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NATIONAL RAFT AWARDS

Raft guides play a key role in the provision of commercial rafting in New Zealand. The raft industry has developed a system for ensuring that raft guides are trained and assessed for benchmark skills required for this role.

Raft guide candidates are legally required to gain awards which indicate they have the minimum skills, knowledge and judgement to operate at specified grades of water.  More detail about the specified grades of water can be found in Rule Part 80 and 80b on the Maritime Safety Authority (MSA) website; http://www.msa.govt.nz/.

What are the award types?

National Raft Guide Grade 2

National Raft Guide Grade 3

National Raft Guide Grade 4/5

Legally required to:

  • Guide clients on grade 1 and 2 rivers under the supervision of a National Senior Raft Guide (Grade 3 or 4/5) or a National Raft Guide (Grade 3 or 4/5) who has completed 50 commercial trips totalling not less than 100 hours of elapsed time on the water.

Legally required to:

  • Guide clients on rivers up to and including grade 3 under the supervision of a National Senior Raft Guide (Grade 3 or 4/5) on the same trip.

Legally required to:

  • Guide clients on rivers up to and including grade 4/5 under the supervision of a National Senior Raft Guide Grade 4/5 on the same trip.

 National Senior Raft Guide Grade 3

National Senior Raft Guide Grade 4/5

Legally required to:

  • Guide clients on rivers up to and including grade 3
  • Lead trips (supervise guides) on rivers up to and including grade 3

Legally required to:

  • Guide clients on rivers up to and including grade 5
  • Lead trips (supervise guides) on rivers up to and including grade 5

How do I gain a rafting award?

There is no compulsory pathway for training towards the awards. You can use one or more of the following:

  • Training with a rafting company
  • Attending a course with a training provider such as a polytechnic or private training establishment
  • Getting your training overseas
  • A combination of some or all of the above

How much does it cost?

The costs of obtaining a National Raft Award is dependent on whether you are a Skills Active Workplace trainee or not.  Refer to the table below for the Skills Active Workplace trainee/non trainee fee.

Item

Non Skills Active Workplace trainee

Skills Active Workplace trainee

National Raft Guide Grade 2

$50.00

National Raft Guide Grade 3 or Grade 4/5

$125.00

$85.00

National Senior Raft Guide Grade 3 or Grade 4/5

$125.00

$85.00

Upgrade from National Grade 3 to National Grade 4/5

$50.00

Upgrade from Senior Grade 3 to Senior Grade 4/5

$50.00

You can download a copy of the Skills Active Raft Assessment Resource here.

Lost your Raft Card?

If you have lost your raft card you can simply download a replacement raft card form here. Please note that a $10.00 administration fee applies.

Need Further Information?

For further information on rafting you can also contact the New Zealand Rafting Association at www.nz-rafting.co.nz. Their website holds excellent information on the raft industry in New Zealand and different rafting companies.

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