When you see a need, you can’t just wait and hope someone else will address it. My urge for action led me into a number of adventures throughout my 54 years in paddling, in three directions especially:
- Working for improved access on all the rivers of my state.
- Introducing people, including those with special needs, to boating.
- Creating a collection of historically important canoes and kayaks.
While cataloguing the navigable rivers of my home state of Nevada, I’ve amassed mountains of documents exposing the contradictions between federal and state navigability law. While all the rivers of Nevada are functionally navigable, only four allow boating. Many other rivers could open up with aggressive legal action, starting with Exhibit A, which are my archives.
When I moved here, even the Truckee River was off limits. Private property owners were determined to prevent boating. But I began to mobilize the paddling community to envision a whitewater park. When a group of activist-paddlers were forced to accept a paddy wagon for their shuttle vehicle, I called city, state, and federal agencies to help the police and landowners “see the light.” It worked.
Fast forward eight years, after city, tourism, and business leaders backed their support with financial contributions, and the Gary-Lacy-designed Reno Whitewater Park opened. It’s right in the center of town, to the benefit of the local economy.
It was a big victory, but the challenges of gaining access to all Nevada’s rivers remains, along with removal of dangerous old dams and other obstacles, including the ravages of homeless camps on riverbanks. With help from nonprofits like One Truckee River, Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful, the ACA, and American Whitewater, I continue working with public agencies and utilities to remove barriers and improve access, safety, water quality, and beauty for river lovers.
I’m committed to getting more people on the water. Among the 150 boats in my collection are crafts that support adaptive paddles for members of Team River Runner and Wounded Warriors, as well as scouts and other groups. I am happy to gift boats I’ve been given to those who need them.
Somebody had to preserve the most important of historical canoes and kayaks. So I built my house around a collection I call the “Boatin’ Museum.” Boats, posters, photos, and other memorabilia are displayed in every room, hanging on the ceiling and walls. The showpiece is a Struer mahogany K-4 from the 1968 Mexico Olympics. If you love small boats, the craftsmanship of some of these beautiful old designs will bring tears to your eyes.
Thank you to Charles Albright for contributing “Somebody’s Gotta Do It” to the ACA Story Project. Through humor, history, and heartfelt advocacy, Charles reminds us that paddling is more than a sport—it’s a calling to connect, protect, and serve. His tireless work to expand river access, preserve small boat history, and introduce others to the joy of paddling continues to leave a lasting impact.
About the Author
Charles Albright of Reno, Nevada, has been an ACA member since 1983 and is a lifelong advocate for paddling access, history, and inclusion. Averaging over 100 river days a year—with a record-setting 272 in one season—Charles has competed and volunteered across nearly every discipline the ACA supports, including wildwater, slalom, sprint, marathon, surfski, outrigger, freestyle, coastal kayaking, and more.
When he’s not paddling or building adaptive programs, you might spot Charles on the road in his iconic white van, topped with boats and bearing the license plate CANOER.
