Equipment

Always wear a Personal Floatation Device (PFD)

Check to make sure that the PFD is the correct size

Clip all of the fasteners

Tighten the PFD to a comfortable snug.

Before going on the river have a partner lift on your PFD to make sure that it will not slip off. This is done for two reasons.

If you fall out of the boat the PFD needs to be tight enough that it will not slip off.

If you fall out of the boat your rafting partners will be pulling you back into the raft by your PFD.

When rafting in a Class III or higher river, wear a helmet.

Make sure that the chinstrap is secure

Make sure that the helmet is placed on the head facing the correct way. (See Image1)

Image1

Always carry a paddle when going down a river.

Do not drag your paddle in the water while you are at rest. It tends to make the raft drag on one side

Hold the paddle by the T-Grip at all times. A loose T-Grip can be very painful if the blade of the paddle hits a rock. See Image2 for the proper way to hold your paddle.

Image2

Make sure that your shoes have a back and are waterproof.

No Flip-flops

Preferably Lycra Water Shoes or Velcro Strap on Sandals

Safety

To secure yourself in the raft, wedge your foot between the side of the raft and the inflatable support in front of you. If you are in the front of the raft, some rafts have foot holes to secure your feet.

Find the perimeter rope. This is the rope that goes all the way around your raft. If you should fall out of the raft, while going down the river, try to grab the perimeter rope on your way out. Or grab it when you get back to the raft.

If you should fall out of the raft

Close to the raft, grab the perimeter rope and wait for one of your raft mates to help pull you back into the raft

Mid Range; look for a T-Grip to be extended to you from the raft

Long Range; If you are past the rapids and in clear water, try to swim to the raft or close enough that someone in the raft can extend their T-Grip to you. If you are just before a rapid or in a rapid when you fall out, assume the whitewater swimmers position.

Whitewater Swimmers Position I. (Rapids / Long Swim)

Lie on your back

Legs extended down river

Keep head back and toes above the water

Whitewater Swimmers Position II (Falls)

Lie on your back

Pull knees up to your chest and hug them

After fall return to Whitewater Swimmers Position I

If a rope is thrown to you, hold it single stranded over your right shoulder and let the rafters pull you to the raft. DO NOT wrap the rope around your body.

If someone in your raft should fall out

If the swimmer is close to the raft, grab the shoulders of their PFD, put one leg on the edge of the raft, tell the swimmer that you are going to pull on the count of 3. Count to 3 and pull them into the raft by falling backwards and pulling hard on their shoulder straps.

If the swimmer is close to the raft but too far to reach with your hands, extend the T-Grip of your paddle to them and use it to pull them in. Then go ahead with the procedure listed above.

If the swimmer is not close to the raft, either throw a rope to the swimmer or paddle over to them. If you can not paddle to them due to a rapid, instruct the swimmer to assume the whitewater swimmers position until after the rapids then get them back in the raft.