Introduction to Kayaking (level 1) is a 4-hour clinic teaching you the essential skills needed to paddle whitewater or recreational kayaks in flat water. For those interested in whitewater kayaking, these strokes, rescues, concepts and maneuvers should be introduced and refined on flatwater before moving out to whitewater. For those interested in recreational kayaking on easy rivers and small lakes, this introductory course will provide you with a solid foundation of strokes and rescues.
You'll also learn the most stable ways to enter and exit the kayak from shore, as well as how to quickly exit and re-enter a capsized kayak in deep water. A variety of self-rescues, including the Kayak Roll and assisted rescues are demonstrated throughout the class. You'll learn the basic strokes and body mechanics to paddle efficiently, comfortably and confidently in any direction on lakes and easy flat water rivers.
Accident reports studied by the American Canoe Association indicate the vicitms had little or no formal training in kayaking. 70% of all accidents happen on flat water, with no current. It appears that the simplicity of the design is often misinterpreted as an indication that the boats are simple to operate and inherently safe. Most victims probably would not consider themselves as a "kayaker" and therefore do not seek out kayaking-specific instruction, such as how to do smooth and controlled wet exits, simple rescues that anyone can perform, reading the river or dressing appropriately for kayaking.
We believe kayaking can be fun and easy if you learn the right techniques. It has little to do with strength or age, and much more to do with finesse, techique, and confidence learned through formal training in incremental steps.
Note: Level 2 is not required for Level 3, but may be beneficial for those wanting to start out at a slower pace, those simply interested in recreational kayaking, or those wanting to truly master the Level 3 course. The Level 2 course will help refine strokes and concepts in moving water and give you a significant head-start in the Level 3 Weekend course.
I love this meetup group. Kelly has done a great job of building a foundation or respect, camaraderie, and skills so that everyone has fun. Thanks Kelly for all you do!
Before i took Kelly's class, I was convinced that a sit-inside kayak was a FLOATING COFFIN (don't mean to be so morbid). But now with what I learned in the Intro to Kayak class I feel CONFIDENT in a sit-inside kayak and my opinion has DRAMATICALY CHANGED. Looking forward to more days on the water. Thanks Kelly.