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| TopKayaker.Net's GUIDE TO WHITE WATER KAYAKING |
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WHITE WATER LESSON RECOMMENDATIONS & CHECKLIST:
Above photo by Gary L. Slominski
CHECKLIST0000000LESSON RECOMMENDATIONS000000000BOOKS
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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
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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