White water Rafting Vocabulary N – Z
White water rafting has a highly specialised vocabulary that has developed largely in the USA and been borrowed by European rafters. Here is a quick rundown on the language you might hear:
Oar Rubber: Piece of thick rubber used to hold an oar to the thole pin.
Outfit: The articles and methods used to fit out, or rig, a raft for river running. For example, the outfit of an oar raft includes a rowing frame, oars, the method of securing the frame to the raft, the method of securing the gear to the frame, etc. The outfit of a paddle raft includes paddles, rope thwarts, perhaps a frame or poop deck, and so on
Painter: A line, usually about 20 feet long, attached to the bow of paddle rafts and the stern of oar rafts. Not to be confused with the much longer bow and stern lines.
Pillow: The layer of slack water that pads the upstream face of rocks and other obstructions. The broader the upstream face, the more ample the pillow.
Pitch: A section of a rapid steeper than the surrounding portions; a drop.
Pivot: Turning the raft from a ferry angle to a bow-downstream position. This narrows the passing space of the boat, allowing it to slide closely past obstructions. Sometimes called a front pivot
The Position: In an oar boat, assuming the position means the guide braces the oar handle high and forward at arm's length to plunge the blades down as deep as possible. Like digging in a paddleboat, this action can grab the downstream current below the surface to pull a boat through big holes and reversals.
R1, R2, etc. A raft with one paddler, two paddlers etc.
Ready: As in the phrase, ‘my boat is ready’, this is a technical term with a precise meaning: the boat is untied and all lines are coiled and up off the floor; the training talk is complete; all gear is clipped or tied on; each crew member is in his or her place with life jacket fastened and paddle in hand; in short, the boat is truly ready to pull out at a moment's notice.
Reversal: A place where the current swings upward and revolves back on itself, forming a treacherous meeting of currents that can drown swimmers and slow, swamp, trap, or flip rafts.
Riffle: A shallow rapid with very small waves, often over a sand or gravel bottom. Does not rate a grade on either the Western or the International scale of difficulty.
Right Bank: Right side of the river when facing downstream.
Sandpaper: Small choppy waves over shallows.
Scout: To examine a rapid from shore.
Section: A portion of river located between two points; a stretch.
Sleeper: Submerged rock or boulder just below the surface, usually marked by little or no surface disturbance.
Thole Pin: An upright steel pin on a rowing frame that serves as a fulcrum, or pivot point, for the oar.
Thwarts: Tubes which run across, or ‘athwart’, the middle of a raft.
Related Products:
