Buddy It: Rescue Skills
- Ryder Morfin
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Do you actually practice buddy rescue skills before you need them?
Most paddlers spend time thinking about gear, river levels, and route planning—but rescue skills are often treated like something you’ll “figure out” in the moment. The reality is that moving water doesn’t leave much room for hesitation. When something goes wrong, your reactions fall back on what you’ve practiced.
That’s why the American Packrafting Association created Be WaterWise #16 – Buddy It, part of the APA’s Water Wise safety series focused on practical, real-world river safety skills for packrafters and paddlers of all experience levels.
This episode covers critical rescue fundamentals including:
Wet exit technique
Buddy rescues
Throw bag use from shore
Communication under pressure
Using slow-motion footage and clear on-land demonstrations, the video breaks down each skill in a way that’s easy to understand and easier to practice before you’re in an actual emergency situation.
At Go North Rafts, we’re proud to support the American Packrafting Association and the educational work they continue to do for the packrafting community. Safety education helps build stronger paddlers, better decision-making, and more confident river partners.
One of the biggest takeaways from Buddy It is that rescue skills shouldn’t only exist in theory. Practicing throw bag deployment, communicating clearly with your group, and learning how to assist a swimmer all become dramatically more effective when rehearsed ahead of time.
River safety is a team skill.
Even a few minutes spent practicing rescues at the riverbank can make a huge difference when conditions become stressful or unpredictable.
If you haven’t watched the latest Water Wise episode yet, go check it out through the APA’s YouTube channel and educational series:
Train calm. Practice often. Paddle smarter.
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