A private kayak instruction session allows instructors to hone in on your specific needs, helping you rapidly evolve your skill level. Both beginners and advanced whitewater kayakers benefit from the expertise of our experienced teaching staff. Are you looking to practice your roll with a pool session?
The goal for all of our kayak instruction is to teach paddlers to kayak safely with good judgment, while having a great time out on the river. During all courses at the Wet Planet kayaking school, we focus on river reading, self-rescue, and safe paddling techniques, in addition to technical paddling skills.
Surrounded by whitewater rivers rated class I – class V, Wet Planet is located in the heart of the Columbia River Gorge, just over an hour from Portland, Oregon. Based on the White Salmon River, a Northwest classic, we offer the essential kayak instruction needed to learn how to kayak and improve your existing whitewater kayaking skills.
Creek boats are between 7.5 and 10 feet long and are your biggest option. They have a rounded bow and stern, with evenly distributed volume. Sitting highest in the water, they float over waves more than other boats. Beginners might feel more stable starting in a creek boat.
Volume: Volume is used to size kayaks. Measured in gallons, whitewater kayaks can range from about 45 to 95 gallons. Boats with a higher volume will sit higher in the water and resurface faster than smaller boats, making high-volume boats ideal for larger paddlers and those paddling big water or dropping waterfalls.
6:3615:20Outfitting your Dagger Whitewater Kayak - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou actually want to get out and go ahead and tighten this up behind your back bend. So that this isMoreYou actually want to get out and go ahead and tighten this up behind your back bend. So that this is where it said the strongest. Because when the ratchet is about halfway down the teeth.
River-runners tend to be a little longer, up to around 10 feet, and can be a good entry-level whitewater boat. Whitewater kayaks can cost from around $700 or $800 up to around $1400.
River runners, or downriver kayaks, are designed to be stable and reliable, punching through waves and larger features, while carving turns and spinning on eddy lines. These river runners are often seen as the perfect territory for beginners.
Performance Kayak width 19" to 22". These boats are even longer at 15-18 feet. Whitewater Kayak The width of the boat is not as critical of a factor as the paddlers height is. These boats are typically around 7-11 feet long....Adult Whitewater Paddle Sizing Guide.Paddler HeightPaddle LengthOver 6'3"200 cm4 more rows
The short answer is yes, but you'll struggle to get the kayak to go in a straight line. it'll be slower, and less efficient, making it more tiring and harder for you to paddle in flat water.
Kayaks with a higher rocker tend to be able to negotiate rapids and obstacles with greater ease. A higher rocker also allows a kayak to right itself easier after a bad landing when running a drop.
You'll never get bored. What flat skills do you need before even thinking of white water? The key thing is to be totally comfortable in navigating the kayak in any direction.
Today, it's probably a safe bet that there are north of 25 million paddlesport participants in the U.S. Whitewater kayaking has long had its place in this region; the Big South Fork River's whitewater sections have been popular among paddlers for many years. But recreational kayaking is just coming into its own.
River Runners. These boats are generally made for higher flow rivers or easy to moderate difficulty rivers, although they can be used on difficult whitewater by skilled, aggressive paddlers. Many expert paddlers prefer river runners to creek boats for paddling big water due to the added speed and control.
Our Introduction to Whitewater Kayaking course ratio has one instructor who can take 6 guests at time.
Our Level 1 River Kayaking course is a perfect course for anyone who is willing to learn the fundamental skills of Whitewater Kayaking in order to be able to navigate themselves safely down smaller rapids on – Grade II – rivers.
All of our guides are certified whitewater rescuer, they renew their licence every 2-3 years and have a wide variety of experience.
You will usually be in a group of four with one instructor. Meeting your instructor on the first morning provides an opportunity to discuss people’s experience and aspirations, which along with the weather forecast and water levels will enable us to plan the day’s activity with you.
We can kayaking as soon as the ice is off the rivers and up until the snow falls again!
Getting some great tips from our qualified coaches is the perfect way to start off building a solid foundation and will guarantee you a lifetime of Whitewater river adventures, there is no better way to start.
Yes. For all whitewater programs provided by Outdoor Norway swimming ability is required due to safety reasons.
Whitewater kayaking is an intense sport – and it often feels like you’re tricking the Universe by taking on this immense force of nature in a small plastic boat. That adrenaline rush is precisely what makes it so easy to get hooked on this challenging side of kayaking.
Using widely available public data we can compare whitewater paddling against a number of familiar activities. Its accident rate ranked well below those reported for recreational swimming (2.6) and for bicycling (1.6) Whitewater kayaking had a higher fatality rate, 2.9 per 100,000.
In general, a paddle 196-200 cm in length is good for paddlers between 5’8″ and 6’1″. For paddlers between 5’3″ and 5’8″, a paddle 192-196 cm in length should work great. For paddlers taller than 6’1″, a paddle between 200 and 204 cm’s will be of ample length.
Short answer: it will work fine (if it’s a suitable size) if you’ve no other options but there are other types of kayak which better suit your needs. Specifically: this is a slalom kayak, it’s a racing boat that’s designed to be fast and manoeuvrable on moving water.
Kayaking is not as hard to learn as you might think. You only need a few basic skills to paddle effectively. You need a good guide or instructor to help you learn how to enter and exit a kayak, how to perform the forward stroke and the sweep stroke for turning the boat, and a few lessons on safety.
Ready to learn to River Kayak? Do you live near Seattle or want to get in on the Pacific Northwest kayak action? We are ready to outfit and teach you the basics you will need as you progress in the sport of kayaking. Outdoor Adventure Center’s “Introduction to Whitewater Kayaking” can give you a solid start in this unique outdoor sport.
We keep our courses small to maximize your learning time with our amazing instructors. Class size is typically 4-6 students with 2 instructors.
Kayaking in whitewater is mostly about how you paddle through the water. Additionally, you also need to learn how to hold the paddle properly. The best trick to master paddling is forming a box with your arms. Your wrists and elbows should be at a 90-degree angle to the blades on the paddle. Make sure your hands are equidistant from the face of the blade, and the scoop. This will ensure that your hands are in the appropriate place on the shaft.
Make sure that you hold the paddle vertically. Keep one hand close to your face, while the other hand should remain toward the knee. The paddle should enter the water right near your toes. Try pushing the water with your upper hand and pull it with your lower hand. Don’t forget to keep the paddle vertical all the time. You should also twist your torso while moving your hands. This puts comparatively less pressure on your shoulders.
Forward sweep is helpful to turn your boat while paddling. If you want to forward sweep to the right, you need to bring your left blade in front of your toes. This posture is similar to the one you performed during forward stroke. The only difference is you need to keep your upper arm in front of your biceps and paddle horizontally instead of vertically.
After reading all of this, you might be thinking that whitewater kayaking is as complicated as it looks. It’s certainly a lot of fun, though. Start honing your skills and you just might become a professional kayaker.
The Chalet Rapids we will be tackling on Day 5. The Madawaska Kanu Centre is the first kayak school of its kind in Canada. Opened by Hermann and Christa Kerckhoff in 1972, it’s become the premiere kayaking school in the country.
Up until now, if we capsized, we would do a wet exit. With the Bow Rescue, you flip, and then bang your hands on the kayak to alert someone to come to your rescue. Once they bump into your boat, you grab their kayak and use it to balance as you flip your own boat over with your hips.
Kayaking is a sport that anyone can do and I loved it when Cal, one of the oldest members of the group said, “I’ve noticed kids driving around with those sporty little kayaks on the roof of their cars and I wanted to be a part of that club.”. Well, soon he will be.