I have been trying to preach and teach this move for over a decade now to my rafting family lol, I'm so glad to see this video. I showed my pops once the power of this when we were in our own boats but in a commercial group on the Middle Fork SR. THREE commercial boats had gotten themselves stuck or wrapped in lower powerhouse (height was about 3.9') and I was next coming in to that rapid with that, so needless to say, they were clogging up lines. I said to my dad, watch this, and I zig zagged the entire rapid using downstream ferry's to tuck behind rocks to have powerful lateral motion and I basically put on a clinic for my dad (and the commercial guys) on how to weave lines through a rapid. Didn't even come close to any of the boats or other rocks and it was great practice. Every oarsman should learn and practice this technique. I learned it from reading some old rafting books on rowing whitewater (learned a lot from them, can't remember the names though). The reason a forward ferry doesn't work is because you are simply nowhere near as strong forward ferrying vs. back ferrying, where you have your legs and back assisting you.

100%. I’ve boated with folks who hated that I “pulled” on the oars. I came from the drift boat/fishing world where “working” an eddy line or position holding was key. They believed I slowed down the group by ferrying to keep my line/position. From just an efficiency standpoint, I don’t like to push, except when I need a bit of momentum. I just travel at the speed of the river. I also think these folks don’t like to swivel their head, or run the boat backwards. Long live the downstream ferry

I think this is a great skill to always be working on. I practice all the time by 'rowing switch,' or just pulling stern-first through lots of rapids. It teaches you how to scan over your shoulder very quickly, and (more importantly) it keeps your passengers are dry if they're getting cold. The wife really appreciates that aspect of it.

Dee Holladay taught me this is how to run Skull Rapid on Westwater Canyon on the Colorado above Moab. Totally correct. Start right, pull downstream left, bust the lateral, laugh at the hole!

Nothing like the thrill of looking over your shoulder and pulling a super clean line!

I LOVE your videos. I am new and learning, I feel your direction is the right way to row the boat.

Damn straight! what I was taught 50 years ago! Back then it was a skill to show off knowing what end goes first for that perfect set up.

Great concept! Going to try it on Blossom Bar this weekend.

Couldn’t agree more with the comments in the video. My boating mentor taught me this skill be exiting rapids with a down stream angle to keep momentum up in flat water.

Keep up the good work Zach! I am new to boating and have found your channel to be excellent, very educational. Thanks!

I’m definitely going to practice this. Thanks

Thanks for this! It validates the way I used to ferry (not a rafter anymore).

Another excellent and informative video. Thank you!

Hey Zach, excellent video. You make whitewater boating very easy to understand. Especially with the whiteboard scenarios combined with the video examples. Looking forward to Scuba Steve making another appearance!

I was going to say this is a great move to use for Skull on Westwater.

Great video! I love the on river footage to supplement the whiteboard 👍

Nailed it

This technique works great on the entrance to Horn Creek Rapid in the Grand Canyon. Good stuff.

Gonna use this at Skull Rapid on Westwater coming up

Great video. You mentioned snowpack and how we are going to have high water in Idaho. Where can I go to get current snowpack updates and predicted water flows?

ZAK!!! have you rowed a drift boat? Ferrying is the boat is the only method. love your videos and you are very experienced. But hard boat rowers can teach you a lot.

Your describing the Powel move that is often used on the Grand Canyon. House rock Rapid start left at the top, pull down steam to the right, to miss Huge hole bottom left. Crystal start top left pull to the right down stream or hit the middle of Chrystal hole. The same for bedrock. If you start right trying to pull right you’ll never make it. Thanks Zach

Great video, Zach! In regards to high water and available water data, do you prefer gauge height or CFS (or a combination of both) to determine where a river is at? You had a great point in another video about how water can be higher or lower depending on where the gauge is at and streams between the gauge and you. So, the eye test may be best.

What Patagonia jacket is that?

I am fairly new to rafting and was just thinking why don't people set up their boat so that they can spin their body around when needed so that they can decide to pull when they would normally push. I know switching position in a rapid would be difficult and maybe dangerous, but I was just curious if anybody ever finds themselves with their bow facing the direction where they want their stern and just spin their body on their seat instead of trying to turn the whole boat? I just realized that this method would require a second seat, so maybe this wouldn't even work.

Commercial boaters like to push because they want to finish the trip as soon as possible so they can drink more beer.

Great concept! Going to try this on Blossom Bar this weekend.