Accident Database: Accident #3218

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River: Gauley (7
Section: 7 (Upper). Summersville Dam to Mason Branch
Location: Tumblehome Rapid
Gauge: 2800
Water Level: Medium
Difficulty:
Accident Code(s): Swim Into Undercut Trap
Injury Code(s): Fatal
Age: 0
Years Paddling:
Private/Commercial: Commercial
Boat Type: Raft
Boat Manufacturer: unknown
Boat Model:
Number of Occupants: 0
Number in Group: 0
Number of Victims: 0
Other Victim Names:
Hazard Codes: Blast rock, Low Head Dam, High Water, Hydraulic/Keeper Hole, Man-made Debris Strainer, Pin/Broach, Rocks that cause blunt trauma, Natural Strainer or Sieve, Water Temp, Waterfall
Initial Report:

From Boatertalk.com

Sounds like the raft ended-up in the channel between "the boof" line far left (that lands next to the hugely undercut left wall), and the main lines down the right.  This is near the top of the Tumblehome drop where most kayakers eddy out left (above a cool cartwheel hole), then ferry hard right to start the rapid.  There's a horrible crack/undercut/slot in the middle, which could be a consequence if someone really blows the right-to-left ferry that many Gauley paddlers don't know about.  Most of the flow goes under a rock.  I've been through it before I knew it was there and it's awful--banged-up and 10 seconds upside-down wiggling before I flushed in my boat.

Word in Fayetteville is that the raft went through there.

Summary:
Detailed Description:
Conclusions:
Link:
Report Status: Reported