Video: Paddle Positions for a Whitewater Rafting

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Learn the boat paddle positions for whitewater rafting in this free training video from our whitewater rafting expert.

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Video Transcript

We'll talk about crew configurations. If you only have two people on your white water rafting, best way to negotiate your off downstream is to arc to it. It's where two paddlers are sitting across from one another and this requires a lot of coordination, of course these guys comes down. Usually one person calls the shots, the other person continues to paddle down. As you get more comfortable in this relationship you tend to talk less and start to anticipate what needs to get done. Then you can take a extra couple of people. So now we have four people in the raft plus a guide, this is a more traditional way with the guide calling the shots, calling out the rafting commands and the crew paddling as a team together. See we left the front section of the raft open at this point, that allows the four people in the boat to have a nice floor to tuck their feet under. It's easier to stand in the raft that way if you're going through some stronger class 3, 4 rapids or more you'll feel more comfortable. You could also move those guys to the front of the raft, you can shift the whole 4 group into that front section. That place is more weight at the front of the raft and it takes on a little more water, it's a little splashier. The front two paddlers are required more skill, they need to be a little more comfortable in the raft because they have less of a purchase to place their feet to keep themselves in the boat.

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Paddle Positions for a Whitewater Rafting

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