Packrafting Tasmania

  On whitewater: NO PFD (personal floatation device), NO helmet, NO grab lines = NO IDEA The question is, is this you???   We all need to realise that it is our own attitudes and decisions that will either help to keep us safe, or will actually put us in danger on the water. Such attitudes […]

It can be great fun to learn from packrafting or kayaking friends but you will gain a tremendous amount of knowledge if you take professional lessons and undertake a sequential training course rather than just receiving informal tips from friends. Remember that the biggest danger is that ‘you don’t know what you don’t know’ and […]

Learn about the environments you intend to travel through and don’t just focus on the river. Look at a wide variety of maps and resources for the area and ideally seek local advice to get an update on the latest conditions and hazards Knowing the nature of the type of river that you intend to paddle […]

Comments and more info to follow in the future

Utilise the concept of ‘RED FLAGS’ to help make wise decisions. A ‘red flag’ is something that indicates the potential for increased risk during an activity. It includes anything outside of the ideal situation or normal conditions that could signal potential issues on a trip. Red flags provide an early warning that something requires attention. Once noted, […]

When paddling whitewater there is generally safety in numbers. Be smart and paddle with an appropriately sized group for the environment you intend to packraft. Whitewater kayakers know from experience that when things go wrong the outcome is often determined by the team that you have around you. Don’t use the excuse that no one else […]

›Dress appropriately for the environment (drysuit, wetsuit, thermals/fleece, etc) ›Wear decent river shoes that you can walk out 30+ km in ›Take a backpack so that you can easily carry your boat and walk out of there ›Rig your boat so that you can hang onto it in a swim/portage and also so that you […]

One of the biggest advantages of a packraft is the ability to potentially self-rescue once you have capsized however the success rate of a self-rescue is much lower than that of an assisted rescue. I always aim to set myself and my paddling team up so that we can assist each other in the event of a […]

A big part of my job as an outdoor education teacher and instructor is to assess and pre-plan how I am going to minimize the potential risks. Plan for issues, hazards, equipment loss or gear failure by considering all the potential risks before the trip. Ask yourself lots of questions such as “Is it a […]

i.e. KEEP YOUR GEAR WEIGHT TO A MINIMUM BUT ALSO POSITION ANY WEIGHT LOW WITHIN YOUR PACKRAFT -Low weight improves handling -Low weight makes portaging easier and quicker -Low weight reduces likelihood of punctures -Low weight makes rolling easier (although a small amount of weight inside your tubes can actually aid in rolling)   Internal […]