PARKER TUBE FLOAT

[mobldj]

tube float this weekend.ends at Pirates.i will be at the outside cantina djing playing music for all you drunks from 1 to 5. come up and say hi !

 

[old rigger]

ohhhh, now I get your name.

 

[QC22]

Cool. Glad you started this thread. I've never done this and have some questions. Looks like I will be boat driver DD for this event for some friends; their boat. I was just reading the rules and it says that floaters are to take the shuttle from La Paz to Buckskin for inflate and getting in the water. How does that work with a support boat? I'm guessing I'm missing something basic?

 

[NicPaus]

Support boat launch where you want. Avoid the bullshit lines and hours waiting on shuttle. I will be out with my support vessel. Towing the masses when needed.

 

[QC22]

And the floaters can inflate and get in from the boat?

 

[old rigger]

We did the first one after it moved above the dam... and I was a lot younger.

I think we'll just watch it go by.

 

[84miller]

I am across from buckskin, that being said, I spend the day last year watching the process. Two thing occurred. One, the shuttle from La Paz was slow, meaning took to long. The newspaper stated they have resolution for this year regarding the shuttle. Second, which cannot be controlled. They had a up river wind, people had a hell of a time floating down current. That being said, you have three options. Load all people in the boat, with floating devices inflated drop them in the water at Big Bend, you and them float. Load all people in the boat, do not inflate, they have inflating devices on the Buckskin beach, only problem will be dropping the people off the boat on Buckskin beach, it was a zoo there last year, could make it difficult to get a boat into the beach, may suggest dropping them off at Buckskin ramp, but would incur a little walk. Or let them take the shuttle, you meet them in the boat at Buckskin. Make sure all people have a wristband. You will be at idle at all times in the boat, with many starts and stops. Always watch your transom each time you start, it can get crowed. Weather forecast 101 6mph wind good weather. Have fun.

 

[QC22]

Thanks ^^^^ that's what I was looking for!

IF we have all of our wristbands etc. Can we launch at River Island and just float into the crowd? Floaters and boat all together?

 

[84miller]

Thanks ^^^^ that's what I was looking for!

IF we have all of our wristbands etc. Can we launch at River Island and just float into the crowd? Floaters and boat all together?

Last year people from up river were floating down and joining, meaning it was allowed. They had a strictly enforced speed limit from Big Bend to La Paz. Keep in mind if you do launch at river island the people floating will be in a non-restrictive speed zone till reaching big bend. I was on my waverunner, and saw many people last year floating down that stretch so unless they change something this year you should be ok to use that option.

 

[Ziggy]

Brrrrrr, ain't it still Wetsuit season?

 

[QC22]

should be ok to use that option.

Roger. Really appreciate the help, and the clarity.

 

[QC22]

Brrrrrr, ain't it still Wetsuit season?

A tip from someone that has never done this. Bring a big enough floatie so you can sit on top of it

 

[pkrrvr619]

This is a fun event to just boat through as well. We did it last year. helped a few groups get off the banks due to wind and then idled down river past the no wake speed zone. had a good time.

 

[Hardly Satisfied]

I'm going this weekend coming up Friday morning

 

[yz450mm]

Happened to snag a waterfront spot at Pirates for this weekend, i'll be hanging out and watching from the shore. Might take the ski out in the morning, but stand-ups aren't very much fun in a no wake zone lol.

 

[76 Southwind]

Speaking of Stand-Ups...there was a shit load of those things on Parker last weekend.. Back to the float. We did it one year and that's enough.. Have Fun !!!

 

[yz450mm]

Speaking of Stand-Ups...there was a shit load of those things on Parker last weekend.. Back to the float. We did it one year and that's enough.. Have Fun !!!

It was the annual Run What You Brung Poker Run. A Havasu firefighter and his wife put it on every year, with proceeds from all the raffles going to local charities.

I don't really have any desire to be in the float, but I've heard there's some decent entertainment down at the end.

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[SCV2RVR]

Can you get a DUI while floating?

 

[Backlash]

We'll be there this weekend too but will probably just watch the madness from the sidelines. Can't wait for some warm weather!!!

 

[Andy B.]

Can you get a DUI while floating?

That's a fair question because you can on a bicycle on land and you are transporting yourself on water soooo lol!

 

[Rondog4405]

We launch out of pirates.. Cruise up to buckskin.. Fill up the floats. And my crew all ties off to the boat. It really is a good time. I chill in the boat and play dj and bartender. Have some cold ones while floating down river. Sundance had a good band playing saturday in thr afternoon and at night. SAFETY ORANGE saw them in laughlin. Good time for sure

 

[Rondog4405]

Brrrrrr, ain't it still Wetsuit season?

Should feel great. Looks to be around 105

 

[BoatCop]

I am across from buckskin, that being said, I spend the day last year watching the process. Two thing occurred. One, the shuttle from La Paz was slow, meaning took to long. The newspaper stated they have resolution for this year regarding the shuttle. Second, which cannot be controlled. They had a up river wind, people had a hell of a time floating down current. That being said, you have three options. Load all people in the boat, with floating devices inflated drop them in the water at Big Bend, you and them float. Load all people in the boat, do not inflate, they have inflating devices on the Buckskin beach, only problem will be dropping the people off the boat on Buckskin beach, it was a zoo there last year, could make it difficult to get a boat into the beach, may suggest dropping them off at Buckskin ramp, but would incur a little walk. Or let them take the shuttle, you meet them in the boat at Buckskin. Make sure all people have a wristband. You will be at idle at all times in the boat, with many starts and stops. Always watch your transom each time you start, it can get crowed. Weather forecast 101 6mph wind good weather. Have fun.

There's a number 4: I took the grandkids last year. Brought them up by boat. Inflated the raft on board. The 12v inflator that came with my pull-tubes worked perfectly. Dropped them in, tethered to my pontoon and floated down. Fuck the shuttles, the waiting and the BS on shore. They had a blast, but were burned out by the time we got to Road Runner. Pulled them in, deflated the float and hightailed back to Blue Water (where we launched). S
Home, showered and BBQ-ing before most floaters got to Pirate's.

 

[BoatCop]

Can you get a DUI while floating?

No you can't. Unless you're the one in charge of the support boat. Law states "Motorized Vessel". California S.O. COULD get you for Drunk in Public, but unlikely.

That's a fair question because you can on a bicycle on land and you are transporting yourself on water soooo lol!

As above, it only applies to motorized vehicles. You CANNOT get a DUI on a bicycle.

 

[cofooter]

Can you get a DUI while floating?

Its called a FUI...……...

 

[Andy B.]

No you can't. Unless you're the one in charge of the support boat. Law states "Motorized Vessel". California S.O. COULD get you for Drunk in Public, but unlikely.

I was being sarcastic I respect the job they have to do and the bullshit they have to deal with.



As above, it only applies to motorized vehicles. You CANNOT get a DUI on a bicycle.

 

[River Lynchmob]

We are here for a week...probably cruise through sometime on Sat.

 

[Wheeler]

We are here for a week...probably cruise through sometime on Sat.

Will you be running the Schiada ?

 

[TexasJet]

Speaking of Stand-Ups...there was a shit load of those things on Parker last weekend.. Back to the float. We did it one year and that's enough.. Have Fun !!!

You can say that again!!!! I made the mistake of thinking the traffic would be lighter on Saturday after the holiday weekend. Wrong!!!!! Between the wakeboard boats and the jet skis it was like boating in a washing machine.

 

[Mary Hamilton]

Here is a link to the rules and tips.
You won't be able to just "run through" the event this year. Vessels who are not official Assist Vessels must be associated with a float group. The vessel must be registered as well as anyone on it and in the float group. The river will be heavily patrolled this year. In addition to our regular local law enforcement agencies we will have assist from Imperial County, Maricopa County and possibly Mohave County.

If you would like to volunteer, HERE is the form to sign up for that. I could use some assist vessels. That means you will be required to attend an in-service at 7 am at Buckskin Fire Department on Saturday. You will receive a radio and a vest from BFD. You will be given specific instruction and be assigned to a sector and a "leader." We will provide ice, water, trash bags and gloves. LEO will be looking at unnecessary traffic in the event area.

Everyone either directly or indirectly benefits from this event. Businesses benefit through increased sales and the local municipalities through bed tax and sales tax. That person waiting tables at the restaurants might make more money and be able to use other services in the area. The tourism dollar affects everyone. We produce that economic impact.

Yes, you need to register for this event. You can launch anywhere within the event area. This event is very expensive to produce and it is a fundraiser for our organization: The Parker Regional Chamber of Commerce and Tourism. We are a non-profit business league that promotes the prosperity of the local business environment. We provide networking opportunities, business education and legislative advocacy. We are also the Destination Marketing Office for the Parker Area promoting tourism to the area. We run the year-round local visitor information center as well. If you do not register, we can't produce this event. If the law sees that you don't have a wristband, you can be ejected for trespassing. I know there will probably be a lot of smart ass remarks but you need to know the real deal from someone who really knows. Please let me know if I can answer any more questions. ~Mary Hamilton

 

[BHC Vic]

No you can't. Unless you're the one in charge of the support boat. Law states "Motorized Vessel". California S.O. COULD get you for Drunk in Public, but unlikely.




As above, it only applies to motorized vehicles. You CANNOT get a DUI on a bicycle.

Can you get a dui on a horse? I see people drinking and riding in norco all the time. Not complaining, just curious

 

[QC22]

Please let me know if I can answer any more questions. ~Mary Hamilton

Thank you Mary. Because I am really slow, can we join the Float from the water? i.e. Support Boat and Floaters originate upriver and enter together into the Event Area at Buckskin.

 

[grumpy88]

Hi marry please make sure you take all your trash with your event when its over . Yes that includes half the people that come out and partake in your event . Maybe since you seam to be big into rules you should make a life jacket a mandatory item instead of a wrist ban !

 

[Icky]

Hi marry please make sure you take all your trash with your event when its over . Yes that includes half the people that come out and partake in your event . Maybe since you seam to be big into rules you should make a life jacket a mandatory item instead of a wrist ban !

 

[River Lynchmob]

We will be in this...have my whole family here together here for the 1st time in about 12 years

 

[HCP3]

Hi marry please make sure you take all your trash with your event when its over . Yes that includes half the people that come out and partake in your event . Maybe since you seam to be big into rules you should make a life jacket a mandatory item instead of a wrist ban !

oh man.

 

[Waffles]

Can you get a dui on a horse? I see people drinking and riding in norco all the time. Not complaining, just curious

There’s a statute in California that basically says that if you are riding any animal on the roadway, then you have the same rights as a person who’s driving a motor vehicle. You also have the same responsibilities.

VC 21050
http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&sectionNum=21050

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[Mary Hamilton]

Hi marry please make sure you take all your trash with your event when its over . Yes that includes half the people that come out and partake in your event . Maybe since you seam to be big into rules you should make a life jacket a mandatory item instead of a wrist ban !

We are big on trash and life jackets. Read the rules. Since moving the event and shortening the route, we have had less problems with trash. There is more trash from Memorial Day. We have crews that pick it up during and after the event. Thank you for your input, Grumpy. Why don't you volunteer for the event? Here is the form. Then maybe you'll be informed. (And it's spelled "Mary" and "seem")

 

[Mary Hamilton]

Thank you Mary. Because I am really slow, can we join the Float from the water? i.e. Support Boat and Floaters originate upriver and enter together into the Event Area at Buckskin.

Yes, you can join the float from the water as long as you have the wristband. Please read the rules and tips here. Or call our office if you have further questions. Thank you for supporting this event. Please be safe and have fun.

 

[grumpy88]

We are big on trash and life jackets. Read the rules. Since moving the event and shortening the route, we have had less problems with trash. There is more trash from Memorial Day. We have crews that pick it up during and after the event. Thank you for your input, Grumpy. Why don't you volunteer for the event? Here is the form. Then maybe you'll be informed. (And it's spelled "Mary" and "seem")

I don't volunteer for your event because I don't like your event . Secondly the wearing of a life vest is clearly not mandatory .

 

[NicPaus]

I don't volunteer for your event because I don't like your event . Secondly the wearing of a life vest is clearly not mandatory .

Damn grump you 1 of those advocates for adults wearing a life vest on a boat as well ?

 

[hallett21]

How do you kick someone out of the float?

Tell them to swim up river? Lol


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[NicPaus]

How do you kick someone out of the float?

Tell them to swim up river? Lol


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First year they enforced it they blocked river with 2 sherif boats pushing them to shore. The problem was the pay booth on shore ran out of wristbands to sell. The year before they said 8k non payers. You would think they would of had 8k bands to sell but they ran out quickly with only a 1000. Was a big party at the sandbar as nobody could buy a pass and were blocked out by sheriff boat.

 

[yz450mm]

So far so good, only saw 1 can floating by and the neighbor kid grabbed it. Looks like everyone is having a great time...

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[Mary Hamilton]

First year they enforced it they blocked river with 2 sherif boats pushing them to shore. The problem was the pay booth on shore ran out of wristbands to sell. The year before they said 8k non payers. You would think they would of had 8k bands to sell but they ran out quickly with only a 1000. Was a big party at the sandbar as nobody could buy a pass and were blocked out by sheriff boat.

Hey NicPaus, We had 5K wristbands to sell. I don't have final numbers yet but we had plenty to sell Saturday morning. Sorry you got incorrect information.

 

[NicPaus]

Hey NicPaus, We had 5K wristbands to sell. I don't have final numbers yet but we had plenty to sell Saturday morning. Sorry you got incorrect information.

I was referring to the first year they charged.

Not this past Saturday float I bought mine from Spankys no problem. I know a lot people thought it was $10 and did not pay cause it was $20.

My question is how could you possibly make any money off this deal. It was fun and very safe. The amount spent on rescue boats and emergency personnel on stand by must of been way more than collected on wrist bands. Every 100 yards it seemed there was rescue crews on shore and water. Must of been close to 100 on the clock from what I saw. 1 for every 10 floaters.

 

[Mary Hamilton]

I was referring to the first year they charged.

Not this past Saturday float I bought mine from Spankys no problem. I know a lot people thought it was $10 and did not pay cause it was $20.

My question is how could you possibly make any money off this deal. It was fun and very safe. The amount spent on rescue boats and emergency personnel on stand by must of been way more than collected on wrist bands. Every 100 yards it seemed there was rescue crews on shore and water. Must of been close to 100 on the clock from what I saw. 1 for every 10 floaters.

We've been charging for this event since it's inception 42 years ago. It was only recently (2013) that we were able to increase the number of registered participants via online sales. It had been $10 for decades. We needed to shorten the route and provide transportation for a better experience. That's when we raised the price. This event costs a great deal of money to produce and our insurance keeps going up.

Safety is number one in any event. So, I'm very grateful that there were so many agencies involved in the operation.

We don't just do it for us as a fundraiser for our organization alone. Many businesses depend on this event as a fourth holiday during the summer. We also use it as a marketing tool to promote tourism to the area.

Thanks for your comments and questions. I'm glad you enjoyed the float.

 

[Icky]

We've been charging for this event since it's inception 42 years ago. It was only recently (2013) that we were able to increase the number of registered participants via online sales. It had been $10 for decades. We needed to shorten the route and provide transportation for a better experience. That's when we raised the price. This event costs a great deal of money to produce and our insurance keeps going up.

Safety is number one in any event. So, I'm very grateful that there were so many agencies involved in the operation.

We don't just do it for us as a fundraiser for our organization alone. Many businesses depend on this event as a fourth holiday during the summer. We also use it as a marketing tool to promote tourism to the area.

Thanks for your comments and questions. I'm glad you enjoyed the float.

I thought parker was closed

 

[BoatCop]

I was referring to the first year they charged.

Not this past Saturday float I bought mine from Spankys no problem. I know a lot people thought it was $10 and did not pay cause it was $20.

My question is how could you possibly make any money off this deal. It was fun and very safe. The amount spent on rescue boats and emergency personnel on stand by must of been way more than collected on wrist bands. Every 100 yards it seemed there was rescue crews on shore and water. Must of been close to 100 on the clock from what I saw. 1 for every 10 floaters.

Safety boats, LE and Rescue are provided by the Agencies at no cost to the Chamber. It's been a thorn in my side for years. Not that I minded doing it, but the way it was funded.

While the County rakes in tons of money in the way of increased sales taxes, bed/hotel taxes, fuel taxes, etc., none of it trickles down into the Sheriff's budget. They have to use Boating Safety grant money, DUI Enforcement Grant money, and their own (very limited) overtime funds for this, and other big draw events, like the Parker 425 and other off-road events. County makes money. Sponsors (Chamber and BITD) make money, venues make money, businesses make money, Tribes make money, everyone makes money, except that the Sheriff's Office (and County Public Works) goes further in the hole with their manpower costs. I've tried to talk the Board of Supervisors into putting a separate budget line item for Special Event overtime and costs, funded from the bed and hotel taxes. But as it is now, that bed tax money goes to, guess where? The Chamber and Tourism. While the Sheriff has to use other funds to provide safety and security, so the Chamber and everyone else can make money. Doesn't really seem like a wise way to spend tax funds by the smallest and poorest County in Arizona, while it tries to dig it's way out of near bankruptcy.

 

[old rigger]

We watched the floaters go by and it looked like everyone had a blast. Something happened down river but we never heard what it was. 5 sheriffs went by with lights and sirens, I figured it was a fight of some kind.

This was almost the beginning of the tubers, I think one group slipped by before I took the shot.