Raft Guiding

Tahatū, Career Navigator

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Course code

ATG541A
Locations and dates
No start dates are currently available. Register to be informed when new dates are added.
Credits

15

Build on your rafting skills and develop the guiding, leadership, and instructional capability required to operate confidently with clients in real whitewater environments.

This Raft Guiding short course is designed for experienced rafters who are ready to move beyond personal technical skills and into leading, instructing, and guiding clients on the river.

Over two days, you’ll develop the skills to:

Plan and deliver rafting trips
Manage groups
Apply risk management strategies
Communicate clearly with clients in a range of river environments.

Learning is highly practical and takes place in real rafting locations, with opportunities to guide under both direct and indirect supervision.

Both this course and the River Rescue(external link) course are needed to prepare you for the NZRA River Rescue Workshop(external link), setting you up to achieve your New Zealand Rivers Association (NZRA) Grade 3 Raft Guide Award.

What you will cover

You’ll develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence required to guide rafting clients, including:

Organising, fitting, checking, and maintaining rafting equipment for clients
Guiding basic rafting skills for beginner clients
Leadership and applied risk management in rafting environments
Planning and delivering raft trips, including site knowledge and navigation
Guiding groups in a range of rafting locations
Identifying and responding to the physical, emotional, and cultural needs of clients
Effective communication and use of appropriate communication devices
Post-trip debriefing, reporting, and self-reflection
Sustainable guiding practices, including tikanga and kawa of iwi and hapū
Applying kaitiakitanga and Leave No Trace principles while guiding

Entry requirements

Gear requirements

PFD (rescue type with releasable rescue belt); needs to be able to carry your flip line, prusik, pulleys, and carabiners.
Recommended: Cowstail with screw gate carabiner. Make one from webbing or accessory cord, elastic ones
have limited usefulness and life.
Flip line (16 mm or 24 mm nylon tubular webbing, or 10mm dyneema sling. 4-4.5m length, long enough to build a
harness with it.)
Well-fitting whitewater helmet
Dry jacket recommended, semi dry is ok.
Two 4-5 mm prusik lengths, 1m and 1.2m. (Not to be from your rock climbing kit)
River knife that is able to be attached to buoyancy vest (must be able to stab a raft, serrated, and be used with
one hand, preferably in a sheath. Highly recommend is a bear claw knife)
Screw gate carabiners x 3 (2 x pear shaped, at least 1 large; no steel carabiners)
2 rescue pulleys (prussic minding pulleys are nice)
Throw bag (able to be worn on body with a quick-release system)
Watch (to be worn on PFD, cheap one)
Well-fitting personal wetsuit (must be full-length, minimum 4 mm)
Recommended:
- Splash pants for ATG541 Raft Guiding paper (not dry pants!)
- River shoes or sturdy outdoor toe covering sandals/soft shoes
- Pea-less Whistle (Fox 40 is by far the best)
- Neoprene socks
- Large tote or duffle-type dive bag to carry your gear in.