One of the things I love most about river running is that there’s always room to improve. Whether you raft, kayak, paddleboard, or mix it up, sharpening your whitewater rafting and paddling skills makes river trips more fun (and safer) over time. Here’s a roundup of ways to build skills through instruction courses, safety training, and trying new river crafts, from rowing and paddle rafting to swiftwater rescue and wilderness first aid.
Raft rowing skills and instruction
Knowing how to row a raft is a core skill for private boaters who want to run multi-day river trips. Somebody needs to carry all that gear. Former professional guides have hundreds of river miles under their belts, but it’s hard to get those river reps if river running isn’t your sole occupation.
Raft rowing instruction programs are available in various formats to accommodate nearly any schedule. With even a weekend rowing course, you can get close supervision from seasoned instructors. And multi-day raft rowing courses give you that focused instruction, plus plenty of river miles to get comfortable.
Our post Rafting Clinics for Private Boaters explores several rowing clinics across the US West, which include weekend courses, weeklong courses on multi-day rivers, and women-only clinics.
Learn more: Rafting Clinics for Private Boaters
Paddle raft guiding skills
Paddle rafting might be my favorite way to get down the river. Nothing beats being part of a crew of strong paddlers. You feel like a well-oiled machine. Although we tend to run paddle rafts more often on day trips for logistical reasons, we’ve had serious fun with paddle rafts on the Middle Fork, Gunnison Gorge, and the Lower Salmon.
Many of the paddle raft instruction courses are targeted to folks who intend to become guides, but that shouldn’t stop you if your intention is to remain a recreational rafter. Here are some resources to check out:
- OARS California Whitewater Guide School: Challenging, 9-day course on the American River
- Northwest Rafting Co. Professional River Guide School: Oregon-based 7-day course geared toward people who want to get hired as professional guides
Try a different river-running craft
Switching boats can round out your skills. I usually kayaks (these days mostly in an inflatable), sometimes captain a paddle boat, and occasionally row (my weakest skill, besides paddleboarding). I find that I learn something from every type of boat. Learning how each boat responds in waves and how to adjust your strategy to accommodate various power levels (strong paddle crew, weak paddle crew) can make you a better all-around boater.
I continue to take kayak courses from time to time, and I’m going to focus on paddleboarding to shake things up.
Kayaking skills training
A world of kayak instruction is available for beginner to advanced paddlers, in formats ranging from a couple of hours to multi-day courses on a river. If you’re just starting to explore kayaking, you’ll need to first decide between hardshell kayaks or inflatable kayaks.
Hardshell kayaks involve learning how to roll, the bane of my kayaker’s paddling existence, but are sheer joy to paddle. You can aspire to run waterfalls or win the local whitewater rodeo. But you’ll have fun in a hardshell kayak even in Class II waves. And if you can reliably hit that roll, your confidence in all aspects of life will soar.
Inflatable kayaks are also high on my list because they allow you carry some gear, they’re generally very forgiving to beginners, and you can paddle tandem versions with a friend. Inflatable kayaks have evolved in the last few years to accommodate tougher whitewater. Boats like the NRS Star Viper can take on serious whitewater (although very little gear).
A few kayak courses to consider:
- Canyon River Instruction: Highly recommend Alan Cammack, one of the most perceptive kayak instructors I’ve learned from.
- Holiday River Expeditions’ Whitewater Kayak Workshop on the Green River: Holiday is a legendary river company going back 60 years, and their course is one of the few on-river courses.
- Nantahala Outdoor Center: I have a soft spot in my heart for NOC, a North Carolina-based river outfitter with decades of respect and history, because their kayak instructor Steve Liebig helped me get my roll under control back in the day.
SUP skills for moving water
My daughter Audrey, RiverBent co-founder, is the resident stand-up paddleboarder (SUP) in our family. I’ve had a few forays on the thing, but I’m decidedly not a natural.
However, I love the idea of improving my balance, and certainly mastering a SUP on a moving river will help with that. Here are a few courses to consider if you’re looking to hone your paddleboard skills.
- Rocky Mountain Outdoor Center (RMOC) SUP School: Based on the Arkansas River in Colorado, RMOC offers SUP courses from the basics through advanced river techniques, including surfing.
- Whitewater Center’s SUP instruction: Charlotte, NC-based Whitewater Center offers private SUP instruction.
- Mind Body Paddle: Anna Levesque, a well-known ACA-certified kayak and SUP instructor, offers private lessons in the Asheville, NC area.
Packrafting skills and instruction
The two packrafters I know truly embody the idea of packrafting, which seems to be combining backpacking with boating: Brilliant. In an admirably minimalist fashion, they trek through the steepest canyons of Colorado down to the river, then float.
Before I met them, I didn’t understand why you would paddle a packraft instead of an inflatable kayak. But these boats are ridiculously light, and sturdier than you’d think.
If you’re intrigued by the idea of hiking and boating, packing rafting might be for you. Here are some instructors to consider:
- Whitewater Attainment: Founded by Tommy Gram (whitewater instructor, ski instructor, and co-owner of Buena Vista Mountain Adventures) Whitewater Attainment offers private whitewater packraft lessons on the Arkansas River (through a partnership with Canyon River Instruction), and the Upper Colorado River.
- Canyon River Instruction: Private packraft instruction is available from Alan Cammack through CRI.
- Appalachian State University: Todd Merrill, assistant director of App State’s outdoor programs, is an ACA-certified packraft instructor.
Swiftwater rescue skills
Learning and practicing swiftwater rescue is one of the core benefits of being a professional river guide. Now that more outfitters and instruction programs are offering SWR courses, private boaters can learn these critical skills under the watchful eyes of pros. Some outfits, such as Canyon River Instruction, offer courses that combine SWR with rowing skill training.
Swiftwater rescue courses abound across the US, but here are a few to consider. (When in doubt, head to the American Canoe Association (ACA) site to check whether an instructor is certified.)
- Canyon River Instruction: CRI offers a 4-day hybrid SWR and rowing clinic, in addition to 2-day and 3-day courses, including women-only and LGBTQ+ session.
- Northwest Rafting Co: Based out of their Hood River, OR, headquarters, NWR offers 1-day safety and rescue clinics and 3-day Class III safety and rescue clinics on the Clackamas River in Oregon, in addition to a wide range of advanced SWR skill training for professional guides.
- 4Corners Riversports: Based out of Durango, CO, 4Corners offers SWR courses on the Animas River, including classes for aspiring instructors.
Wilderness First Aid for river runners
The American Red Cross Wilderness First Aid certification is specifically targeted to outdoor adventurers who might need to administer first aid when professional help will take some time to arrive. I highly recommend this course to any boater, but especially those who run multi-day river trips. You can knock out the WFA certification in a weekend. It includes both classroom instruction and some practical skills training.
Here are a few programs to consider:
- Buena Vista Mountain Adventures (BVMA): BVMA offers WFA courses year-round in Buena Vista, CO.
- National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS): NOLS offers WFA courses across the US and overseas.
Set a goal to sharpen your skills
Recreational rafting and paddling is a lifelong learning process. Take advantage of the wisdom and expertise offered by whitewater instructors and wilderness medicine instructors to level up your skill as often as you can. Being a better is fun, plus you’ll make river running safer for everyone on the water.
