SAFETY INFORMATION

Q: What do I wear?

Footwear: This is a requirement on the boat, but that includes sandals, jandals, flip flops, thongs, sneakers, and trainers.In summer: Comfy clothing like shorts and a T-shirt, and a jacket or jumper if it’s a cooler day.In winter: Bring warm, cosy clothing. A good jacket, woolly hats, and gloves are great, and anything waterproof is a bonus. Our boat handrails are heated, to keep your hands warm as you ride!TOP TIP: Bring a change of clothes just in case you get wet and bring a hair tie for long hair.

Q: Can I take my camera on board?

Yes, you’re welcome to bring one of the following on board:Your handsfree camera. We find head-mounts work the best for filming.Your mobile phone with camera. However, for safety reasons this can only be used when the boat has come to a stop. Your driver will tell you when the perfect selfie opportunity is coming up!

Q: How long is the trip?

For the Manutaki experience, you will be on the water for 35 minutes.

You will be in safe hands while you are guests on our awa.
Our highly skilled drivers' knowledge of this river is deep, and our boats are custom-built to navigate every twist and turn.

Custom-built for AWA

AWA boats are designed and built to safely navigate the dramatic waters of our section of the Waikato River. They are highly manoeuvrable and, in the hands of our skilled drivers, will carry you through narrow canyons and spin round rocky river islands.

Strong and agile

The boats are made of heavy-gauge marine aluminium with a deep 'V'-shaped design, making them extremely strong and your ride wonderfully smooth.

Safety first

Our AWA jet boats comply with all the relevant safety standards and are completely safe and suitable for our white-water adventures.

Safety FAQs

Who can ride?

We welcome anyone aged 5 years and up to come for a ride with AWA. Children need to be 1 metre tall to ride in our jetboats.

The oldest person we have taken was 93 years old!

The ride is an experience for people of all fitness levels.

If you’re pregnant, we strongly encourage you to wait until baby’s here to come for a jetboat ride with us! You are welcome to contact us if you have further questions.

Accessibility: To get onto the boat, you will need to walk down 25 steps to our jetty. While this means the jetty is not accessible to wheelchairs, please reach out to chat about how we can help get you to the boat, and if it’s the right ride for you. Call us on 0800 727 437 or use the Contact Form.

What sizes are the life jackets?

It is mandatory to use an approved life jacket and we provide life jackets in a variety of sizes. We cater for sizes from small children up to 2XL.

If you have any questions, please contact us at info@rapidsjet.co.nz.

What do I wear?

Footwear: This is a requirement on the boat, but that includes sandals, jandals, flip flops, thongs, sneakers, and trainers.

In summer: Comfy clothing like shorts and a T-shirt, and a jacket or jumper if it’s a cooler day.

In winter: Bring warm, cosy clothing. A good jacket, woolly hats, and gloves are great, and anything waterproof is a bonus. Our boat handrails are heated, to keep your hands warm as you ride!

TOP TIP: Bring a change of clothes just in case you get wet and bring a hair tie for long hair.

How fast will we go?

Our custom-built jet boats will be doing around 70–80kms per hour on our trip, maxing out at about 90km an hour. Learn more about our epic boats on our About Us page!

Can I take my camera on board?

Yes, you’re welcome to bring one of the following on board:

Your handsfree camera. We find head-mounts work the best for filming.

Your mobile phone with camera. However, for safety reasons this can only be used when the boat has come to a stop. Your driver will tell you when the perfect selfie opportunity is coming up!

How long is the trip?

For the Manutaki experience, you will be on the water for 35 minutes.

Can I drive the boat?

Unfortunately not. Our drivers are professionally trained to the highest standards, and licensed, so you (and everyone else in the boat) can be sure you’re in very safe and experienced hands.

If you think you’ve got what it takes to be our next jet boat driver, feel free to send your CV to us at info@rapidsjet.com.