White Water Rafting at Orange Torpedo Trips, frequently asked questions.

1. Can I only paddle a Torpedo?

As the founders of inflatable kayaking the vast majority of our customers will paddle our custom designed inflatable kayak the "Orange Torpedo" with guides in kayaks leading and teaching as they go down the river. On most of our rivers kids 12 and up can take this on and have a blast. However, if you are not so bold or have a child under 12 we always offer the more traditional types of rafting on all our trips. On many trips we offer paddle rafts where the group works together to navigate the river with the guide steers from the back. On all multi-day trips and always offer oared raft trips where the passenger simply sits back and enjoys the ride while the guide does all of the work with the oars. Young children will often ride the oared raft while the parents paddle inflatable kayaks in the group either just in front of or just behind the raft.

2. What is an Orange Torpedo?

An Orange Torpedo is our custom-designed inflatable kayak that we have partnered with world renown raft builder SOTAR. We have combined our 40 years of guided inflatable kayak experience with their raft building knowledge to introduce and industry leading high performance, beginner friendly inflatable kayak.

2. How many years have we been running rivers?

Orange Torpedo Trips was founded in 1969 on the Rogue River by rafting visionary, Jerry Bentley. Within just a few years OTT had spread to numerous rivers throughout the Northwest including the Salmon and Snake Rivers.

3. What is our average head guide tenure?

We are proud to have one of the highest head guide tenure's in the industry. The majority of our multi-day trip guides are teachers in the off-season. This off river profession makes them naturally great guides with a desire to teach our customers about the rivers, but it also makes them stable year to year guides. The average tenure, with our company, of our head guides is 28 years.

4. What is our typical guide to guest ratio?

On our multi-day trips we typically have 1 guide to every 3 or 4 customers depending on the river.

5. What separates OTT?

We think lots of things separate us from other companies but the most obvious is our style of using inflatable kayaks. Unlike anyone else on the rivers we run, we will have a guide in an inflatable kayak to teach you and lead you through the rapids. This unique style has helped us maintain an industry leading safety record and high customer return rate for over 40 years.

6. What does "all inclusive" actually include?

With OTT when we say "all-inclusive" we mean it. Show up with your personal items and leave the rest to us. Unlike some, this includes all of your drinks and the photos or video from your trip. On most of our multi-day trips we take upwards of 300 high resolution digital photos with our digital SLR cameras. You get the pictures and any video we shoot for free. You can see pictures from trips last summer at our flickr page.

7. Is our equipment modern and up to date?

This is a question you should be asking. Modern and well maintained equipment can be in important factor in the level of fun you will have, but also in the safety of your experience. Here at OTT we replace all our PFD's (life jackets) for guided trips every 1-3 years and our rafts are typically two to five years old. We have a new fleet of Sotar inflatable Orange Torpedo's coming in 2011.

8. Is this safe?

While going down a river, like driving in a car, does have inherent risk; at OTT we have worked to mitigate that risk to the greatest level possible through experienced guides, a rigid training program, and set procedures in our unique guiding style. Our time tested training procedures have given us an industry leading safety record for over 40 years.

Guest Comments:

“Never having done a trip like this before, I was really freaked out, but I soon realizedthat I had nothing to worry about. These guides are good!” Liz Cutler

9. Is this safe for kids?

Orange Torpedo Trips has a rich history of taking the little guys and gals down the river. The Torpedos can be a great first river experience for the kids. Our guides are trained to work with children and ensure their safety. The minimum age for kids in Torpedos depends on what stretch of river they are running, but it is generally 11 to 12 years old. If your child is too young to paddle his or her own Torpedo on the stretch of river you are floating, if the child is at least 5, he or she can ride the raft on most trips with one of our trained kid-friendly guides. The guides will work not only to ensure that your child is safe, but also that he or she is entertained and having a great time!

Guest comments:

OTT: Did you feel safe? “Yes! Especially with kids, this was much appreciated. Our kids already want to know when Tim can row them again.” Stephen Valen

“We can't wait to do it again...we had figured we'd have to wait until the kids were 9 or 10 to do a river trip, but your system made it possible now.” Les Dixon

“We had several families on this trip, and it was perfect for them. I took a family down last year, and they still talk about it.” Bill Edlefsen

10. What is the youngest age to go in an Orange Torpedo?

This depends on the section of river. Look in the details section of the trip you are looking at to see the minimum age for a kid to paddle his or her own inflatable kayak. It generally ranges from 11 to 12; however, kids as young as 5 can ride the raft on most trips.

11. Do I need to be in good shape?

Orange Torpedo Trips provides opportunities for someone of any physical ability to enjoy the river. From the all-star athlete to someone looking to escape his or her couch for the first time, we have what you are looking for. We recommend if you plan to paddle a Torpedo you are in reasonable physical shape and have the ability to navigate uneven ground. Orange Torpedo Trips also has a history of working with individuals who have physical disabilities and want to experience the joys of multiday rafting; just call to talk to us about your trip.

12. What do I need to bring?

All Orange Torpedo Trips are all-inclusive. When you come on a trip, you need to bring only your personal items. You can find the packing list for your trip on our rafting trip packing list page. Food and beverages (including beer, wine and spirits) are provided.

13. Do the trips need a minimum number of people in order to go?

Yes, when you book a trip, your reservation date is not guaranteed until that trip has met the minimum number of required guests. The number varies by river, and we will work with people on close dates to get together if needed. It is always our goal to get you on the river.

14. How old is someone considered a Youth for pricing?

The youth pricing is for anyone under 18 years old. Some trips do not offer youth pricing.

15. What is the cancellation policy?

Multiple-day trips

o 120+ days prior to departure date all deposits are forfeited but can be reapplied 100% to any Orange Torpedo Trip adventure for 1 full season. After the following season, that trip credit will be dismissed.

o Less than 120 days to departure date: All deposits and trip fees will be forfeited.

o Trip cancellation insurance is available on an optional basis.

o Insurance protects against family, medical and in-route travel emergencies.

1- and ½-day trips

o All cancellations must be made via e-mail or phone 24 hours before departure date.

o $50 cancellation fee per person for any cancelled trip less than 24 hours from departure date.

16. What is the difference between a paddle raft and an oared raft?

On a paddle raft the riders and the guide work together as a team to maneuver the raft down the river. If you choose the paddle-raft option, plan on a little upper-body workout. An oared raft has a rigid frame, so you can sit back and relax while the guide maneuvers the raft and takes you down the river. This is the relaxing way to go while you let the guide do all the work.

17. What does the rapids classification I-VI mean?

The international scale of river difficulty is based on a I-VI rating. Orange Torpedo Trips does not operate on rapids rated higher than class IV. The difficulty is based on the length of the rapid, the size of the hydraulics, the risk of swimming in the rapid, the remoteness, potential difficulty of rescue, and general technicality and difficulty.

Class I: Small waves, passage clear, no obstacles.

Class II: Rapids of moderate difficulty with clear passages; appropriate river equipment recommended.

Class III: Numerous larger waves. Clear but generally narrower path to follow with some rocks, eddies and/or irregular waves and holes to navigate.

Class IV: Generally longer with more large irregular waves and powerful hydraulics. Require following a specific path through the rapids in avoidance of rocks, powerful hydraulics and other obstacles.

Class V: Require scouting and precise boat handling during difficult maneuvers to avoid hazards and obstacles. This is more difficult and hazardous than commercially run by Orange Torpedo Trips.

Class VI: Considered unrunnable.