At every moment when you’re on the river, your life jacket … The ash blade is reinforced with carbon fiber for extra strength and power. … Contact, 5 STEM Learning Activities for Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts at Whitewater Challengers, 10 Reasons the BEST Summer Activity is Whitewater Rafting, Rafting 101: Proper Paddling Techniques for Rafting. In between, you can go either way. How to Paddle a Whitewater Raft Like a Pro Sitting in the raft. Each tailored to specific whitewater needs. Here are some tips from the pros on proper paddling techniques for whitewater rafting. Are you nervous to hit the New or Gauley River whitewater rapids? Be sure to keep ahold of it; if you let go, the T-grip can be dangerous if it hits someone else. Scout Rafting Programs in PA Any use of this mark without the express written consent of NRGBDC is prohibited. When you paddle full-force, you create a lot of balance points to keep yourself in the boat, while you help maneuver it through the rapid safely. When you push hard against the water, it pushes back, giving you more thrust inward to the boat, and more stability. Observe the pacing of the rafter in front of you. If your hand is larger than 7 inches from the base of your palm to your fingertip, you will want the standard-diameter shaft. Participate in a whitewater rafting trip in up to Class III whitewater with a qualified paddle raft captain in each raft using a minimum of two rafts and for at least one hour's duration. Some strokes are used in combinations to perform maneuvers such as the "S-turn". The extra length is to accommodate the extra distance to the water. However, as with all adventure sports, there is inherent and assumed risk involved. Your paddle is one of your 3 main points of balance, after your feet and seat in the boat. Ready position. In addition to the basic paddling technique, here are two common strokes that can help you steer a raft more effectively: We hope you found these tips paddling techniques helpful! Canoes easily handle up to class II and provide ample cargo space. Selecting The Right Whitewater Raft For Your Rafting Needs. Learning to paddle correctly is actually your best chance at staying in the boat. Here are some key points when teaching a forward paddle. Typically the most used rafting command is “forward” for forward paddle. Oval solid Ash shaft has incredible flex and feel while the large, straight blade has great power and bite. In a raft of 8 or more paddlers, you alone can’t make it move. The adrenaline of a huck fest, river play through your favorite rapid. Once the paddle is standing upright, with its blade and shaft submerged, use the anchor point for leverage so you can pull the raft in the direction of the paddle. If the vessel pivots, you’re turning while staying in one place. The best place is to start is by determining how to position your hands. Add this number to the height of your canoe seat, then add the length of the paddle blade. Turn the Boat, paddle forward far enough to clear the rock, then turn the boat back straight, and either rest, or paddle forward. Participate in a whitewater rafting trip in up to Class III whitewater with a qualified paddle raft captain in each raft using a minimum of two rafts and for at least one hour’s duration. They will come in handy during your next whitewater rafting trip with Whitewater Challengers. A shallow or a wide peel out. Rafting is thrilling, exciting, wet, wild and unbelievably fun. Sit in a chair and measure from your chair seat to your nose. Cut off from the distractions of every day life deep in a forest or canyon. Raft/whitewater paddles tend to be sized a bit longer than canoe. PADDLE WITH PURPOSE. Pull backward, and use your leg as an anchor to roll the paddle forward through the water. Our Colorado River trips fill up quickly, especially during the peak rafting season of May through August. The chess match of navigating a river's obstacles, the glide of a surf, the discipline to stick your run. Choose between a flatwater kayak or stand-up paddleboard before putting in and enjoying a sunset paddle along the banks of the Whitewater Center. IS RAFTING/KAYAKING DANGEROUS? Make sure you have the right outerwear for the day. If the length is less than 6.5 inches, choose the small diameter shaft. Here are some tips to perfect your paddle technique: While the cross-tubes inside the raft (and further from the water) may look tempting, your balance actually comes from sitting on the outside of the raft. Of course our professional river guides always start each rafting trip with instructions and demonstrations on how to paddle along with some safety tips you will need to know. A shallow or a wide eddy turn. The Top Six Things to Do at Hickory Run State Park, How to Respect the Environment on Your Outdoor Adventure. Toll-Free: 800-927-0263bridgeday@officialbridgeday.com, Bridge Day 2019 Photos by Whitewater Photography. When you are paddling, and you look ahead and see a big rock, you need to get back to the basics. … It is safe to assume that in tough technical whitewater a straight blade is best since finesse is key. Bridge Day® is a Registered Trademark ® 2020 New River Gorge Bridge Day Commission.All Rights Reserved. When every person in a … Now that your hands are positioned correctly, let’s move on to pushing a paddle through the water. RAFT – WHITEWATER PADDLE. Notes to Counselor This award is available to BSA youth and adults who are members of … GEAR UP >> Pick your vessel. When you paddle, your arms shouldn't be doing the work (they tucker out too easily, and don't gave as much strength as a full-body tug.) Guides should select either a scoped blade or a straight blade paddle with a straight shaft. The Sawyer Freefall XD Whitewater Raft Paddle was designed with big water and waterfalls in mind. While pulling, rely on all of the muscles in your upper body. The good news is that paddling is simple. So we built Paddle Camp to help you navigate the often confusing world of kayaking, canoeing, stand up paddle boarding, and river rafting. Lehigh River Souvenir Photos Always Wear Your Life Jacket and Helmet. Front rafters: watch each other to stay in sync. Hudson River – Adirondacks, NY Safety is our #1 concern at Paddle Moab. It’s important to remember that an even, smooth stroke is more efficient than a violent, hard stroke. The opposite is done when making the raft move backward. An even simpler formulas is this, 56 to 58 inch lengths fits 80% of all whitewater canoeist. As an Amazon Associate, I … nature inspiration, nature inspired, New River Gorge artists, New River Gorge arts, WV arts, WV mountain arts, Tips & Useful Info..., Visitor Information, West Virginia Adventure, choosing a whitewater outfitter, where should I raft, which river to raft, which wv rafting river, Whitewater Rafting Trip, whitewater rafting wv. Employment Information A front or a back ferry. Kayaking, especially in whitewater is all about always having your paddle in the water, however holding the paddle properly is best learned in the air. If you want to turn right, you have to paddle on the left side of the raft, and vice versa. Proper shaft diameter allows paddlers to use a more relaxed, low-stress grip. While the cross-tubes inside the raft (and further from the water) may look tempting, your balance... Gripping the paddle. We are honored to be trusted by wh Normally, a single paddle raft and four oar rafts are used in rotation amongst the passengers during a Grand Canyon rafting tour. Therefore, we have provided some helpful tips for using the paddles on the raft. Rafting excursions are offered at travel destinations worldwide and can last for a few hours or an entire week. If you place both hands along the shaft of the paddle, the T-grip will be more likely to knock into other people in the raft. Raft Guide Schools are available with Montana River Guides in 2018 .. Our five day raft guide schools are designed for people wanting to lead river trips or become professional raft guides. Paddle entry and pull: Place the paddle in the water perpendicular to its surface while stretched forward. Be sure to paddle hard! It’s important to determine your purpose before buying a whitewater raft. Whether riding the rapids on the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon, the Zambezi River in Zimbabwe, or floating downstream in Alaska, you can arrive prepared for a great adventure with the proper pre-raft workout plan, attire, and raft-and-paddle know-how. You want to pull strong paddle strokes, but half a boat stroking hard won’t be nearly as effective as a team of 8 working smoothly in unison. If the paddlers on one side of the raft are exerting more force than the paddlers on the other, the raft will veer to the right or to the left. If you’re new to whitewater rafting, the first thing you’ll need to learn is how to paddle. The first one is that people running trips on rafts with larger diameter tubes are now farther from the river, which leaves them with two options; either they take strokes with their paddle blades not entire submerged (which effectively splashes the person behnd them with water as well as ultimately making the raft maneuver slower) –or- the paddler can reach down farther, changing their … The basic idea of navigating the river is “Turn the Boat, Paddle Forward, then Turn the Boat and Paddle Forward”. 1. Paddle Together, Not Harder. Hard-shell kayaks are... 2. Paddle Rafts: Similar to an oar-type raft, a paddle-type raft can also carry no more than eight passengers at a time. The Basic Paddle Rafting Commands and Strokes Forward paddle. When first learning it’s normal to misread the water and end up somewhere in the rapid that isn’t that much fun. Engage your core and straighten your body to an upright position while pulling the paddle through the water back to your hips before resetting for another stroke. Owning your own raft means that you will have much more freedom when determining the river and timing for your next rafting trip. The Sweep Stroke : A sweep enables a raft to initiate a spin or a sharp turn, and it is particularly helpful in rough currents. Turn the raft the proper way. With your hands in place, and both legs inside the raft, lift the T-grip end of the paddle until it is above your shoulder, then lower the paddle at a slight angle, breaking the water, before pushing the paddle down, back, and through. Paddling white water is special. Lean forward and dig the paddle into the water straight, then pull with your whole body, so you end leaning back. Listen Up To get a solid back stroke, you'll still begin leaning forward, but with the paddle back and against the top of your leg. The 14 foot raft is, to the whitewater river rafting industry, the swiss army knife of rafts. Use the tubes instead to plant your feet, tucking your front foot in under the tube ahead of you, and leaning your back leg against the one behind. Named because it is shaped like a capital ‘T.’ Place one hand over the top of the T-grip with your thumb wrapped around the bottom. Most packrafters, and I definitely include myself in this group, are guilty at … Lehigh River – Poconos, PA Whitewater rafts come in a variety styles, shapes, and sizes. On the opposite end of the paddle from the flat “paddle” portion, you will find what is known as a T-grip. Choosing and running your own line through a rapid is one of the best ways to learn how to read water. And paddle as a team with the same length and strength in your blade strokes. Black River – Thousand Islands, NY Place your other hand approximately halfway down the shaft of the paddle. In certain circumstances, paddling like this is a great way to avoid obstacles, or stay on course. For bow paddling positions, stand on a flat surface and measure from the ground to about mid-chest. When every person in a raft is repeating this motion, it will propel the raft forward. LEGAL INFORMATION. Raft Guide Schools in Montana. Back paddling, which will enable the raft to move backward or slow down, is accomplished by dropping a blade into the water at an opposite angle to your front stroke, and then pushing the water ahead, as opposed to pushing it toward the rear. Whitewater Rafting Paddles White Water Rafting Paddle Selection Criteria Selecting your white water rafting paddle can be a challenge. A variety of different paddle strokes are used to guide, propel and turn the boat in various ways. Paddle to Table Paddle to Table offers guests the opportunity to enjoy a guided flatwater paddle on the Catawba River, followed by a unique dining experience in the outdoors. Book a trip today or explore our rafting options. Placing both hands along the shaft will also result in a less productive stroke. Measurements depend mostly on your paddling position in the boat. Rafts. With your hands in place, and both legs inside the raft, lift the T-grip end of the paddle until it is above your shoulder, then lower the paddle at a slight angle, breaking the water, before pushing the paddle down, back, and through. Book a trip today or explore our rafting options. For a single person, full-day and half-day whitewater rafting prices can range from $30 to $350 USD. Everyone behind: follow their lead. We focus on safety, reading water, and guiding paddle rafts through Class II, III and IV whitewater. In early Spring, the water may be a little chilly. A tripod position with weight on the feet, leaning forward and minimal weight on the butt while paddling aggressively will help keep people in the boat. This is your gas peddle, brake peddles, and tires, so choosing one for you to handle the river is important. PLAN YOUR TRIP Choose a river suitable for the group’s least-skilled paddler: >> Class I (beginner) Small waves and... 3. When everyone paddles together, you'll all be moving in sync. This will depend upon the river that you are running and the type of paddling you most often are engaged in. The technique you use when paddling a raft plays a huge role is the ease, accuracy, and enjoyment of your rafting adventure. Place your other hand along the paddle shaft. Fishing, day trips, multi-day, paddle boat, oar boat, big water, flat water, you name it and someone makes a raft specifically for it. The right hand at the same time pushes the top end of the paddle away from him or her. For some, whitewater rafting is one of those things. To properly paddle, do the following: Hold one hand at the base of the paddle shaft Hold the other hand at the end of the shaft over the T-shaped grip. 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