Greetings fellow paddlers! We’re really glad you’ve signed up for our upcoming whitewater kayaking course. We think you’ll find this an exciting and rewarding lifetime sport that will give you years of enjoyment and will continue to present new challenges as you build your skills.

The course curriculum we will follow is that outlined by the American Canoe Association, the country’s premier training organization for the paddle sports. This course requires a minimum of 16 hours of instruction that will include off-water discussion of equipment, techniques, the whitewater environment, safety and working as a padding team. We’ll do a considerable amount of work on flat water getting you familiar with the boat, strokes and safety procedures and we’ll then into the splashy stuff for fun class I and II whitewater experience. We try not to be bound to the clock and will do all I can, within reason, to give you as much time for any aspect of the course that you’d like. You’ll find that paddling whitewater requires a lot of flexibility in plans and this course will be no different. We may shuffle our itinerary around to fit the environment and the needs of the team.

The time constraints of the course will not allow us to do much, if any work on the kayak roll. This skill is something that you will be able to work on with further education and with local rolling practice sessions and clinics. Building and maintaining a solid roll is a long-term skill. We will be happy to work with you in the future on this very important skill following the course.

You will need the following equipment for the course- Always have the BIG 5 as your checklist

1. Boat - whitewater specific. A recreational type kayak will not work for
this clinic. Your boat needs to be equipped with stern floatbags/airbags. As we progress through the course (and throughout your paddling career, you’ll learn the value of the latter.

2. Paddle - also whitewater specific - sea kayak type paddles are
quiet a bit longer in length than whitewater paddles and are designed for a different paddle stroke. While they may work for this course, you will ultimately want to have a whitewater paddle.

3. Personal Floatation Device/PFD (life jacket) - it is very important that this be a whitewater specific PFD of USCG Type III.   Others don't provide the required protection and floatation. Be sure to have a whistle attached to you PFD. We’ve found the ACR WW-3 whistle to be the perfect (and inexpensive) tool for this purpose.

4. Spray Skirt - a neoprene whitewater spray skirt that fits you and your boat. Nylon recreational or sea kayaking skirts are not appropriate for this course.

5. Helmet - also whitewater specific – This needs to fit your head well so that it has little front-to-back movement and will thus stay on your head snugly.

Shoes

We add good footwear as item six among my must-have equipment. We all like to think we’ll spend a leisurely day in our boat and won’t need foot protection but it frequently doesn’t work that way. Good protective footwear is a must when kayaking. Try to find a good balance between comfort in the boat (and test your footwear in the boat) and something with a good sole for walking over rocks. SCUBA-type neoprene booties are barely passable for this due to the softness of the sole, but they’re better than nothing. If your boat allows it, try for something with a little stiffer sole. Strap-on sandals like Teva or Keen are OK if they’ll fit your boat but something with a closed foot is even better.

Clothing

Wear casual and comfortable clothing for the classroom portions of the course that are appropriate for the day of the course. Having rain-gear may make life more comfortable. We’ll hold the course in rain or shine (barring dangers from electrical storms). Once we get on the water (flat or whitewater) beginning even the first day of the course, you will want to have warm clothing suitable for staying wet in for several hours. This precludes any type of cotton clothing. There is a wide selection of paddling-specific clothing available; much of it made from artificial and wicking fibers like polypropylene. Patagonia Capiliene serves very well in this function as a wicking layer though various vendors have similar products. Always try to have an extra layer available to add to what you have on in case you begin to get chilled. Remember that whitewater kayaking frequently takes place at higher altitudes where temperatures can be cooler and we are creatures of the rain, so it’s common to be boating during rain events. Try to also follow the advice to “dress for the swim” rather than the paddle. While neoprene wetsuits provide fairly good insulation, they also provide really effective evaporative cooling. If you’re wearing a wetsuit, try to have a thin splash layer over it to cut down on evaporative cooling.

Food and Drink

Bring what you’d like for lunch on the first day of class and a cooler if necessary. We will eat on the river the second day of class so you’ll need to have a lunch that will remain viable stuffed into your kayak without refrigeration. While Zip-loc bags will suffice to retain this ‘viability’, something like a small dry-bag or hard sandwich container that will keep dry may be better. Quick access to an energy bar is great during the day. Most will fit in the pocket of your PFD for that quick pick-me-up. I’ve also found energy gels like “Gu” work really well for that late afternoon lag or for an extra shot of carbs when chills set in. Water - bring at least 2 liters for each day, more if it looks like it’s going to be hot. Depending on your own preferences, sports drinks like Gatorade might suit you better, but expect the need to maintain hydration: We will be exercising a lot. Sorry-no alcohol prior to paddling on any day.

See THIS LINK for a discussion of other equipment and supplies that may make your future paddling more enjoyable comfortable, and in some cases, more downright safe.

Weather

We will hold the course come rain or shine. Hazardous conditions like electrical storms will alter our plans. Should we need to postpone the course due to weather, we will work to provide a reasonable alternative date.

Once you have your boat and gear available, try it all on and sit in your boat for while and get comfortable. Adjust your footpegs of footbraces so that you’re snug in the boat  but not cramped. We’ll do some fine tuning during the class, but it’s good to get a feel for your gear and boat as early as possible. I would advise not getting into the water with it prior to the class so that we can go over a few basic maneuvers to help insure your safety. Hang out on the living room floor, surf the web, watch the tube, get comfy.

If you have any questions, please feel free to give us a call at 919.368.2151 or email us at larry@trianglekayak.com or nancy@trianglekayak.com. We look forward to the class as much as you do. You’ll find that most instructors in this sport are teaching because they love to paddle and love to see others learning those skills. We’re no different in that regard.

On this page, we’ve also put together some thoughts on additional equipment and supplies you may want to consider to make your later paddling safer and more enjoyable.

--Larry and Nancy