yet, when the box of stuff is found it opens a door to the past that becomes our tool to replicate boats and to rediscover the stories, traditions and experiences from those who ran the rivers before our generation.

Susie R 1958

jaci — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:01:05 +0000

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