Rafting Glossary: Words and Commands You Will Hear on the River

Can everyone raft? See rafting age limit and who can join.

A Short Rafting Glossary

Rafting has its own language. Guides use short words because there is no time for long sentences in a rapid, and many of these words also appear in reviews, safety rules and tour descriptions. Here are the rafting terms you are most likely to hear, explained in plain English. For the sport itself, see our introduction to rafting.

The Boat and the Gear

• Raft: an inflatable boat for a group of paddlers and a guide.
• Bow and stern: the front and the back of the raft. The guide usually sits at the stern to steer.
• Paddle: a single-blade oar; you hold the T-grip at the top with one hand and the shaft with the other.
• PFD (personal flotation device): the technical name for a life jacket.
• Helmet: worn by everyone on the river.
• Wetsuit: a neoprene suit that keeps you warm in cold water; at our base it can be rented in cooler months.
• Throw bag: a bag with a rope inside, thrown to a swimmer in the water.

The River

• Put-in and take-out: where the trip starts and where the boats leave the water.
• Rapid: a fast, turbulent part of the river with waves.
• Class (or grade): the international difficulty scale for rapids, from 1 (easy) to 6 (extreme). Our Köprüçay route is Class 1–2.
• Eddy: a calm spot behind a rock or bend, where the water flows back upstream; used to stop or rest.
• Current: the main flow of the water.
• Wave train: a series of waves one after another, often the most fun part of a rapid.
• Hole (hydraulic): a spot where water pours over a rock and circulates back.
• Strainer: a fallen tree or branches that let water through but can trap objects; guides steer well clear of them.

Commands You May Hear

• Forward: everyone paddles forward.
• Back: everyone paddles backwards.
• Left turn / Right turn: one side paddles forward and the other back, to turn the raft.
• Stop: stop paddling and rest the paddle on your knees.
• Get down / Hold on: move into the boat and hold the rope.
• High side: everyone moves quickly to one side of the raft to stop it tipping when it hits a rock.

Other Words You Will Hear

• Swimmer: someone who has fallen into the water.
• Flip: when a raft turns upside down.
• Body rafting: floating down a calm stretch in a life jacket and helmet, feet first, without a boat.
• Briefing: the safety talk before the start, where the guide explains the commands.

Our guides speak Turkish, English, German, Russian, Arabic and Persian, so the commands are given in your group's language. Want to learn a few Turkish words too? See Turkish words for your rafting day. Book on WhatsApp at +90 534 820 11 69.