Whats the difference between an oar boat and a paddle boat?
An oar boat is maneuvered by a guide sitting in the center of the raft and manipulating a set of oars. These boats are primarily used as gear and safety boats, and occasionally they carry a couple of paddlers in the front compartment. A paddleboat is a raft navigated by four to seven paddlers and a guide. This is the most common configuration we use on the river. A “hind end frame” is an oar frame strapped to the rear of a paddle boat. This hybrid raft is sometimes used during high water conditions and allows the highest degree of steering coupled with the acceleration of a paddle crew.
