Tips For When Your Raft Flips Over In The Water

Are you planning to go rafting in the near future but are worried about what you will do if your raft flips over? If so, it will help to know the following tips for what to do when you go overboard due to an overturned raft.

Don't Panic

The first thing to keep in mind is that you do not want to panic. Try to stay as calm as possible while in the water, since you do not want to use all your energy flailing around and breathing heavily. Staying calm will be key to making it back on the raft. 

Try Not To Stand Up

A common mistake people make when they go into the water is trying to stand up. The reason that this is a problem is because you likely cannot see what is underwater, and you do not want to end up with a foot that gets stuck on something. Try to float on your back and keep your feet elevated to avoid a potential problem.

Reach For The Gig Line

There will be a rope that surrounds the raft that is known as the gig line. You'll want to reach out for this gig line so that you are in contact with the raft. You'll need to wait for other people to get to the raft as well for assistance with flipping it back over.

Climb On Top of The Raft

The trick to getting on top of the raft is to use your upper body strength to pull yourself up. You do not want to prop your leg onto the raft since it can get caught in the gig line. If one person manages to get on the raft, they can help others get on top as well.

Flip The Raft Back Over

The best way to flip the raft back over will be to position the raft sideways in the river. Have a couple of people standing on the back of the raft on the upstream side, and use the t-grip on their paddle to hook onto the gig line downstream. Pulling back on the gig line will create a fulcrum, where the current helps turn the raft over by pushing the side you're standing on downstream while the opposite end goes upward.

Climb Back Onto The Raft

Now that the raft is in the correct orientation, you can grab that gig line and pull yourself upward onto the raft one more time. To help people that do not have as much upper body strength, stick out your paddle and have them hold onto the t-grip as you pull them back in.

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