Hey Tripper, I like the idea of paddling profiles. I have more time and motivation than my usual paddling partners and will always be interested in forming another "team".
I think partners who are compatible (always bring earplugs) and complementary (I like bow-you like stern) have a good chance at a successful trip.
Perhaps a very revealing question/dialogue could be "tell me about your worst vacation and what made it so bad".

This is a good start at a questionaire.  I would add that the respondant should prioritize their responses.  In other words, not only do I like the stern, but it's my #1 priority, all the way down to, fry rather than bake, but it's the least important of the choices.  Just a thought.

All good questions Tripper. I also have been accused of snoring. I provide earplugs for all. I also wear them because I've heard snoring-not my own. While you are not likely to find complete agreement, you may find compatibility! 8) 8)

even better idea, bannock.  same intent, but much better execution...

Don't forget the personal interest questions.   I think I could put up with many tripping styles but personality would make the big difference for me.  For example, I don't like being with people that talk loudly or too softly; or, people that talk about themselves all the time.   I can think of a good number of other questions but don't want to get into a laundry list of personality related questions.  Another area might be on environmental impact.  I know someone that is really bugged if anyone uses biodegradable soap in the lake or burns plastic in the fire pit. 

Mal
 

Mal... I agree that the "personality factor" is a big thing. Group dynamics are one of the biggies for marking the success/failure of any trip. So... one consideration is the SIZE of the group you are traveling with. If you have a group of 3 looking for a 4th it's alot different than a single looking for a 2nd. I mean, if you have other people you are use to tripping with, it's less risky to bring along an unfamiliar face. If that new member isn't up to the standards of the rest of the group it's alot easier for the group to "absorb" the problem.... You can alternate paddling/fishing partners, and there are more alternatives for sharing camp chores, etc. When it's a twosome, you're alot more likely to get in each others face. LOL.  
Yellowbird also brings up a good point about reading past posts. If someone makes a post that catches your eye, you can look back at their other posts and get a pretty good idea of who you're dealing with.
I just caught the number of members on qj.... over 450. Wow. I would hazard a guess that half of that number will be tripping with someone new in the foreseeable future, either by choice or by necessity. Maybe half of those will be looking for a partner with experience in the Q or BW. Well.... that's over 100 people. I suppose it would be overly optimistic to expect that more than 1 in 10 of those would be on the same sheet of music in the important areas. But... that still leaves a healthy number of folks to get to know a little better.

CJ -

Bravo!  Bravo!!  When do WE leave?!!

Also, Tripper has made a good point about following a potential paddling partner's posts.  That's what got me in the canoe with HIM, anyway.  I was the big winner on that arrangement, learning more from him in one short trip than on several trips where I was the "most experienced" party member. 

Hey, one other thought.  To calm the fears of spouses & other relatives [who can race to conclusions like:"What!!  You're headed into the wilderness with someone you DON'T KNOW and might be a hatchet-murdering Internet Maniac!"], I recommend at least a brief face-to-face meeting to talk things over.

That's how Tripper did it, anyway... and he STILL let me come along!!

Jimbo   8)

Depends on which way the pink flamingos are headed!! eh Jimbo??

Surely we can come up with ADDITIONAL criteria for the selection of paddling partners??   Jimbo   8)

  I have been on a trip with old_salt before... albeit not in the same canoe....  We shared the same campsite and if I remember correctly he did make a little noise at night  not enough to keep me awake or anything... I was worn out from catching vast numbers of walleye, northern, and the sacred smallmouth bass...  
   I have had three different partners on three different trips... and I am pretty well stuck with the partner I had last year... and although she snores just a little, she is a good paddler and since we just got married I had better keep taking her as long as she wants to go... Although next trip I will have to put her in the stern in a different canoe with one of the kids in the bow, while I take another one with me... We have 4 newbies to break in next June  It's going to be fun  I know...
   But, If I were looking for someone to go with me on a special guys trip, I would have to asked them the three improtant questions that forms the basis of all serious relationships.  Do you love to fish?  Do you love to fish?  Do you love to fish? and I guess I would have to ask a few of the others too that you guys have come up with...  

Bruce

And in relation to what Yellowbird posted above... I am a combination of the Golden Retriever and the Otter

Let's see now 2+2=___

I have no response for that...   , but there may be potential for a future thread --- "jilted again".

So, my challenge for tonight has been another brain teaser... If I could ask only ONE question of a potential partner, what would it be? hmmmmm.

Here's mine...
We are traveling as a twosome in a remote area. Let's say it is one travel day to an area that might have other campers, and two travel days to a ranger station. We are halfway over a nasty portage and I take the big fall. I am unconscious with unknown injuries... (actually, this is not much different from my normal condition  ).

What are you going to do?

Jilted J,
You just might have that Golden Retriever personality. But as the song goes, "You can't keep a good dog down". You might consider lifting your leg to the entire matter.

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Trip, I would tend to your first aid needs, set up camp on the spot, get you into the tent and make you as comfortable as possible, then go for water, purify a couple of gallons for you, leave with you the tylenol and the remainder of the gorp, then I would take only the necessities with me, my fishing rod and trolling rig. Hopefully another group will take me in to finish out the week.
-YB

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Since it is against park regulations to leave you on the
portage (feeding wildlife), I would pick you up and finish the
portage. Then at the water's edge, I would collect some
rocks and rope and do the Deliverance thing...

-aj

Quote:

AJ,
Would make a great place to refresh the supply of leeches in case you're running a little short. Tie a tag line around his ankles for retrieval and anchor to shore. Just watch your fingers, you might pull up a snapper at the same time.  And come to think of it, all those crayfish would attract smallmouth.  Tie on a gitzit and do some jigging.
-YB

I just want to know.... where do you guys get your material? This is some great stuff.  8)
So, when you stumble across my carcass on the way in to the jamboree I'd appreciate the following:
Jimbo... maybe you could "read over me"... Just don't overdo it.
PJ... How about a rendition of Amazing Grace on the pipes.
A moment of silence and a pull on the jug before you divvy up my gear.
p.s.   -- save something for Stumpy. 

I've got a different angle to think about in the partner search...
Expectations. We EXPECT that our partners are going to do certain things, and NOT do certain things. I guess alot of this comes from past experiences/partners.
Give some thought to the things you expect

Hey Jimbo, you know the old saying. If you love someone let them go...

While it is true I used him up and tossed him aside - I saw no ring and he made the first move.

Seriously - Our trip was something both of us wanted to do sometime and neither of us would consider doing alone. I can't think of anyone I'd have rather gone width. No arguments for what, 20+ days? Not seeing another soul for half of those in a row was nice too. Snoring was an issue at first but I soon found if you hold him close he sleeps like a baby. (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

Tripper - To answer your second question: At some point(s) in our trip I considered that two people was not all that much safer than solo at times. On portages, we were doubling the chances of something bad happening. Basically I'd see to your immediate needs while hoping you came to so we could accesses our circumstances and develop a plan. Failing that, considering a party of two and depending on where, I'd favor looking for people who could best help me help you on my way out.

Re: New Year... New Partner:
Tripper and I traded e-mails on this idea and at some point I thought it could best be done in a new forum. That way people can modify things on their own in real time as they saw fit. It would also allow for all the varied answers people might provide.

It could also be used by members who would like to just explain themselves and offer insight into why they believe the things they do OR if they're looking to broaden their horizons by seeing how others make it work.

AND It could also be used by members who knew where and when they'd be interested in a rendezvous for the evening or a day or two.

You do get to know someone by their posts but if you are going to trust and travel with someone you barely know, you will probably trade a laundry list of questions something like this at some point:
___________________________
Where do you live?
Approximate number of previous nights spent in the BW/Q - ???>?
What lakes/routes do you know considering where you wanna go?

Your average past trips and/or preferences:
Preferred/Typical party size - ?
Preferred season - ?

What length of trips do you do/available to do:
Difficulty level - ?
Travel or Base - ?
Front or Back? (Hey... wait a minute)
Weight - ??? (Well, great differences would matter in a canoe.)
What hours do you sleep?
How loud do you snore?.... (OOPS)
How much cocktailing?
% of time for fishing
% of time for photography
Favorite type of fishing?
Fresh or dried foods?
How many fish meals in a trip?

Gear I can add to the mix:
Packs? Canoes? Stoves...?

Availability:
Dates? BWJ/R?

Requirements in a partner/group:

Contact - See links on left...
_________________________________

None of us seem to be able to follow rules much but most seem to understand the spirit. Answer whatever Q's you want. Skip as many as you want or add your own as you see fit.

I'll add a forum. (In a week or three.) We can find out where it leads together.

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Well, I guess that I am going to bite...

The simple, general answer is the same for any emergency
situation: Assess the situation, consider the alternatives,
and act on the best alternative.

You are unconscious, but what else? Are you breathing
regularly or are you in serious respiratory trouble. What
injuries do you have (you may not have fallen on your head).
Can you be moved? Do you need to be moved? What other
conditions are to be considered (weather good or bad, bear
was just sighted on portage, you took all three paddles out
with the fall...). You get the idea.

Some situations cannot be predicted, nor planned for - you
have to react. I believe the same can generally be said for
choosing a tripping partner. A lot depends upon how much
the other person wants to go on the trip. Not many
persons would be able to resist the urge to enhance the
quality of their answers if they really wanted to trip.

I sailed out of Traverse City once on a weekend trip to
Manistee to help a fellow worker get his boat to winter
storage. Before the trip we were polite but not close.
After the trip (and a half dozen knockdowns and a blown out
mainsail) we became friends for life because we were able to
quietly depend upon each other to get out of trouble. The
point is that there was no interview for the part (he
probably would have chosen any number of others with
more sailing experience if he had known bad weather was
ahead). And we all know that boats are boats...paddling,
sailing, motoring - it's all the same.

BTW, how long is a rope?

-aj

big question I would want to know is "are you a complaner?"

Nothing ruins a good paddling trip more then a grown man belly aching like a 11 year old girl "are we there yet? it's too hot, I hate mosquitos, I'm getting a sun burn, this water is warm, this food tastes like kack, I hate portaging..."

This would be the first thing I would want to know about a potential paddeling partner.

Here are a few questions I would consider asking potential trip partners.  They are not the kind of questions that one would normally think of asking but they get at something deeper than technique and tripping style.

TB

You suddenly find yourself alone in the middle of an unknown city in which you do not speak the language.  You have no money or possessions except for the clothing you are wearing.  What do you do and why?

Name three famous people either living or dead that you would like to meet.  Why?  What would you ask them?

Describe your perfect Saturday.

What are your three favorite TV shows, movies or books and why?

You have a ping-pong ball in the bottom of a cup.  The cup is glued to the table.  You have three rocks, a straw, a stapler a 4x8 sheet of ¾” plywood, a stack of 100 dollar bills, six sheets of paper and a copy of yesterday’s New York Times.  How do you get the ping-pong ball out of the cup?

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So,  Mr.  Bannock, tell me about your mother.