Water sports
Bohemian and Moravian rivers and streams provide tremendous possibilities for water sports. You can choose from romantic rivers winding through the picturesque countryside, where you will not come across a living soul, or go to the more popular rivers with fully equipped campsites and pubs. The latter include
Vltava, Lužnice, Berounka, Sázava and Ohře. Or maybe you would like to try out your skills in one of the artificial waterways.
Degree of difficulty
The degree of difficulty in negotiating rivers is given by several categories. Several classifications are used in the world, but in the Czech Republic the so-called Alpine one is used. Calm rivers have three levels - ZWA (standing water - lakes, reservoirs), ZWB (calm to slightly flowing), ZWC (slightly flowing). Quick flowing rivers have six levels - WW I (light), WW II (slightly hard), WW III (hard), WW IV (very hard), WW V (extremely hard), WW VI (at the limits of being impassable).
For smaller differences the following signs are used: + (greater difficulty) and - (less difficulty).
All types require swimming skills or the use of life-jackets.
|
Difficulty
|
River basin character
|
Demands on rider and risks
|
Necessary equipment
|
|
ZW
|
Transparent, flow speed up to 2 m/s, without obstacles and rapids
|
Knowledge of basic watercraft gear and control, risk of “clicking minimum, easy self-rescue
|
Open watercraft with anti-sinking bags, floating vest for youth
|
|
WW I
|
Small rapids with regular waves, transparent, narrower meandering flow with bank growth
|
Knowledge of navigating watercraft on flowing water, minimum risk when swimming, easy self-rescue
|
Open watercraft secured against sinking, recommended floating vest and helmet
|
|
WW II
|
Larger rapids with waves, wide easy to read passages in more blocked river basins, narrower river basin with small rapids demanding faster reactions
|
Knowledge of navigating watercraft on rapids, small risk for swimming
|
Open watercraft secured against sinking (recommended closed ), floating vest and helmet
|
|
WW III
|
Rapids with higher, irregular waves, medium blocked terrain, rapids in meanderings with less transparency
|
Knowledge of technique and tactics for navigating wild waters
|
Closed watercraft, floating vest and helmet, recommended protective wear (neoprene), rescue equipment
|
|
WW IV
|
Large and strong rapids with large waves, possibility of blocked river basin with narrow passages with setups and chutes
|
Complete knowledge of technique and tactics for difficult waters, necessary to be well trained and experienced, medium to high risk for swimmers, self-rescue is complicated
|
Closed watercraft, floating vest and helmet, recommended protective wear (neoprene), rescue equipment, mental endurance
|
|
WW V
|
Large eddies, rolls, high levels, high flow speed, possibility of an unforeseeable blockage
|
Navigating in special groups with a great deal of experience, knowledge of Eskimo turnover
|
Closed watercraft, floating vest and helmet, recommended protective wear (neoprene), rescue equipment, mental endurance and good physical condition
|
|
WW VI
|
Very difficult water terrain and large number of obstacles
|
Navigating in special groups with a great deal of experience, knowledge of Eskimo turnover
|
Closed watercraft, floating vest and helmet, protective wear (neoprene), rescue equipment, mental endurance and good physical condition
|
Possibilities:
Note to information provided:
The item Type of water vessel means that if an open water vessel is given, any type of boat or raft can be used, although it must be taken into consideration that rafts are unsuitable for calm water (up to WW I-) as water resistance is very high and more paddling is required than with an ordinary canoe. From WW II it is better to use a closed water vessel, raft or kayak.
A river description contains: source, length, difficulty for individual stretches, conditions for boating, details about transport to the river, to where and which stations Czech Railways will transport boats, in brackets are the river kilometre for the nearest entry or exit and the distance to the river. Also given are the most beautiful stretches and dangerous stretches, and sometimes a map of the river, etc.
Source: www.raft.cz
 Photogallery + postcard
Videogallery
Other information on sub pages:Guides specialized in:Tourist Information Service- archive - |
Cooperation with us
Region 
: Tourist Portal of the Czech Republic CZeCOT