WATER crossings are about the only off-road driving scenario where you actually want to be left high and dry, and in this instalment of 4X4 Australia’s How To Off-Road Driving series we’re going to take you through the steps to ensure you and your rig make it safely across to the other side.
Tackling your first deep water crossing can be one of the most intimidating off-road driving experiences you will ever face. After all, how many failed water crossings have you seen on social media, or even on the TV news, where vehicles have become stuck halfway across a flooded causeway or, even worse, are washed downstream.
The first things you need to know about water crossings is when it’s okay to drive across them and when it is not, and that will depend on several factors including the depth of the water, the speed at which the water is flowing, the state of the terrain beneath the water’s surface, the type and capability of vehicle you’re driving, and what equipment your vehicle is armed with.
But first, a confession: over three decades of testing a huge number of four-wheel drives in differing terrain all over the world, I have performed countless successful water crossings; but a couple of years ago I managed to bugger one up big time. By not heeding my own advice, I found myself stranded in the middle of a creek with a stalled engine that would not fire and nothing but a Tirfor to get me out of the drink. I made several mistakes that day, but the good news is we can all learn from them, so here goes …
TYPES OF WATER CROSSINGS
IT doesn’t matter where you drive your 4WD, sooner or later you are going
