# Female Raft Guides



## mania

I'll hire (and train) ya - Durango CO!!!


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## YakaRaft

why do you say they are looking to hire females, what companies are you talking about, and where are you getting this information or are you just talking on a hunch?


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## liquidchaos

check out lakotariver.com we also hire about ten every year, male or female. but everyone knows the ladies get better tips, sorry sex sells!


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## YakaRaft

anyone know of any companies looking to hire experienced female raft guides abroad?..... anchahiker, still interested in where you get your info....


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## BrianK

That doesn't sound like any rafting company ive ever been apart of. Everywhere I have seen women have to work twice as hard to work half as much. Hopefully some companies are different.


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## YakaRaft

BrianK said:
 

> That doesn't sound like any rafting company ive ever been apart of. Everywhere I have seen women have to work twice as hard to work half as much. Hopefully some companies are different.


I agree 100%, thats why I was wondering about the first post. In my experience, most male raft guides do not take females seriously and most rafting companies would rather have girls working in the office smiling to greet the tourons than guiding a raft. It is a very male - dominated industry. Just guessing, but I'd estimate only about 10-15% women


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## WhiteLightning

Liquidchaos is right, we had some decent looking hunnies that pulled some serious cash. I know, because a regular day for them was like my best day ever!

I just got done with my first private lesson assignment as a ski instructor! Hooray tips!


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## conmihupa

Maybe all you needed to add to the first post is that females who can actually guide rafts and do it as well as anyone else at the company (man or woman) will work everyday. That has been my experience, it's a combo of people skills (confidence) and river skills. Smarter not harder, ladies.


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## waterlily

I work for a company in the Ark valley and have for going on four years now. It is true that companies down there are always looking to hire female guides (except one. . . . . ). Most of the hiring is done by management and headboatmen which are 99% male. The thing is that women rarely stay longer than a year. I hate to say it as a female boater, but a lot of women make poor raft guides. If you are a kayaker you definitely have a head start knowing how to read water, etc. As was said earlier as a girl you have to work twice as hard to get respect (the right kind) and are constantly having to prove yourself. But for you ladies who kayak and want to spend a summer guiding, it is a lot of fun, just be prepared for a lot of sexist men (and custies) and a lot of hard work.


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## BastrdSonOfElvis

You know, guys, with the right hammock you could make tips like the ladies. I'd tuck a Hamilton in that G strang. If I could ever bring myself to climb on a raft, that is.

It may also help to accentuate that bulge with something. Maybe you could keep something useful in there like some gunj or gorp or a power bar. Then later, after snack/safety meeting if one of the custies remarks about the size difference vs. the beginning of the trip you can always site "shrinkage".


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## asleep.at.the.oars

The only company I've seen that appears to really look for female guides is Sherri Griffith, and it's all because of Sherri herself. The various others I've worked for and seen in action seem at best neutral and at worst openly hostile to female guides. Which is odd, since the small, smart female can out-guide the big, dumb guy any day of the week - and look better doing it! (BSOE's hammock advice notwithstanding)


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## WhiteLightning

We had maybe 40% female guides, and a few were some of our head boatmenwomen. I never thought anything about it until this post, but most of our ladies kick ass, and no one really treats them any different, except for occasional customers (usually by giving them lots of money).


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## jen84

Thought I would add my two cents.... as a lady guide I find it a little difficult at times, this said I work for Robert Breckenridge who is not exactly known for equality amongst the sexes. But Sarah is right if you are good you get work minus crazy boss. And tips dont always work out, sometimes you get the girl power tip or the I want to do you tip, but I just guided my first time here in Ecuador and it was an added bonus being a girl to get the job. And by the way Ecuador pretty much kicks ass and all should come and enjoy the whitewater and amazing place!


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## kayakArkansas

BastrdSonOfElvis said:


> You know, guys, with the right hammock you could make tips like the ladies. I'd tuck a Hamilton in that G strang. If I could ever bring myself to climb on a raft, that is.
> 
> It may also help to accentuate that bulge with something. Maybe you could keep something useful in there like some gunj or gorp or a power bar. Then later, after snack/safety meeting if one of the custies remarks about the size difference vs. the beginning of the trip you can always site "shrinkage".


This is one of the funniest posts I've seen in awhile! I'm gonna have to simply speculate on the results however as there is no fucking way I'm sitting my bare ass on any big piece of rubber for any amount of money! lol....fucking hilarious! I hope you make it home safe BSOE cause you are one individual that I would like paddle with someday...stay safe over there.


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## COspazGirl

i definitely agree that i had to work twice as hard to get the same amount of work, but my problem was clients. i was hte last person they wanted to go with... granted i look like i am sixteen... and every little mistake i made was because of my lack of experience. any advice on how to deal with middle aged men second and third guessing me?


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## BastrdSonOfElvis

Hmm...should I be the first to make a dirty comment about looking like you're 16? Ah..nope. Not in the mood.


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## oarbender

I never have been anywhere that clients had the choice of guides. Unless a guide was requested, it was pretty much up to TL, and headboatmen/women to assign guides to crews they deamed appropriate.

one jem I would offer is be super confident in your safty talk. I mean OUTSTANDING. 
if you project confidence, they will be more comfortable, and trust your desisions more.

good luck


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## GoodTimes

I'll second that. Confidence confidence confidence!! You just have to remember that they're in YOUR boat...most likely because they can't do it themselves (VERY rarely will you get the ex-guide). Hand em your guide stick and let em try if they think they're so badass!! :shock: 

And ask all your fellow guide buddies to brag about you when you're not around........ya know, so you don't have to do it yourself later. :lol: 

I'm kinda only half kidding with that. When I was TL and customers would question me about their guide (male or female).....it was, in part, my job to make them feel comfortable with their leader.

So, I'd come up with the gnarliest story I could think of where the person in question totally kicked ass (often embellished).


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## southerngirl

*My experience as a female raft guide*

I first guided on the Chattooga, one of the toughest places to learn. Yes, I had to prove myself twice over, but since the company had several strong extremely confident female raft guides, once I proved myself, its was all good. You know, I am not sure if I really even had to prove myself more or if I just felt that way because it was so tough. Many guys never even made it through the guide training, and I made it and then was hired on the Chattooga--the only person hired that year chosen over about 10 guys! So, I think some of the sexism is there and some of it is just people's perception. Things get tough, maybe you have never had to do anything so tough in your life and you want to blame other people...

I say this because once I became a strong confident female guide, I never had problems from anyone--customers or other guides. And if anyone ever started any shit, I gave shit back and showed em what was up and that I was on my game. Remember, guys give each other shit too--when they do that, they are treating us like a guy and it means they actually respect us. And they may even say shit about you being a girl--they are just trying to push your buttons--they would say something else to another guy trying to push his buttons too.

The best thing to do is take the criticism and keep growing and learning and hang in there. There are many many many awesome female raft guides out there. If you know inside yourself that you are good to go, then you are and it doesn't matter what anyone says or thinks.

Which brings me to the CONFIDENCE. It is so true what everyone is saying. I see this as a core to this problem as well. Whitewater raft guiding is a sport where you gotta get behind that stick and yell at people and take control. Alot of women come into guiding never having had to do anything so controlling before. They don't command the raft, get flustered with the commands, the customers get scared, you get stuck, you feel stupid, you start crying...can you tell I have been there? Then the guys start branding you as a weak female. My first year, this was happening and I said to myself either I have to get it together or quit doing this. So I decided I would just act like I was the best raft guide in the world and I was gonna take contol of those custies and that raft. The next day I went out there and I did it. I have never looked back. I deepend my voice and started yelling and taking people's paddles away when they didn't do what I said (I humiliated many a man by making him sit there in the raft the rest of the day with no paddle) I steered that raft with intention--sometimes not on line(they don't know unless you tell em with your body language or your voice getting squeaky), but I gave it my all. I learned to stay behind that stick and steer that raft right into whatever was happening--right into the flip--I don't care--never give up! And I learned to command that raft over time. Now I have enough confidence when I walk up to my raft crew and they can tell, that I don't care who they are, they feel safe in my hands, even if I flip--because I tell em its coming. I actually love getting a egotistical bunch of men now--I take control of that raft and they love it and tip big. It was 10 years ago this weekend when I began raft guiding--hang in there--it takes time. Fake it tell you make it. You won't be faking it for long!

I wouldn't trade my experience training as a guide and guiding for anything. It has helped me be a better boater and a better person.

Good luck to all you female guides out there! And if you need any support or advice, send me an email!


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## oarbender

RIGHT ON !!!! Now thats what im talking bout! if she's spoofin' I wouldn't know.



CONFIDENCE!!!!!!! Yo?


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## TimWalker

Heck, if you're a good paddle boat guide all you have to do is steer and call out paddle commands and stay in the boat. The only challenge the female guides I worked with at the "Eat Water" company on the Arkansas had, was to actually be of help throwing the top boat onto the stack. In that circumstance, there is no substitute for height and strength. Get 'er done, ladies.


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## oarbender

what comapny is "eat water"?


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## kayakArkansas

oarbender said:


> what comapny is "eat water"?


I believe that would be Echo Canyon.....


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