Alternate Raft Designs in Whitewater Rafting

Video Transcript

"Hi! We're going to talk a little bit about some of the design aspects that you consider when you're purchasing a raft or looking to use a raft. This is a 12 1/2 foot boat. Good for around 6-8 people. If you were carrying more than 6-8 people, then you're going to need a larger raft. This has a 3-4 configuration. You can get them with 4 or more. You could also do it with less too. If you were planning just to paddle just with 4 people, just the 2-4 configuration, maybe a shorter raft will be good, maybe an 11 foot raft would be excellent. You're looking at the rafter. The rafter is the amount of kick in the bow and the stern of the raft. A large rocker takes on less water, also punches through holes and goes over drops more effectively. If you're in a low volume river, you're looking for sort of a shorter lower rocker so that you bring in water. The whole idea of white water rafting is that you get wet and have a little fun out there, so it's good to have the right design boat for the sort of trip that you're expecting. The forts are maneuverable; you can move them forward ever so slightly so that you're comfortable as a guide when you're situating yourself in the boat. The same with your guests. You want to create as much room as possible so that you can paddle affectively as a crew. "