HOME > Handbook > Setting up a run
Setting up a run
Setting up a run
It's best not to just charge into rapids at first sight. This section outlines all the things to do to lower the risk and increase the chances of everyone having a good time.
Embedded Files
Scouting rapids
Scouting rapids
Scouting is the act of stopping before a rapid, getting out of the boats, examining the rapid from a better vantage point, talking about it with your crew, and making some decisions. See our River reading section for more information on how to interpret the rapids.
Get used to scouting
Get used to scouting
Some novices are raring to go at the first site of a fun-looking rapid and they don't understand why the group is stopping to get out and look at it. They often learn quickly. Rapids are more complex than they first appear. Even paddlers who are very experienced and know the rapid well should stop and scout with the beginners. Additionally, different water levels impact the rapid and its features—familiarity with one water level does not necessarily translate at other water levels or water temperatures
Scout safely
Scout safely
Wear your personal protective equipment (helmet, PFD, and throw rope), even when scouting on shore. In a moment you could find yourself in the rapids or in a rescue situation if you or someone else slips and falls into the river. It's ideal for each scout to wear a smaller throw bag attached to their body so that it's always available during scouts.
If the shoreline is rocky and treacherous, bring your paddle along which serves as a convenient third balancing point while you walk. It can also serve as a giant pointer stick when talking to a group about a rapid.
It may seem trite, but it is really important to walk carefully when scouting. Scouting can sometimes feel like a time-suck, and there is a tendency to want to move quickly. Since most of scouting is along the shoreline, it's often rock-to-rock walking, and often on wet rocks. In addition to falling into the river, there is a real risk of injury - a twisted ankle, a jammed toe, a scraped leg, or worse. Careless scouting can end a trip prematurely or make it much more difficult with a serious injury.
On one of our trips, a paddler was running across some rocks unnecessarily and tripped on a plant root hidden by leaves. He caught himself but his hands landed on either side of a sharp rock and it took it pretty hard on the chin. We got the gusher stopped and used those steri-trips to keep the skin together and carry on. He had a nice blood stain all over his PFD until his next dump.
How to scout
How to scout
"WORMMS" is a scouting acronym to help whitewater paddlers remember all the things to look for on a scout. It's not just about finding the line you want to take. (The key terms used below are covered in our Communication section).
WATER: What's the water doing and where is it going? Where is the power? What are all the features of the rapid (e.g., eddies, keepers, Vs, etc.) First get to understand the rapid before anything else.
OBSTACLES: What are all the things that you'd bump into if you had no idea what you're doing? Of all the features that you just examined, which ones would get in the way? Consider both water obstacles and other obstacles, like large rocks, logs, sweepers, etc. The whole rapid needs to be seen. Don’t go around unknown corners in fast-moving water. An easy rapid could end with a surprise waterfall or a freshly-fallen strainer. It might be necessary to eddy out several times on a rapid, or to ferry to a side where there is a better vantage point for scouting.
Assess the greater context beyond the rapid. Is there a safe pool between this rapid and the next or does the next rapid start right away? If you were to dump, would you have time to get to shore before being pushed into the next one?
ROUTE: This is the part where you try to find a way through all of it. Visualize yourself going down the rapid. Which hazards will you encounter along the way? What strokes will you need to use? Do you have the skill to navigate through a possible line? What is your plan B route if your plan A doesn't work out?
Talk it through with other paddlers. Share ideas. Others will see things that you miss because of experience or sometimes just because they have a slightly different perspective from where they are standing. Don’t pick and run too quickly. Rapids are often more complex than they are at first glance. Talk it through.
Look beyond the line you're excited about. Paddlers can get a kind of tunnel vision when excited about a line. Think about what will happen if you don't nail your desired line.
Will the boat take on a great deal of water through wave splashes along the way? Sometimes the line is straight and easy but the paddlers did not account for the amount of water that splashes into the boat increasing the difficulty of maneuvering and can lead to swamping or even dumping. If this is likely, consider your line should you find yourself swimming - you might deliberately place someone on shore there with a throw bag.
MOVES: What paddle strokes and maneuvers will you need to do to make that line and does everyone in the boat have the necessary skills?
MARKERS: Your intended line is often not visible from the lower point of view within the boat. Ledge drops are particularly difficult to see. Paddlers can get lost in a rapid since it will look completely different from inside the boat. Once your route is chosen, you'll need to visualize what it will look like from the water and plan out how you will know where you are. Use higher features on the shore, like trees or rocks as marker points. Sometimes these can even be set up manually by intentionally placing a piece of driftwood, or a fellow paddler, as a marker. On some trips, when safe, we have had a paddler stand on the obstacle or to stand on shore and point to the line that should be taken.
SAFETY: What's going to happen if it all goes wrong? Remember, the question is "How dangerous is it?" (Rather than "is it dangerous?") What's the risk to the paddlers and the canoe and gear if you dump? What is the risk of your plan B line? What's your swimming exit strategy if you dump?
What risk will there be to others if they have to rescue you? Where should people on shore be positioned to be in the best position to assist in an emergency?
After all of that, you can decide if you'll run it.
Other scouting tips
Other scouting tips
Watch more experienced paddlers run the rapid and learn from their run, especially if something goes wrong. Watch for the kinds of strokes that they use to get through (whether they worked or not). Watch carefully how the water impacts the canoe and what the paddlers do in response. Sometimes obstacles - like rocks beneath the surface - are only made evident when a boat going down the river hits it.
Some rapids you'll need to use multi-part scouts. Sometimes you can’t see all the way down a rapid when scouting. If you see a clear, safe place to eddy out, you can scout the next section from there. Or you might find that the initial scout reveals that the safest option is to portage or line past an obstacle.
Throw a stone or stick at a particular rapid if you're unsure your listener understands what rapid you're pointing at. It clears up all the confusion.
Roles
Roles
When tackling challenging rapids with larger groups, we assign clear roles to the experienced paddlers. To ensure safety for novices, we create a 'sandwich' formation, with experienced individuals leading at the front and providing support from the rear.
The Lead
The Lead is an experienced paddler who acts as the lead boat and runs rapids first. This role requires a high level of skill as this is the first demonstration of a line through the rapid. There is generally no one at the bottom to help if they run into trouble. After they run, they may need to signal rapid information to the rest of the group and will wait in their boat ready to rescue if anyone dumps. If a direct line of sight down the whole rapid isn't available for the next paddlers, the Lead will signal with a single whistle blast or radio message. This is to avoid a pile-up situation.
On Split Rock trips, our kayaker usually has this role since they can nimbly avoid any surprises that were missed when scouting and radios back a report.
The Sweep
The Sweep is the last boat to run a rapid and is paddled by competent rescuers ready to support anyone who runs into trouble part way down and will jump the queue when necessary. They also provide some crowd control and ensure spacing between canoes on the rapid.
By running last, they ensure that no novice paddler is alone at the end without anyone to support if something goes south. But this also means that there is no one behind them to support and in fast-moving water, it can be very difficult for anyone to get back to help them. The sweep role should only be done by very competent paddlers.
Rescuer / Chase boat
On more challenging rapids, the second or third boat down sets up at the bottom to assist if anything goes wrong.
This role coaches novice paddlers as they go through a rapid—through hollering instructions, or pointing with their paddle—or directly effecting a rescue if needed.
In the event of a capsize and the swimmers are safe and can easily get to shore, this boat "chases" down floating pieces of gear.
Often the Lead may also be involved in rescue, but will also be responsible for managing the whole group to ensure that no more boats come crashing down the river and into the swimmers.
Shore Rescuers
Paddlers with more whitewater experience can be posted at parts of the rapid with higher risk, like a ledge. They can be standing by with a throw bag in-hand ready to toss a line to swimmers. Note that if the risk is something like a ledge, rescuers will need to be posted downstream of it as swimmers will be washed further downstream before they can get into the defensive swimming position and ready to receive a throw bag.
Shore rescuers are especially important if there is a hazard downstream, like a ledge or a recirculating souse hole or another rapid, and swimmers may not have sufficient time or opportunity to get to shore in time.
Watch others run
Watch others run
If time permits, each paddler watches the boats that run before them to gain insights (and take video) before they run it themselves. Often paddlers will reconsider their chosen line after seeing someone dump when attempting the same line.
This can be a lot of fun, and it’s great to have an audience, but not all rapids offer this, especially long ones. Sometimes the only feedback on a run is a message through the two-way radio after the Lead boat has successfully, or unsuccessfully run it.
The 'audience' also has the important role of cheering on paddlers and celebrating successful runs. When paddlers feel the excitement and pride of a successful run it's a great experience also hearing and seeing your crew celebrating that with you from shore. Note, "successful" here can still include runs that end in a swamped boat or paddlers swimming—the success is measured first by the safety of the paddlers, then the boat and gear, and finally, by the fun had!
Batten down the hatches
Batten down the hatches
When the scouting is over and you get into your canoe to run the rapid, take a moment to ensure that everything in your boat is ready. Including yourself.
PFD and helmet on (though this should already have been on for the scout)
Your spare paddle needs to be ready in a spot where you can pull it out with little effort.
Your water bottle and 'boat bag' or any other small things like hats, maps, etc., need to be secured to the boat.
Thigh straps are on and properly tightened if you're using them (but let's be real, if you're using thigh straps you probably don't need to be told this by a website!)
Painter lines on the bow and stern are properly bundled and put under the shock cord.
Gear is in the right position for weight - sometimes we run boats empty when it's feasible.
Importantly, if you're recording, start your Go-Pro or other camera. This is mostly a reminder for Tim!
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse