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  TopKayaker.Net's
GUIDE TO WHITE WATER KAYAKING
 
KAYAK SAILING
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WHITE WATER KAYAKING

WHITE WATER LESSON RECOMMENDATIONS & CHECKLIST:

Photo by Gary L Slominski
Above photo by Gary L. Slominski

CHECKLIST0000000LESSON RECOMMENDATIONS000000000BOOKS



Rescue Rope Throw Bag
At Tom's TopKayaker Shop
Primary rescue gear for white water paddlers. Can be used in many water sport situations. Throw bag consists of: 50 feet of yellow ¼" floating poly line, 900 pound test. Durable drawstring bag with built in float. Resists rot and mildew.

LESSON RECOMMENDATIONS

Sit-on-top kayaks are safe and easy to use, but the white water environment is still very dangerous to all boaters. Always wear helmet and PFD each and every trip. A white water lesson is an essential component to the process of safely enjoying the sport of river running. Look for a qualified instructor that can teach you the basic skills, safety tips and river reading with practice time on a river.

The ACA www.acanet.org has listings of kayak lessons, and that is just the tip of the iceberg. Some lesson programs will utilize only standard sit-in-side kayaks. If that is OK with you than go for it, and transfer the skills to your boat of choice. Many paddling schools now offer sit-on-top options in their white water program. Seek an instructor who has SOT experience and will be able to teach you using a sit-on-top kayak. Inflatable kayaks (soft shell) are very popular for river running. A school or outfitter that specializes in soft shells may be a great resource for sit-on-top white water instruction.

For more info see: kayak lessons

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WHITE WATER CHECKLIST:

Kayak & Paddle, preferably of “white water” design.
Life Vest (PFD), with waist belt, fitting properly
Helmet, fitting properly
Knee Straps (or “knee tree” on available models)
Kayak Clothing, appropriate to water temperature, including sturdy footwear.
Throw Bag
Knife
See the general-purpose safety checklist for additional items, many applicable to the white water environment.

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Check out our White Water Kayak Bookshop for these great titles & more:

 

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