Formed
in the fall of 1994 by six Wrangell Alaska charter tour companies, the
Stikine River Jet Boat Association offers a combined 108 years of Stikine
River charter experience with more than 175 years of total boating experience.
Individually, each of our current members has more than 20 years boating
experience with an average of 14 years operating tours on the Stikine
River.
In
addition to incorporating safety requirements beyond those of the USCG,
all jet boat captains are Emergency Trauma Technicians or First Aid
trained and CPR qualified. All Stikine River Jet Boat Association jet
boat captain and crewmembers are enrolled in and subject to a random
drug-testing program. Stikine River Jet Boat Association vessels must
also meet our associations strict requirements based upon both safety
and guest comfort. Equipped with basic first aid kits, survival kits
and VHF marine radios with Wrangell Search & Rescue frequencies
all vessels are covered and have removable side curtains. A flotation
device is provided for each guest prior to departure to assure
maximum comfort. Guests are greeted dockside and given a vessel-specific
safety briefing by their captain once aboard.
The successes
met by the Stikine River Jet Boat Association have been evident in customer
satisfaction surveys, feedback from cruise line shore excursion managers,
the increase in tour participants and newer “copy cat” operators.
Photos by Ivan Simonek
