Whitewater for packrafters: dos and don'ts
What you should know before your first whitewater in a packraft: gear, reading the river, basic techniques, swimming and the most important rules.
Whitewater and rivers
Eddies, holes, siphons, difficulty grades and everything you should be able to read on a river.
33 terms in this topic
Guide
All terms
Exiting after a capsize (wet exit)
The wet exit is the controlled exit from a capsized boat, especially important with a spray skirt or thigh straps.
Strainer (tree in the water)
Fallen trees and branches in the water act like a sieve: water flows through, boats and people get stuck. They are among the most common deadly hazards.
Scouting
Scouting means looking at an unknown or difficult section from the bank before running it and planning your line.
Boofing
When boofing, you lift the bow with a powerful stroke at the edge of a drop so the boat lands flat instead of diving into the hole.
Eskimo roll
With an Eskimo roll you right a capsized boat without getting out. In packrafts this only works with thigh straps, a spray deck and lots of practice.
River left and river right
River left and river right always refer to the view downstream. That avoids confusion no matter which way the boat is pointing.
High water
In high water a river flows faster and carries more debris. Eddies disappear, trees stand in the water and easy sections become dangerous.
Cataract and rapid
A rapid is a section with stronger current and waves. A cataract is a rapid broken up by boulders or rock bars.
Eddy
An eddy is the area behind a rock or bank projection where the water is still or even flows upstream. Ideal for a break.
Eddy line
The eddy line is the boundary between the main current and the eddy. Two currents meet here, and the boat is turned.
Capsizing
Capsizing means the boat tips over and you end up in the water. It's rare in packrafts, but it happens, especially on eddy lines and in holes.
Reading the line
The line is the planned route through a rapid. Reading the river means recognising the best line from waves, tongues and eddies.
Low water
In low water a river is shallow and rocky. You scrape over stones, have to get out more often, and some spots become more technical.
Pillow wall and outer bend
At a pillow wall, the current hits a rock or the outer bank head-on. The water piles up and pushes boats against the wall.
Pressure water
Pressure water forms when water hits an obstacle and is pushed up or to the side. It shoves boats around unpredictably.
Recirculation
Recirculation is the backward-flowing current below a drop or hole that pulls boats and swimmers back to the drop.
Wave train
A wave train is a series of irregular waves in a rapid. The size of the waves is one criterion of the difficulty grade.
Whitewater difficulty scale WW I to VI
The whitewater difficulty scale ranges from WW I (easy) to WW VI (limit of navigability). It helps you assess a river section.
Safety cover
At difficult spots someone stands on the bank below with a throw bag to get swimmers out quickly.
Siphon
A siphon is a spot where water flows under or between rocks, but a person can't. Siphons are deadly traps.
Tongue (V)
The tongue is a smooth, V-shaped band where the main current flows between obstacles. It's usually the best line.
Drop
A drop is a vertical or steep step in the riverbed. A hole often forms below it.
Surfing
On a standing wave or small hole you can surf the boat and stay in one place while the water flows away underneath.
Portage
Portaging means carrying the boat over land around an obstacle or an unrunnable section. With packrafts it's especially easy.
Undercut
An undercut is a rock or bank under which the water has washed out a cavity. The current can push boats and swimmers underneath.
Boulder garden
A boulder garden is a section full of large rocks with the water winding between them. Finding the line is difficult.
Hole (hydraulic)
A hole is a wave that flows back upstream behind a drop or weir. Strong holes can hold boats and swimmers.
Weir
A weir is an artificial step in the river. It's one of the most dangerous obstacles of all, because holding holes form below it.
Wrapping (wrap)
A boat wraps when it's pushed sideways against a rock and the current bends it around the stone. A packraft can get stuck this way.
Re-entry
Re-entering a packraft from the water works best over the side: right the boat, pull yourself up with a strong kick and roll in.
Whitewater
Whitewater refers to river sections with steep gradients or constrictions where the water flows fast and turbulently, with waves, holes and obstacles.
Whirlpools and boils
Whirlpools are rotating currents, often on eddy lines. A boil is water welling up from below and spreading out on the surface.