Rafting Fun

EricP · 07-21-2013, 12:42 PM

So I got my bladder control thing taken care of once again

and feeling great.

As a treat for going through a tour of Hell I bought myself one of those HUGE inflatable Rafts so I could go out and safely paddle around the lake and do some fishing. I even designed and built a custom shade roof for it to keep the sun off of me. This is what I am talking about.. http://youtu.be/Bi0yMGJVYmw

I love this thing, A LOT, so relaxing to be out on the lake all quiet, doing some fishing, enjoying the scenery, talking to passer bys on other rafts and small boats. Just greatness.

But

MS has to also play a roll in my new found fun. The boat is lightweight and comes with paddles, but due to MS it is a bit hard to paddle all day I go tall the way out and wondered WTH I would do if I couldn't paddle back. Also these things take a TON OF AIR to blow up, comes with a pump, but it is one you have to stand on, bend over to pump the boat up, it takes me about 35 minutes to do it

and it whips me. I've fallen down while shore side trying to pump it up from losing my balance. I truly looked like a drunk man trying to pump up his raft in front of people

People asked if I were alright and I ended up asking them if they could finish pumping up my boat. People are nice, especially there, so this woman helped out.

As the boat inflated I could see how huge it was going to get and I started to worry about how I could pull it into the water and if I succeded in doing that, how would I get it out? Most people would roll out of it into the lake, then grab the front and pull it out, but I cant....I am weak in my left leg and I will fall easy if I go trying to pull on it. SO....I asked the people if the could help me put it in the water....so they did and I kinda dragged myself over the front of it and dragged my *** to the back, lol. I grabbed the pddles and went away.

I did fine paddling around, had lots of fun, but started to worry when I started back to shore. By then I wondered how I was going to get out of it, and get it back to the car without falling, and burning myself up. So I basicaly waited until I saw some people show up where I wanted to dock. I kept close and when they appeared I paddled like mad to them. I asked from the boat if they could help me out in getting out and with the boat. I felt so weird, because I had no visual clues that I had a disease than keeps me from doing simple things and how hard it is for this "young man" to get out of an inflatable boat.

So all of a sudden I just came out with it....I told them I have Multiple Sclerosis and it is difficult to keep my balance when I have to get out of the boat. Luckily the kid said "no problem sir" we'll help you out.

They were very nice young men.... they even deflated, folded and carried my boat back to my car. I said thanks a lot, but felt stupid because I had no cane, nothing to show that I have a disability. All they saw was a healthy dude, in shorts, standing there with his inflatable boat

I felt weird asking for their help.

Anyways I have been trying to think of solutions to my boating problems. So far I found out I can install a small electric motor on my raft, it i big enough for that, but has to be registered if I have a motor on it...like any motor boat

but I need that motor in case I cant paddle back. I made a sun shade roof to keep me in the shade and closed to the sun rays. I keep two fully charged disposable and waterproof cell phones in the boat just in case I have to call out. two in case one fails(cheap insurance) Tracphones, 10 dollars each with 20 minutes on them a piece.

I also bought an electric air pump to blow it up easily. I just charge the battery in it, hook it to the boat valve and press a button. When I come back to shore, I start to deflate the boat's outer chambers so the sides fall down and it is easier to slide out of instead of having to climb over the sides and drop into the water. I leave the floor inflated so it still floats. The boat is less bulky when deflated and I figured out how to use a light blanket to fold it onto, then drag the boat back to the car with the blanket. This lets me stand upright instead of hunched over trying to drag the boat by the nose. I can also keep balance better that way.

So all in all I have fun with it and cant wait to get my friends in it with me...I have a lot of room to spare!