How-to Articles and Videos

       

By Jamie Orfald-Clarke, Boreal River Rescue instructor Foot entrapment is a dangerous and potentially life threatening situation that no rescuer wants to encounter. The focus should be on prevention, and effective coaching of people who are new to moving water....

When tying rope or webbing to a boat or any other load in the river, it is best to attach to at least 2 points if there is going to be a lot of force applied. Anchors on loads start...

Any knot will reduce a rope's strength by one third to one half. So while these knots aren't 'stronger' than many others, our students learn how to tie them because they are easy to identify and untie.     Being able to...

By Jamie Orfald-Clarke, Boreal River Rescue instructor If you paddle whitewater, sooner or later, you are likely to end up in a situation with a pinned canoe (yours or someone else’s). Shaped like a giant scoop, and prone to floating...

When to use mechanical advantage Rope and pulley systems are rarely needed in everyday paddling, let alone river rescues. However, when you do need mechanical advantage, it is important to be able to set it up quickly, safely, and with...

Tying onto trees, rocks, and other objects In whitewater and swiftwater rescue, ropes are sometimes used to haul on pinned boats or for transportation systems. Strong anchors are important.   Introduction to anchors & load-sharing Why tie a load-sharing (aka...