Is it safer to go whitewater rafting in a 2 person raft or 4?

Question

I am going whitewater rafting w/a group of friends. It's going to be level 3. Is it safer to go on a 2 man raft or 4 man raft?

Answer 1

The four man raft will be bigger than a two man raft. Hence less likely to tip over. Either raft is adequate for grade 3 whitewater. Is your question: will TWO of us be safer in a two man raft or a four man raft? or is it, will four of us be safer in a four man raft?. Each river uses/rents rafts best suited to it. Raft sizes change as water levels change. Personal safety requires: a PFD, a helmet, and suitable clothing. Shoes and long trousers are needed if an upset occurs.  Most rafting deaths occur because of cold water immersion  and alcohol use. Most victims are males...no PFD and too much alcohol.

Answer 2

Whitewater rafting at level 3 in a 2 person raft is not safe unless both people are experienced rafters or canoeists.  Whitewater rafting at level 3 in a 4 person raft is not safe unless at least 2 of the people are experienced rafters or canoists.  If you are inexperienced, make sure you are to be in the 4 person raft and that two or more of the others are experienced.  Otherwise, you are going into danger.  Not that the danger is high, but it is there.  Make sure whatever you do that you have a well-fitting life vest.  

If everyone on the trip is inexperienced, the safe method is to sign up with a commercial rating operation.  They know the river, their rafts are big and stable and their people are experts.

Here are the ratings:

Class 1: Very small rough areas, requires no maneuvering. (Skill Level: None)

Class 2: Some rough water, maybe some rocks, small drops, might require maneuvering. (Skill Level: Basic Paddling Skill)

Class 3: Whitewater, medium waves, maybe a 3-5 ft drop, but not much considerable danger. May require significant maneuvering. (Skill Level: Experienced paddling skills)

Class 4: Whitewater, large waves, rocks, maybe a considerable drop, sharp maneuvers may be needed. (Skill Level: Whitewater Experience)

Class 5: Whitewater, large waves, large rocks and hazards, maybe a large drop, precise maneuvering (Skill Level: Advanced Whitewater Experience)

Class 6: Whitewater, typically with huge waves, huge rocks and hazards, huge drops, but sometimes labeled thusly due to largely invisible dangers (i.e., a smooth slide that creates a near-perfect, almost inescapable, hydraulic, as at Woodall Shoals/Chattooga). Class 6 rapids are considered hazardous even for expert paddlers using state-of-the-art equipment, and come with the warning "danger to life or limb." (Skill Level: Expert)

Answer 3

Hello.  As "Mayan" has already said, rafting class III rapids can be hazardous without proper training and experience.  Whether its a 2-person or 4-person boat, somebody in that craft had better have the right kind of experience or your chance of getting hurt increases dramatically.

If you are going on a commercial trip in 2-person inflatable kayaks, for instance, the company will typically give a fair amount of instruction ahead of time and will normally start out with class-II rapids in order to give the paddlers some experience before hitting the harder class-III ones.  They will also have experienced guides in a rescue boat and in a trailing 'sweep' boat to render assistance as needed.

I have seen people in class-III water get hurt;  broken ribs, a broken leg, a dislocated shoulder, a broken collarbone....  Not common to suffer such injuries, but certainly possible.  I have heard of worse injuries and even drownings and death, though have not witnessed that myself.  

If you are going with a reputable whitewater rafting company your chances are very good that you will have an excellent experience and have a lot of fun.  Whitewater Voyages of El Sobrante California used to do trips on Cache Creek using 2-person "Beaver Boats" (I don't know if they still do that trip) that was a lot of fun and a good introduction to whitewater paddling.  

But, if you are going with an ad-hoc group of private boaters you should really make sure the leader has lots of experience and preferably guide training.  Someone should have Wilderness First Aid and CPR training at the very least.  Everyone should be wearing proper whitewater type life-jackets.  And NO ALCOHOL.  If these conditions are absent, I'd think twice....no, three or four times before going along.

Don't mean to be scary, but you need to look at this realistically.  Whitewater Rafting is an extreme sport and it has its dangers.  You need to be responsible for your own safety even on a commercial trip.  

And by the way, a four-person boat would likely be somewhat safer than a two person one.  However, the main ingrediant is probably who else is in the boat with you!