CARP! LOL I love that one, have not heard it before
"Oci-One Kanubi" wrote in message
oups.com...
Two terms for customers:

"SPORTs": Stupid People On Raft Trips. Elegant, because the guide can
address the customer with this term right to his face, without
jeopardizing his tip.

"Carp". Refers to their appearance when they are out of the boat and
trying to suck air (and probably borrowed from the verb used to
describe a kayaker grabbing breaths between unsuccessful roll attempts:
"carping"). By extension, I have seen the sign "Fish Crossing" beside
the driveway through an outdoor center, where the carp cross from the
parking area to the check-in kiosk.


And several terms for -- shall we say -- "things going not exactly as
planned":

Myron the Riverman mentioned "tacoing", which refers to the shape of a
raft folded over upon itself pinned against a rock, or, alternatively,
briefly folded over upon itself in an encounter with a hole
(hydraulic).

Then there is "dump-trucking", when a raft hits a hole and stands up on
end, dumping its crew into the river -- or, more specifically, into the
hole.

And "yard sale", which refers to the collection of customers, stray
paddles, shoes, water bottles and all the other unsecured crap the
customers brought along, after the raft flips and all this stuff is
floating independently down the river.

Not so much a raft guide's term as a canoeist/kayaker term, but
nevertheless appropriate to raft customers, is the euphemism
"out-of-boat experience" to describe an unplanned swim.

And don't forget the aphorism "bad things happen to people when they
are out of their boats." This refers not only to falling out and being
swept into or through river hazards, but to slipping and falling on the
rocks during portage, scouting, and meal- or camp-stops.


I am actually far more familiar with the multitudinous terms canoeists
and kayakers have to describe rafts -- the politest of which is "moving
undercuts", but that isn't really what you're looking for, is it?


-Richard, His Kanubic Travesty
--

================================================== ====================
Richard Hopley Winston-Salem, NC, USA
rhopley[at]earthlink[dot]net
Nothing really matters except Boats, Sex, and Rock'n'Roll
rhopley[at]wfubmc[dot]edu
OK, OK; computer programming for scientific research also matters
================================================== ====================

Oci-One Kanubi wrote:

"Carp". Refers to their appearance when they are out of the boat and
trying to suck air (and probably borrowed from the verb used to
describe a kayaker grabbing breaths between unsuccessful roll attempts:
"carping").

Also descriptive of the behavior of the bow paddler in a C-2 that's
front surfing a deep hole.

Steve

"Oci-One Kanubi" wrote in message
oups.com...
Two terms for customers:

"SPORTs": Stupid People On Raft Trips. Elegant, because the guide can
address the customer with this term right to his face, without
jeopardizing his tip.

"Carp". Refers to their appearance when they are out of the boat and
trying to suck air (and probably borrowed from the verb used to
describe a kayaker grabbing breaths between unsuccessful roll attempts:
"carping").

One of my favorites. We also used to refer to 'carping' as what you did when
you were swimming, floating about chin deep and gasping for air, flailing
about. This term was used for sports as well as guides.



And several terms for -- shall we say -- "things going not exactly as
planned":

Myron the Riverman mentioned "tacoing", which refers to the shape of a
raft folded over upon itself pinned against a rock, or, alternatively,
briefly folded over upon itself in an encounter with a hole
(hydraulic).


Can't take credit for posting that. But we all know about 'postage
stamping': when you do a vertical pin of a raft against a wall. Then there's
'getting launched'; when the raft partially folds (we used to say it
'clamshells') against a hole, and snaps flat, sending the guide flying.
People have been knowns to get launched the length of the boat and gone into
the water over the bow.

Also, not to forget "celebrity boater"; when a retired or transplanted river
guide revisits an old stomping ground, and gets the royalty treatment from
old friends and the wonderous stares from young guides who too easily
believe all the tales they may or may not have. Its always nice if there is
an old legendary story still hanging around ("Whoa, so THAT'S the guy who
did such-and-such way back when!")

"Fairy tale": riverside story. Of course, we all know how these begin...

"Burger"; whatever is for lunch, regardless of whether its a steak, a
sandwich or a hotdog. OK, I confess....I'm the only one who uses that.

"A-team": an excellent paddling crew.

--riverman

Put in = where the bravery dies and the nerves take over
Take out = Where the lies start

In the UK the is a group of us who also call the take out as the "Bernie
Inn" after a chain of steak houses think about it say it allowed.

Scouting = eye muscle exercises



--
Dave Manby

Some rafters call kayakers "speed bumps", or if they get between your raft
and a wall or rock, "KY Jelly" or just "KY".
In the arctic, clients are sometimes called "snowbirds" because they show up
just for the warm weather.


"kayak4pie" wrote in message
oups.com...
I'm a kayaking writer working on an essay about raft guide slang.
Anyone have any great words, terms they'd like to share and explain?
Thanks.