ARKANSAS CANOE CLUB

Whitewater Practice Teaching Notes for Paddling Courses

Whitewater Practice

Instructors should assure most of the preceding material has been introduced before the class goes onto much moving water. The pool and drop character of the Mulberry can be an advantage in mixing the sequence of material to deal with limited attention span, limited endurance, and desire to "get on the river" by typical participant. Some moving water may be needed for some participants to discover why basic manuevers are done on flatwater first. Instructor should use his best judgement as when all participants in the class are ready for moving water.

This is a different approach than used in 2007 ACA course outlines which expect all skills to be evaluated and adequate before going to moving water or whitewater.

1. Ferries -- forward and back --
   • S.A.L. Speed, Angle, Lean
   • -- pages 184 of Catch Every Eddy, Surf Every Wave
   • Teaching site should have clean eddys on both sides separated by adequate speed and width current
   • Introduce by Instructor shoving boats from shallow eddy to give speed and angle
   • Use Foward and Control strokes as needed to maintain speed and angle
   • progress from fixed angle to carving technique with smooth change of angle
   • progress to two stroke acceleration drill to begin speed and angle
   • progress to one stroke ferry after leaving eddy
   • Advanced classes progress to Jet Ferries on standing waves.
   • Back ferry from midstream to either side
   • Bow is kept downstream,
   • First set the ferry angle,
   • Then reverse strokes with bow correction to hold angle
   • This is the most basic ferry for boats that are slow to turn, long, or heavy.
   • Keys: Starting Position, Speed, Angle, Lean

    

2. Eddy Turns
   • S.A.I.L.S. -- Speed, Angle, Initiate, Lean, Strokes
   • -- page 194 of Catch Every Eddy, Surf Every Wave
   • Eddy turn is U turn that begins in current and ends in an eddy
   • begin with acceleration drill for speed and angle
   • set angle to hit top of eddy and cross eddy line at desired angle
   • carve the approach and lean into the turn
   • Initiate turn as needed for boat type and character of the eddy
   • Add appropriate strokes to finish the turn and position boat in the eddy
   • Progress to eddy turns with no strokes after acceleration drill
   • Keys: Starting Position, Speed, Angle, Lean

    

3. Peelouts
   -- page 191 of Catch Every Eddy, Surf Every Wave
   1. Wide (exit wide from eddy line)
   2. Shallow (exit close to eddy line)
   3. Keys: Starting Position, Speed, Angle, Lean
   
   Peelouts are done forward and reverse using acceleration drill and techniques as in eddy turns.

    

4. Sequences of Maneuvers
   C-turns (Peel out and eddy into same eddy)
   1. S-turns (Peel out one side and eddy into opposite side)
   2. Keys: Speed, Angle, Lean

    

5. Surfing
   The key to getting on a wave is knowing exactly where to aim when leaving the eddy, and controlling your boat position in the wave trough. Typically when a paddler is having trouble surfing, the problem is rooted in the basic skills of balance, boat lean, body mechanics, paddle strokes, coordination, or timing.

Reference Materials:

• Catch Every Eddy Surf Every Wave, pages 53-82 Kayak, 89-134 Solo Canoe, 140-157 Tandem Canoe. Foster & Kelly, 1995
• ACA Kayak and Canoe Instruction Manual, pages 53-75, Guillion, 1987
• Solo Playboating...The Workbook, Kent Ford, Performance Video. 1997.
• The Kayakers Playbook, Kent Ford, Performance Video. .
• Video for Canoe is Drill Time, 1997 and for Kayak is The Kayakers Edge, 1992. Performance Video.

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