The crew around you on a packrafting trip plays an important role in the safety and enjoyment of everyone. So it is important to have the right crew for the trip.

Skills – It is important your group has the right skills for the trip you are planning. It is normal to have a range of skills and some people might be pushing their comfort zone but overall the group needs to have the skills and experience to ensure everyone can get down safely and any incidents can be managed. One trick can be to do some quick river math based on the trip being planned:

                     # confident rescuing x +1 =
   # comfortable looking after themselves x  0 =
 # challenging themselves/wanting support x -1 =
                                         Total = More than 0

Communication – Before you start paddling make sure you are all on the same page with how you will communicate. It is always a good idea to run through the river signals that might get used. This might include had signals and whistle signals.

Headspace – Check in with yourself and your crew on a regular basis. A swim, a fright, getting cold, low blood sugar, stress from other parts of life, they can all impact how you or someone else is feeling and as a result performing. This can change throughout the day so keep an eye on it.

This WaterWise episode covers team dynamic.

Build up your paddling community by joining PRANZ and connecting with the wide community around the country enjoying packrafting in all its forms. Check out our community page to find links to all the regional Facebook groups and other forums where the community is connecting.