Raft - Rafting
Traditional or primitive rafts are constructed
of wood or reeds. Modern rafts may also use pontoons, drums, or extruded
polystyrene blocks. Inflatable rafts use durable, multi-layered rubberized
fabrics. Depending on its use and size, it may have a superstructure,
masts, or rudders. A raft is any flat floating structure for travel
over water. It is the most basic of boat design, characterized by the
absence of a hull. Instead, rafts are kept afloat using any combination
of buoyant materials such as wood, sealed barrels, or inflated air chambers.
Timber rafting is used by the logging industry for the transportation
of logs, by tying them together into rafts, and drifting or pulling
them down a river. This method was very common up until the middle of
the 20th century but is now used only rarely.
The type of raft used for
recreational rafting is almost exclusively an inflatable boat, manufactured
of flexible materials for use on whitewater.
Rafting or whitewater rafting
is a recreational activity utilizing a raft to navigate a river or other
bodies of water. This is usually done on whitewater or different degrees
of rough water, in order to thrill and excite the raft passengers. The
development of this activity as a leisure sport has become popular since
the mid 1970s.
Rafting is one of the earliest
means of transportation, used as a means for shipping people, hunting,
and transferring food.
In 1842, Lieutenant John
Fremont of the U.S. Army first journalized his rafting expedition on
the Platte River. Horace H. Day designed the equipment he used in rafting.
Day’s rafts were constructed from four independent rubber cloth tubes
and wrap-around floor.
In 1960s, rafting was then
recognized and paths like Grand Canyon were routed and whitewater rafting
companies were established.
In 1970s, rafting marked
its major development as a leisure sport when it was then included in
the Munich Olympic Games.
In 1980s, as rafting continued
to gain its popularity, a lot of rivers were opened for rafting activities.
Rivers in South America and Africa were just a few of them.
In 1990s, rafting was included
in major game events like the Barcelona Games in 1992, Atlanta Games
in 1996, and the whitewater events of the Summer Olympic Games hosted
by Ocoee River in Tennessee Valley. In addition, the International Federation
of Rafting was instituted in 1997 and in 1999 the first Official International
Championship was held.
Nowadays, river rafting
is still gaining popularity among extreme water sports in order to thrill
and excite the raft passengers.
Rafts were originally the simplest form of man’s transportation in water
and were then made of several logs, planks or reeds which were fastened
together. Nowadays, inflatable boat were used as rafts which were later
adopted by the military for beach assaults. It consists of very durable,
multi-layered rubberized or vinyl fabrics with several independent air
chambers.
Rafts come in a few different
forms. In Europe the most common is the symmetrical raft steered with
a paddle at the stern. Other types are the asymmetrical, rudder-controlled
raft and the symmetrical raft with central helm (oars).
Rafts are usually propelled
with ordinary paddles and typically hold 4 to 12 persons. In Russia,
rafts are often hand made and are often a catamaran style with two inflatable
tubes attached to a frame. Pairs of paddlers navigate these rafts. Catamaran
style rafts have become popular in the western United States as well,
but are typically rowed instead of paddled.
|
