Whitewater Raft Rowing: Basic Rowing Maneuvers

Whitewater rafting is a challenging and exhilarating sport the whole family will enjoy. There are few activities that can bring a family together as a team better than a rafting trip down a river. Whether it's a multi-day or a one-day trip, everyone will have fun. However, to ensure a safe trip, there are some basic rowing maneuvers you'll need to learn.

Before filling your boat with family and friends, take a river trip with an experienced oarsperson. If you know someone with experience that's the best option, but paid guided trips are also a good idea. If you want to learn to row, make sure the guide or friend understands your desire. Don't let the river guide or friend hog the oars, the only way to learn to row is to row.

Another way to learn the basics without the help of a guide or friend is to take a raft out on a lake and row it around for a few hours. Get the hang of how the oars feel and how the boat moves. Try rowing every conceivable way; forwards, backwards, spinning, stopping and so on. Be warned though, rowing uses muscles you may not be used to using; you'll be sore.

Rowing any kind of boat will help you with river rafting; it doesn't have to be a raft. If you end up using a boat other than a raft though, make sure the oars and oarlocks are similar to a rafting setup.

Once you have the basic rowing strokes down it's time to add moving river water. Don't jump on the hardest river you can find, first break yourself in on a slow meandering stretch. If you're unsure where to go, visit your local river shop or find a good guidebook. Most rivers have detailed maps and descriptions of what you'll find on any stretch. Choose the mellowest stretch of river you can find. Rivers are generally classed into a I-VI category system. Starting out you want to find a class I-II stretch. This will be moving water with a few waves but very few obstacles.

Pull Away from Trouble

Once you've figured out the logistics of your trip, it's time to row. A good general rule for river rafting is to pull away from trouble. Trouble can be anything from a rock to a wall to a big wave; basically anything you don't want to hit. This method assumes the rower is facing downstream, looking over the bow for trouble.

The way to pull away from trouble is by pointing the bow of the raft towards whatever it is you don't want to hit. For instance if the current is flowing towards a rock in the center of the river, you want to be on either side of it. If you're directly in front of it this method won't work. Get to either side, then point your bow either upstream of the rock or directly at it and pull (row backwards) away from it. The current will be pushing you towards the rock, but you will be counteracting it by rowing away.

When you're on the class I or II stretch of river there won't be too many dangers to avoid. In order to practice rowing however, you need to make up scenarios. Pretend there's a rock in the center of the river. Don't just float lazily, play with it; create scenarios and row like your life depended on it. As you have more and more success, you can gradually start making the river stretches more difficult.

Study the River

Always study the river when you're rowing. Check out the waves and currents and try to figure out what's causing things to happen. When you see a wave try to identify why its there; is there an underwater rock or is it some kind of constriction? Why is there slack water on the inside of a bend, or behind a large boulder?

Try different moves with the raft. What happens when you row into the slack water, does the raft turn? Why and which way? All these situations will help you understand the river. Soon you'll be able to look at a stretch of whitewater and know how best to row it; you'll be able to "read" the water. The best whitewater rowers are generally the best water readers.

Jump into the river with your lifejacket and float through some rapids. Of course you need to choose the rapid carefully, one free of major obstructions. Feel the different currents acting on you body. This'll help give you a three dimensional feel and understanding of the river. It's also a ton of fun.

With enough practice you should become pretty comfortable with your raft and rowing abilities. Once you do you can start planning some family trips. There's nothing like watching your kid's faces light up with joy when they feel the splashing whitewater beneath the raft. It's like an amusement park with no lines and no limits.