Running a river is an awesome experience. In order to do that we require a large amount of different skills , from the moment we start planning a trip at home, till the time we tie up the boats on the car after a great day on the river. This course was meant to provide you with all those skills, building a solid preparation to kayak rivers.
This is a 2-day intensive course that will be held on a class II+-III river, and on each day you will spend between 6-8 hours on the water.
Students must have successfully completed the Basic Kayaking course or achieved similar skills while kayaking.
Swimming ability is a must, the possibility of swimming in white water during this course is high.
Must not suffer from any medical or physical condition that prohibits the participant from partaking in strenuous physical exercise.
The more we progress in river running the more is crucial to take fast decision while choosing a line or when placing our blade into the water. To do that is essential to comprehend the flow of the water, in every aspect, and to anticipate the features of the river. This is river reading. This is what we will practice on this course, from the shore, while scouting, and form the boat, while paddling.
Kayaking is a relatively safe sport, but while in the river many things can happen, and we need to know what to do. You will learn how to rescue yourself and how to rescue others, according to the most efficient rescue techniques hat are preferred in the river. We will teach you how how to decide what to do in case of an emergency on the river. You will swim rapids, learn how to use a throw bag, how to help other kayakers form the shore, and much more.
How do we run the river? What should we know before putting in? How do we organize our group? What is the plan of action? How we will communicate while paddling? What do we do in case of an emergency? In this course we will spend time reasoning on how we make sure we enter the river as a group that is aware and self sufficient, proactive and ready for the challenges ahead.
It’s time to style our moves on the river! While catching an eddy, peeling out, or ferrying, now we need to feel confident and clear. We will try to introduce new effective strokes while doing that, aiming to gain precision while paddling down the river. In this course we will focus on how to cross obstacles like waves and holes, how to make sure we can follow our line, and how to change our line when things do not go according to our plan. Back ferries, power strokes, duffecks, braces, S-turns and more… You will be busy applying in the river all of these techniques, and much more!
