Whitewater rafting is one of the fastest growing outdoor activities in the country. It involves moving down a whitewater river in a large, forgiving inflatable boat. Rafting is a fun way to get groups of people or families together on the river.

Rafts are ideal for long river trips because they can carry a lot of gear. They are also popular with fishermen who use them to reach their favorite holes.

Rafts are found mostly on whitewater rivers (Class II+). You can also use them on flatwater, but the going is usually slow.

Rafts can function as either paddle rafts or oar rigs. In a paddle raft, the passengers are active participants. Each person uses his or her paddle to move the boat forward, while the stern paddler steers. An oar rig consists of a frame that holds the oars and provides a place for the oarsman to sit and a place to strap gear. Oar rigs are usually used on multi-day trips because of its gear carrying ability.

Other types of inflatable crafts are catarafts and inflatable kayaks. Catarafts are basically inflatable pontoon boats that function similar to rafts, but they usually seat only one or two people.

Funyaks, or inflatable kayaks, are like one-person rafts that paddle like a kayak and can be used to run rivers or just paddle around the lake. Inflatable kayaks offer stability and comfort to neophyte kayakers. Because inflatable kayaks tend to be more forgiving than hardshell kayaks, they open up whitewater opportunities for those who do not know how to roll or feel uncomfortable in a closed deck whitewater kayak. Another benefit to inflatable kayaks is their portability. Deflate them, roll them up, and put them away! This would be a good option for you if you do a lot of traveling with your kayak.