USA Raft French Broad Guide
Training
USA Raft on the French Broad River will be holding their core
raft guide training during a one week period from May 12th
through May 16th. For more information visit the USA Raft’s
French Broad web site at www.usaraft.com/frenchbroad.htm
or e-mail them at info@mtnadventureguides.com.
Below is the course outline for the 2008 USA Raft training
program.
USA Raft Core Training Program
Course Outline
May 7 – May 11, 2008
Wednesday, May 7
Classroom: Introductions and welcome by management and trainers
Expectations for trainees, attendance, be on time, etc.
Customer expectations
At outpost: Trainees do boat inflation and boat loading with a
trainer
Go over gear to bring on all trips, GITs will load this
River: French Broad River 2 trips
First trip
Full trip to Hot Springs
At put in: GITs (guides-in-training) unload boats with a
trainer
On-river: GITs start guiding to show where they are
ability-wise
Lunch at outpost:
Brief classroom at lunch:
Terminology related to water reading
Reading water and hydrology
Boat maneuvering: Exaggeration of angles
Plan ahead, make moves early
2nd Trip:
Walk over to Big Pine Creek and look at reading water on a
small scale
At put-in: GITs (guides-in-training) unload boats with a
trainer
Demonstration of paddle strokes
Go over commands
Trainees do a guide intro
Focus on reading water
Focus on angels and timing
Post trip: GITs unload boats and store gear
Closing rounds
Thursday, May 8
At outpost: GITs inflate and loading boats
Classroom: Basic ferrying, angles relative to strength of
current
Back ferries and forward ferries
Why use ferries and when to use each type
River: French Broad River 2 trips to Stackhouse
GITs guide
In Maze, trainers demonstrate ferrying
Scout Big Pillow, discussion on how ferries used in
this rapid. At the scout - Two ways to run with different angles
GIT's practice ferries at Sandy Bottom
Lunch at outpost
Classroom at lunch: Efficient use of angles
2nd run to Stackhouse
At Put in: Demonstration of why ferries work
On-river: GITs guide rapids without using their paddle
Practice of using crew with commands
Post trip: GITs unload boats and store gear
Classroom: Review of rapids and how to use ferries and
maneuvering techniques related to those rapids
Demonstrate high-siding and low-siding
Go over paddle signals, hand signals and whistles
Closing rounds
Friday, May 9
At outpost: GITs inflate boats and load all gear
River: French Broad River 2 trips
1st trip -
Glenn does angle drill with GIT's
Look at S-turn from rocks on right
Scout Ledges
Lunch at outpost
2nd trip -
Switch crews, Glenn doing angle drill with different crew
On-river: More practice on ferries in rapids
Post trip: GITs unload boats and store gear
Review of rapids and how to use ferries and maneuvering
techniques related to those rapids
Saturday, May 10
Classroom: Surfing
Eddy turns and peel outs
Self-Rescue and aggressive swimming
Demonstrate throwing throw bag
GITs practice throwing throw bags
River: French Broad River 1 Trip to Hot Springs
Above swimmers aggressive swimming
Lunch at Swimmers rapid
Throw bag practice at Dragontail Rapid
Demonstrate flip drill.
GITs practice flip in flat water
Flip contest
On-river: More of Glenn's Ferry angle 180 degree drill
Each GIT practices an eddy turn and a peel out
Practice surfing at Sandy Bottom
Scout Needle Falls and Frank Bells
Post trip: GITs unload boats and store gear
Review of rapids and how to use ferries and maneuvering
techniques related to those rapids
Classroom: Practice stabilization line with GITs
Hospitality training and customer service session
Closing rounds
Throw bag bucket drill
Sunday, May 11
French Broad River River: 2 runs to Stackhouse
On-river 1st trip: 2/3rds of group takes duckies 1/3
takes R-1, switch around
Go over duckie set ups
Lunch at outpost
2nd trip - Focus on putting ferries
to use and being defensive on technical river. GITs run as if they
are guiding commercially.
If time practice surfing at Ledges.
Post trip: GITs store gear
Closing rounds
