RiverBungeeBoarding, RiverRadBoarding, Straight Rope is a man made do it yourself water sport where you attach a good strong rope using caribeaners and a handle to the nose of a board and securely tie the other end of it around a nearby tree. With Braided Bungee connected to the rope the rider is in the water, he or she leans back against the current until the system is stretched, depending the kinda ride you want. When the rider comes up out of the water, the system pulls the rider upstream about 30+ mph.  

ChairBoarding, is a LawnChair bolted down to a board, no handle attached, you relax and enjoy the riverside folk and floaters. Sometimes deer will come out of the brush on the otherside of the river to get a fresh drink. 

"Jim Fife created the LawnChairBoard in 1988"

A guy from Oregon, Michealo, came up in 2002 to ride the Yakima River he took footage with his video camera, he returned home and called up FOX Network sent them the video of Jim on his ChairBoard, a few months later Jim was on the sport program "You Gotta See This" Thank You Michaelo! hope you'll come up and ride the Yakima River again.

Michaelo and Dan~NRBA~Shake Hands June 2005

(Michaelo is also the moderator for the Yahoo RiverBoarding group, see favorite website RiverBoarding in Links)

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Jim first saw the sport in the early 80's on a Oregon river, he returned home to the cabinet and door shop where he worked, and whipped one out, it was he and his friends from Selah Wa. that founded the RadBoard Spot back in 1986. It was awefully weedy along the bank so they tied their ropes and inner tubing to the roll bars of a buddy's 4x4 blazer. As the years went by and the more they went out there the weeds started to disappear. Some today take clippers, rakes, lawn mowers to keep the weeds and poison oak down.

Those that founded the spot in the Yakima Canyon along with Jim and his twin brother Tim are.... brothers~Mike Fife, Dan Yarbrough, Jim Merrit, cousins~Randy, Brian, Jerry, Todd Briscoe

Other friends started coming out are Doug Foster, Greg Dumas, Brian Gibbs, Mike Rish, Orren Oldham, Jim Murry, Pat Pennirello, Matt Brand, Brent Hunt, Jerry Atkins, Gary, Ed and all their significant others plus Many Many Others :)

These are the first stickers made by Gary, whom also handed out some T~Shirts and Tank Tops to several "Hey Gary! Excellent Job! Hopefully you'll stop in, and Ride again Someday :)

The named above are the very first "Original Core Group" that went to the river come summertime. Times have changed since 1986, many out grew the sport and don't come out much anymore. Many have moved, many newcomers have started here and some still come out to this day. Jim has been boarding for 24 years. He and his brother Tim thought one day on what to call the sport back in the early 80's, that's when the word "RadBoard" was givin it's name and that's what local boarders today call it.

 Over the years, Jim Fife and his friends have brought this water sport to where it is at today here at the Yakima Canyon located in Yakima, Washington State.

located off I-82, state route 821 mile marker #8 on past the Roza Recreation Boat Landing (see larger OverHead View in Photos under Yakima Canyon RadBoard Spot...there are a group of houses on the right Roza View Dr.)

Jim & Tim Fife doubling up on the board 1983 on American River Chinook Pass and bro in-law Jim Merrit skimming up river at the KOA Campground 1984

Brothers Mike and Jim

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The big flood of 1996 really took a toll on the Yakima Canyon River bank, it doesn't look the same as it did through out the years.

Russ Soaking the shore 2003 "He's AWESOME!"

Russ August 13 2005

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The following people who have became friends over the years and have obtained their own Boards and or Systems are Jim~sons Nathan & Andrew, nephew JD, Russ~his son Dylan,, Rawn, Josh (duey)CaliKen, Brandon B.~who recently constructed his board July 22,2005

7/23/05 Nathan and Brandon left for a road trip to Central Point Oregon NRBA~Dan, they returned home with TaToo's. See other TaToo's in Photos that locals have gotten over the years.

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We do not know who came up with riverboarding, perhaps someone got the idea from being pulled by a boat, waterskiing. Our story here is supported by photos, vhs archives and facts from the early 80's. You may have heard the farmboy stories that, very well could be.

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There are various shapes and sizes of different Boards that people ride, every beginner that tries it always wipesout in some sort of way no matter what size board they use. When teaching a beginner on Bungee we watch out for oncoming floaters. Life jackets are a must for those whom can't swim very well. Everyone has fun and thats all that matters. Some say they'll return to give it another try and some you never see again. We also make sure that the beginner is not intoxicated.

Today the local RiverRadBoarders are using Bungee's for their skim up stream. Doing 360's, back slides, jumps, barrel rolls, wipeouts, the wipeouts are a sight to see, etc... Bungees are Triple Braided, some use up to 5 or more for a better stretch. The floaters love the coolness of the spray, before the spray they are yelled out to if they want to get wet, as some have radios, cameras, elderly folk with sunhats, small children, etc... only the Experienced Boarders get the pleasure of splashing floaters. RiverBoarding on Bungee can be Xtremely dangerous, if done carelessly. Some rather use plain ole straight rope for jumping out of the water. There is a purpose for the boarder to stand still on the board as floaters tend to float on by to close or the rider is taking a break from skimming, jumping etc... 

This is Nathan, taking on some floaters, notice they are trying to get him back with their water toys! LOL

"Some Ride the Current and go with the Flow ~ this guy Rides the Waves"

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This site is Sanctioned by the National RiverBoard Association~NRBA Founder and President Dan Bryant~Central Point Oregon USA

National RiverBoard Association Group Photo 2005

NRBA~Dan and his sons with Yakima Canyon RadBoarder Jim Fife Family and Friends

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