Kayak Strokes and Moving Water Work
Saturday, April 19, 2008, 9:00am to late afternoon
Location: Skunk River most likely, Ames; possibly Winnebago River, Mason City – dependent on water levels and resulting current and eddy lines
Start time: 9:00am (Soper’s Mill or Peterson Pits on the Skunk River most likely)
On water time: 10:00am to sometime in the afternoon
Possibly some videoing and video critiquing: after water or interspersed on water
Finish time: late afternoon
Class size: limited to 10 students
Skills and drills to be worked on: body weight location and posture (center of gravity versus center of buoyancy, cheek weighting, deck weighting, paddle weighting), edging versus leaning, torso rotation (separation of the upper and lower body), joint safety (box, flex), moving the boat versus the paddle, forward strokes, back strokes, sweep strokes (components, spinning versus carving), draw strokes (static, dynamic, bow, stern, open, closed, neutral, water pressure and blade faces), turns (initiate on the outside, control from the inside, stroke recovery), bracing (blade faces and elbows, sculling braces, balance on edge, minimize paddle weighting), reading moving water, use of the strokes in moving water, ferrying (purposes, targets, angles, forward, back), side slipping, eddy work (eddy lines, eddy currents, entering techniques, leaving techniques, edging versus leaning), rock pillows, unbroaching, possibly a bit of surfing
Main emphasis: good techniques working with moving water
Costs: Iowa Whitewater Coalition paid members $60 (membership is $20/year)
ISU Kayak Club paid members $60 (membership is $25/semester, $40/year)
Members of IWC and ISUKC $50
No membership in either IWC or ISUKC $100
Equipment needed: your own food (snacks, lunch, liquids), suitable paddling gear for air and water temperatures (dress for getting wet, have towels and dry clothes for after), helmet, suitable personal flotation device (pfd), kayak paddle, whitewater kayak with fitting spray skirt (“old school” displacement hulls, “new school” planning hulls, park and play, free running, river running, and creeking designs all equally acceptable)
Skills needed to take the class: ability to paddle your kayak along a desired path when on flat water, ability to hold your kayak relatively stationary along shore despite moderate current, pool session (class or regular 2 hour session) highly recommended (If you haven’t paddled on moving water before, you should definitely take the pool “kayak strokes and rolling work” class before this class), roll recommended, possibly some friendly wave-hole work
Deadlines: registration and fees are due 2 weeks before each class. All but $5 are refundable prior to 2 weeks before each class, and are non-refundable after 2 weeks before each class. Full refunds if class is cancelled due to weather or adverse water levels.
Overnight lodging with training video watching available at Piper Wall's for so inclined travelers
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