Boat Eater Rapid (Class IV-V) - Royal Gorge

Boat Eater is a class IV rapid at nearly all river flows with a monster hydraulic, or hole, at high water at the bottom in the center. It’s one of those rapid whose bark is nearly always worse than its bite… so long as you make the simple move to get around the Boat Eater hole!

At higher flows most guides start on the right side of the rapid and maintain that position, punching through lateral waves to stay right of the big hole. Lower flows find the Boat Eater hole as a large flat rock instead. This gives guide and crew options to either enter right and move left, or start left and stay left. We usually end up heading left of the big rock at the bottom of the rapid at medium and lower flows.

Give Boat Eater Rapid the respect it deserves and play it safe!