Mountain-packraftineering in New Zealand

Although, I’ve been packrafting in NZ for 10 years, I don’t pretend to be an expert in this. However, I do have a background in sea kayaking and sailing, in addition to mountaineering so I am able to share some thoughts and ideas on what I refer to as “mountain-packraftineering”.

There are different types on packrafting that might be termed “Technical PR” or “Whitewater PR” and “Expedition “ or “Mountain-packraftineering”. The anaology is similar to rockclimbing versus mountaineering – entirely different sports. For the purpose of this article I’m only dealing with mountain-packraftineering and these are my thoughts which might be misguided as I’m no expert and self thought.

Gear:

·      Packraft. For me there is only one manufacturer “Alpacka” https://www.alpackaraft.com/rafting/  Made in Mancos, Colorado … the original PR. All the rest are copies of this. Arno Marten is the NZ agent … a great guy to deal with. http://nzpackrafting-store.com/ 

·      Be sure to get a spray skirt with it. Don’t bother with the “cargo zip” unless you want to do technical packrafting.

·      4-split paddle

·      Helmet

·      PFD –usually a foam padded one but I use a LW Decathlon inflatable “Snorkling Jacket” as its very light and compacts to a small volume (only really suitable for easy PR)

·      Knife

·      Throw rope

·      Dry suit , paddling jacket

·      Repair kit

·      PLB- attached to you.

·      Dry bag for gear.

I have a Llama PR in addition to my old Yukon Yak raft that is now 10 yrs old and still going strong. I don’t bother with a helmet or throw rope or paddling jacket as I only run PR grade 1 and 2 rivers and am very careful not to run into strainers.

Communication:

·      Stop: Hold paddle horizontal over head or arms in a “T”position

·      Eddy Out: Hand up, finger pointed and wrist swirling in a circular motion

·      Help: Vertical paddle waving from side to side or both arms held vertically or 3 long whistle blasts.

·      All Clear: Vertical paddle or arm held still

·      Are You OK: Look at person you are asking and tap your head with palm

·      I Am OK: Look at person to whom you are responding and tap your head with palm.

PR techniques

After inflating a PR, temper it by putting it in the river and splashing water on the tubes. This cools down the air in the tube, which will then need further inflation.

Tie your pack across the bow outside the spray skirt. I have a permanent 3 mm cord attached here to the “grab-loop” tie-downs. I invert my pack front lying crosswise over the bow outside the spray skirt, which I now lash tight. Some people prefer tapes and buckles to lash down their packs.

I have a thin rope tied around my packraft through the tie-downs (I’d suggest a 6 mm cord).

It is best to push the boat out into deeper water before entering it, otherwise you have to push off the gravel or rocks on the shore.

Next move into the current and gently paddle on each side alternatively as in kayaking.

Back-paddling is how to slow down and gives you time to work out how to handle problems ahead.

Ferry gliding is how to cross across the current. It can be either forward or back. The important thing is to be at 45’ to the current not the bank and powerful strokes are often required in powerful rivers.

Never look at obstacles directly or you will surely hit them. Instead focus on a safe passage either side of an obstacle.

Obstacles can be Sweepers (trees lying over a stream but clear of the water) or Strainers (trees already in the water), dead-heads (branches lurking under the water ready to puncture your PR), rocks and shallow sandbars or rocky fords.

At all cost avoid hitting any or these. The Strainers are the most deadly as you can get pinned against them.

When I’m packrafting, I always look well ahead and if there is a mass of fallen trees in the river, I land and walk around this section of the river.

On open water there is also the hazard of the wind building and whipping up a sea with big waves. This has happened many times to me and it’s a fine judgement whether to carry on or to land that only experience can teach you. Generally though if there are white-horses out there, it’s a good plan to stay on shore. In NZ on open southern waters, it is often calm in the morning and as the land heats up you get an onshore breeze that strengthens from late morning until evening when it dies away. If in doubt read a book in your tent and wait until the wind drops.

PR are amazingly stable and I’ve only ever fallen out once when I ran a gorge and the river was smashing into a cliff. I instinctively lent away and flipped. In fact I should have lent towards the rock face. If you do fall out, re-entry is similar to a kayak re-entry, in that you should re-enter from the stern by porpoising in front down and swivel around once in and drop your bum onto the seat.

I don’t do the white-water stuff so cannot comment on this. As I said mountain-packraftineering is my forte and I have built up a lot of experience in this over the years and happy to share it with anyone who is interested.

Possibilities:

These are numerous in Southern NZ. Here is a selection of a few I’ve done.

http://mulvanyadventures.blogspot.co.nz/2008/09/gumotex-2-expedition.html

http://mulvanyadventures.blogspot.co.nz/2010/04/gumotex-3-expedition.html

http://mulvanyadventures.blogspot.co.nz/2013/03/the-gumotex-4-expedition.html

http://mulvanyadventures.blogspot.co.nz/2017/11/the-great-southern-lakes-expedition.html

http://mulvanyadventures.blogspot.co.nz/2018/03/the-matukitukiwaiparaarawhata.html

I do have a list of a whole lot more that I hope to do. I believe in the “no-easy-access” approach and this is my personal preference. But it does mean heavy packs circa 25kg. I have an AArn Load Limo 77lt capacity plus 2 shoulder bags 12lt each so can carry around 100lts of gear. Not bad for an old geezer!

The bible of Packrafting is “Packrafting! An introduction and How-To Guide” by Roman Dial. Roman is the God-father of packrafting and is a professor at Alaska Pacific University.

http://packrafting.blogspot.co.nz/2017/07/arctic-alaska-packrafting-gear.html