River Rafting Glossary
So you know what we're talking about!
Terms
Boat and Equipment Terms: |
Trip Dynamics & Technique: |
Definitions
River Features:
Current: Moving water.[TOP]
Eddy: Water flowing upstream behind a rock or other obstacle. Eddies often provide a safe place to get out of the current.[TOP]
Eddy line, eddy fence: Where the water flowing upstream passes the water flowing downstream.[TOP]
Flow: The amount of water passing a point in the river, measured in Cubic Feet per Second.[TOP]
Gradient: The "steepness" of a river, measured in feet of elevation loss per mile of river.[TOP]
High water: River flow above an expected average, which makes the currents faster. Some rapids get easier, others become more difficult.[TOP]
Hole, hydraulic: Where water flowing over a rock or other obstacle flows down, then back onto itself in an eruption of whitewater.[TOP]
Laterals: A wave or hole peeling out of an obstacle at an angle.[TOP]
Low water: Flows below an expected average. More rocks and obstacles may show, rapids become more technical.[TOP]
Pool-drop: A type of river in which rapids are separated by calmer pools of water, sometimes more forgiving than continuous gradient rapids.[TOP]
Put-in: River access where a trip begins.[TOP]
Rapid: Where there's whitewater! Water flowing through a shallower, constricted, or steeper section forms a rapid.[TOP]
River left:The left side of the river when facing downstream.[TOP]
River rating: A measure of the difficulty of a rapid or the river. See River Classifications.[TOP]
River right: The right side of the river when facing downstream.[TOP]
River trip: A section of river run in order to return to our Durango office on time.[TOP]
Run: A section of river that can be boated.[TOP]
Standing wave, haystack: A wave in the river formed by obstacles on the river bottom, where the wave stands still relative to the bank.[TOP]
Strainer, sieve: An opening or openings where water can flow through, but a solid object such as a person or boat cannot. It is usually formed by trees on the banks or by rocks on top of one another with water flowing through them. It is one of the most dangerous river features.[TOP]
Take-out: River access where a trip ends.[TOP]
Boat and Equipment Terms
Bow: The front of the boat.[TOP]
Carabiner: A clip, used to secure items into the boat, and to construct safety and rescue systems.[TOP]
Cataraft: An inflatable boat with two pontoons.[TOP]
Dry bag, day bag: A bag for keeping gear in while on the river. They help keep things dry, but probably not 100%.[TOP]
Dry suit: A suit designed to keep all water out, under which any amount of layered clothing can be worn.[TOP]
Duckie, inflatable kayak: A one or two person inflatable boat, usually paddled with double-bladed paddles.[TOP]
Life jacket (PFD): A personal flotation device. Coast Guard approved, and worn like a vest.[TOP]
Oar: A long blade, attached to the boat by an oarlock and used to row,[TOP]
Oar-rig: A boat rigged with oars, so one person sitting in the center of the boat can row.[TOP]
Paddle: A paddle held in the hands, not attached to the boat, used to paddle. Can be single-bladed (rafting or canoeing) or double-bladed (kayaking, solo cats, inflatable kayaks).[TOP]
Paddle boat: A raft with a crew of paddlers and a guide.[TOP]
Stern: The rear of the boat.[TOP]
Stern rig, paddle assist: An oar/paddle boat, in which the guide sits in the rear and has control of the oars.[TOP]
Wet suit: A neoprene rubber suit that allows a small amount of water in, to help retain body heat.[TOP]
Trip Dynamics and Technique
Aggressive swimming: Making an all-out effort to get to safety due to dangerous river conditions.[TOP]
Agile bow: A member of the paddle crew who is assigned to get out on shore and hold the boat.[TOP]
Boat angle: The angle of the boat relative to the current.[TOP]
Ferry: To cross a current or river without moving downstream.[TOP]
Flip: The boat turned upside down by a rock or other object by the force of the current.[TOP]
Flotilla: A group of boats together on a trip.[TOP]
Guide: The person who steers the boat down the river, giving paddle commands to the crew (paddle captain), or rowing (oar captain).[TOP]
High side: The necessary act of jumping to the "high side" when coming up against an obstacle sideways. Always jump downstream, towards the rock or obstacle. When executed properly, it can help prevent a wrap or a flip.[TOP]
Lead boat: The first boat in the flotilla, often captained by the trip leader.[TOP]
Paddle captain: The guide in the paddle boat.[TOP]
Paddle commands: Commands used by the guide to communicate to the crew. Some more commonly used are: “forward paddle”, “back paddle”, “left turn”, “right turn”, and “stop”.[TOP]
Portage: To carry the boats around a rapid. Necessary around Class VI rapids and other obstacles.[TOP]
Safety talk: A talk that precedes every trip, in which paddlers learn about safety on the river.[TOP]
Scout: To stop and look at a rapid before running it.[TOP]
Setting safety: Catching an eddy or hiking down the river, past a rapid to be there for the safety of a boat about to come through the rapid.[TOP]
Strokemaster: A member of the crew, usually in the bow, appointed by the guide to set the cadence or the timing for the entire crew. If everyone follows the strokemaster, the crew will be efficient and work together.[TOP]
Sweep boat: A boat rigged with first aid, safety and rescue gear which usually runs last in the flotilla.[TOP]
Swimmer: A person who has fallen out of the boat.[TOP]
Swimmer's position: Often the safest way to “swim” in a river or rapid. Feet up in front of you, visible on the surface, facing downstream, arms out to the sides for stability and to scull or move across the current.[TOP]
Trip leader: A guide designated to oversee the smooth running of the trip.[TOP]
Warp: A boat held against a rock or other object by the force of the current.[TOP]
Z-drag: A pulley system used to give a mechanical advantage when trying to free a boat from a “wrap”.[TOP]
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Rafting, like all other outdoor activities, is inherently dangerous. By participating in Mountain Waters Rafting activities, you will be assuming those risks. As such, all participants will be required to sign a release of liability before undertaking any activity with Mountain Waters Rafting, Inc.
