What are river rapids: overcoming water obstacles

Among the supporters of active rest after walking tourists, the first place is occupied by "water experts". Only those who rafted along the rivers, imagine what river rapids, waterfalls, complex channels, and fully come close to nature. Rafting along the water arteries requires not only high-quality equipment and swimming skills, but also good physical preparation.

On what you can raft

Before you understand what river rapids and other water obstacles are, a beginner needs to decide on the type of transport. There are several of them:

1. Kayaks . Single narrow swimming means that require prior training for their management and the ability to make independent decisions in extreme situations.
2. Kayaks . Most often - double; In sports races and team - up to four people. Rowers are located one after another.
3. Catamarans . Completely correspond to the notions of them: the two boats are connected to each other. Typically, they are transplanted watermakers, who have traveled along the routes of the third category (but many do not pass).
4. Rafts . Multi-seat (from 2 to 6) inflatable vessels. Since 2003 in Russia, rafting has been recognized as a separate sport, but often of a commercial nature - rafts are used to float non-athletes on calm rivers. Naturally, unprepared people on the journey do not know what river rapids are.

Beginning tourist first routes pass through the most simple rivers, in a team and certainly under the supervision of an instructor.

Classification of route complexity

The international register divides the rivers as follows:

1 category. A simple route with a light current and sparse chalk.

2 category. Moderate complexity: the presence of primitive obstacles, in some sections of the route, the increase in flow velocity.

3 category. Complex rivers. Numerous obstacles, some of them are quite high and can block the review. The line of motion is traced from the influx. Only starting from this category, tourists-water experts begin to realize what river rapids are and how they should be "conquered". However, on such rivers they only learn to overcome various obstacles; We can say that these are the last of the relatively easy routes.

4 category. Increased complexity. The direction of movement in the threshold is not obvious, perhaps, their preliminary examination is required. The movement of water is powerful, it is necessary to maneuver continuously.

5 category. Extremely difficult route. Required preliminary reconnaissance, obstacles are continuous, include waterfalls.

6 category. Extremely complex rivers. Only available to professionals.

In the Russian classification, the first two categories of thresholds are combined and considered simple, accessible to the beginner. The third one is referred to the average complexity, the fourth is intended for regularly trained athletes. The rest - already for professionals.

What are river rapids from the point of view of water tourism

Athletes for obstacles are not considered single stone protrusions. Thresholds are recognized as areas with water falling, high-speed current, closely located fragments of rocks - plus so-called "standing waves". Overcoming water obstacles, from the point of view of water managers, starts from the level of complexity when the distance between them is minimal for passage, and the water current is greatly increased. Approximation to thresholds by experienced tourists is determined by the sound and change in the speed of the current.

Features of passing obstacles

How to pass the threshold depends on the type of court on which the tourist is rafted. He must take into account the dimensions and draft of his boat, the speed of the current and the presence of reversal jets, with which he can turn and strike against the obstacle. Most often, an uneasy obstacle, when the fairway is easily seen, passes like a fast-moving one. On more complex thresholds, maneuvering is required. On most routes, starting with the fourth category, a stop is required for reconnaissance.