34 



a Jetboat on the river. On one trip, when a member of my party 

 fell and split his face open, a passing Jetboat was there to get that 

 person out of the canyon and to medical attention. 



I urge you to pass this legislation and allow the Forest Service 

 the latitude to write a fair management plan for Hells Canyon that 

 ignore this. All who are willing to share it can endorse. Those who 

 refuse to enjoy and share the canyon need to find another place to 

 recreate. 



It has been an honor to speak to you on this subject. Thank you 

 for your patience and your attention. 



[The prepared statement of Richard G. Sherwin may be found at 

 the end of hearing.] 



[The submitted Exhibit may be found in Committee files.] 



Mrs. Chenoweth. Thank you, Mr. Sherwin. Mr. Bentz. 



STATEMENT OF BARREL BENTZ, INTERMOUNTAIN 

 EXCURSIONS AND BENTZ BOATS, LEWISTON, IDAHO 



Mr. Bentz. My name is Barrel Bentz, and I live in Lewiston, 

 Idaho. I started rafting rivers in 1964 and built my first Jetboat 

 out of plywood in 1966 while still in college. I now build welded 

 aluminum Jetboats mostly for commercial duty. In addition to the 

 Northwest, Bentz boats operate in places like Canada, Alaska, 

 Saudi Arabia, India, Guyana, and Nepal. 



I also have an outfitting business and carry guests on both the 

 Salmon and Snake Rivers. I helped organize the Welded Aluminum 

 Boat Manufacturers Association, and I am currently its vice presi- 

 dent. 



Jetboats used for river running are rugged, welded aluminum 

 craft capable of negotiating major rapids and propelled by water 

 jets. Since there is no propeller projecting beneath the boat's bot- 

 tom, they can run in shallow, rocky rivers. They are powered by 

 automotive type engines adapted for marine use. 



The size of the craft dictates the size and number of engines re- 

 quired. Typical boats have a cruise speed of 28 to 35 miles per hour 

 with a top speed of about 50. Modern Jetboats are quiet, maneuver- 

 able, and safe. 



In 1990 through 1994, commercial Jetboats carried 94,934 pas- 

 sengers into Hells Canyon, yet throughout the canyon's entire his- 

 tory of commercial Jetboating, there has never been a boating asso- 

 ciated fatality. 



The Forest Service has no records of any incidents involving a 

 Jetboat hitting a float craft while running on the river in Hells 

 Canyon or the other two major rivers these crafts share, the Salm- 

 on and Rogue. 



Running the Snake River in Hells Canyon is an experience of a 

 lifetime, and powerboating is the preferred mode of travel for about 

 80 percent of those who do it. Commercial powerboats facilitate en- 

 joyment of the canyon in a safe and inexpensive manner with vir- 

 tually no impact on its resources. 



This is the only way many visitors could ever experience a 

 Whitewater river. They spend most of their time on the water, stop- 

 ping only at hard sites capable of tolerating heavy use. The wild 

 river leg of the journey is where the passengers, mostly seniors, ex- 



