| By :
Mark Etinger
When it comes to American river rafting, it's definitely quite an adventure. It's not something everybody does in their lifetime so if you are planning on going rafting, you should be proud of the kind of experience you are about to have! That said, there's some tips and information all beginner's should know about what to expect on their first river rafting trip. First of all, get ready to absorb the knowledge. Your guide is going to teach you all about the essentials. One main lesson is on the different between paddles and and oar rafts. A paddle raft is a raft maneuvered by a team of six to seven people, led by your guide. The guide will steer and navigate from the back of the raft, giving instructions to you, the paddler, on when and how to paddle. An oar raft has a metal frame and oars attached at the middle. The guide can maneuver the raft from the middle and guests don't have to paddle themselves. You'll also learn various techniques for rough waters, like ways to adjust weight to keep the boat from flipping, how to keep the boat straight, and what to do in the event that you do get thrown into the water. Every American river rafting experience comes with all the safety tools you need, like life jackets and wetsuits. You'll want to pay close attention when your guide is teaching you these techniques as it's important to your safety. When it comes to different classes, you should understand what they mean. Different river runs are labeled from Class I to VI. I would be the easiest, with VI being the most difficult and nearly un-runable. Some people need to start out with a Class I run, but others can jump in at II or even III on their first try because they can easily get right into the flow of American river rafting. Choose whatever makes you most comfortable. Remember that American river rafting isn't just about sitting in a boat. If you take a run in an paddle raft, you'll be actively paddling and having to be aware of your surroundings. You'll also have to be able to take direction and change your technique at a moment's notice. You'll be expending a lot of energy, so be sure to have a good breakfast before your trip so that you're well fed, have energy to burn and are ready to take on the challenge.
|
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.nextlevelarticles.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites
