Beginners Whitewater paddling

7 Main Street,Charlemont MA 01339

12 June, 2022

Description

Curious about whitewater kayaking? Want to learn with one of the best people in New England. Curious about whitewater kayaking? Want to learn with one of the best people in New England. Take this class where we will focus on fundamental river skills and responsible whitewater kayaking practices. The cost is at a discounted rate of $110 for June 12th (Sunday) from 9:00 to 4:00 at Zoar Outdoor 7 Main Street in Charlemont Massachusetts. Any AMC member gets 10% off in the shop for accessories. Minimum age is 18. Register today! Further details can be found below: About the event So you’re curious about beginner whitewater kayaking? Yay! This is the perfect place to find out why paddling is so much fun. This is a partnership between one of the best outfitters (Zoar Outdoors) and one of the biggest outdoor clubs (AMC) in New England. The class is being offered at a discount with great instructors. We want you to experience the love we feel for being on moving water. Our river time will focus on fundamental river skills such as leans, setting angles, and performing eddy turns and peel outs to set you on a path toward confidently paddling. Our games-based learning approach makes kayaking fun right from the start and has helped bring thousands of new paddlers into the sport. We emphasize fun on the river while teaching proper stroke techniques and responsible whitewater kayaking practices. A whitewater kayak is just like an extension of your body. It fits snugly to give you maximum control and maneuverability. Zoar Outdoor will supply the kayak and equipment and your instructors will check them for fit and comfort. After introducing you to the sport of kayaking and to your equipment, you get your first taste of paddling in the security of flatwater. We start by teaching you to safely exit the kayak when upside down. Then we move on to learning basic strokes, including sweep strokes, forward strokes and stability while paddling on edge. Once everyone is comfortable in their boats, we head to moving water where we introduce river maneuvers such as the eddy turn, peel out and ferry. You’ll learn how to effectively and efficiently maneuver your boat around rocks, and over and around waves, and how to use the different features of the river as you paddle your kayak. This is your opportunity to try kayaking on moving water. Will you join us? Cost: $110 Date and Time: June 12 2022 from 8:30 to 4:00. Place: Zoar Outdoor, 7 Main Street, Charlemont, MA Who: People who want to try out the sport of whitewater kayaking and learn some of the basic skills of river kayaking in whitewater kayaks. Our minimum age for this clinic is 18. What to Wear: While some of the flatwater areas we use are quite warm in June, the Deerfield River is always cool, regardless of the time of year or air temperature. When packing your paddling clothes, please plan accordingly. Wear items such as: Synthetic long underwear, garments made of polypropylene, Capilene, or some polyester/spandex blend Fleece or wool socks Fleece or wool jacket/sweater (if you tend to chill easily) Bathing suit Bring a set of dry clothes to change into afterward. Keep in mind that everything you wear will get completely wet, so plan accordingly. And, if it can come off, it will come off (or get snagged on something), so consider leaving behind earrings, rings, bracelets, watches, piercings, hats, etc. For people with long hair, consider braiding or plaiting your hair or putting it into a ponytail. Other items to bring: Sunscreen Retaining strap for glasses (available in the Zoar Outdoor shop) Nose plugs (available in the Zoar Outdoor shop) Towel Required medications (if you need them on the river, a dry bag for them can be provided - just let us know ahead of time) Snacks or money for snacks, T-shirts, or coin-operated showers Zoar Outdoor will provide: Boat (suitable for people up to 250 pounds) Wetsuit (you will wear your bathing suit or long underwear under the wetsuit) paddle jacket (to cut down on wind) Booties (with grippy soles for walking on rocks or in shallow water) life jacket (suitable for people with a maximum chest size of 52”) helmet paddle Sprayskirt (to keep water from getting inside your boat) First aid supplies (Zoar instructors are trained in first aid/CPR) Dry bags and boxes Have your own equipment: If you own your own equipment, we suggest you use it in the clinic to get used to its quirks. Lunch: We provide a catered picnic-style lunch on all our full day clinics. Lunch is vegetarian friendly and usually consists of sandwich fixings, chips, and cookies. Roast beef, Veggie or Turkey wrap. - The following statement is required by state law: “Before placing your order, please inform your server if a person in your party has a food allergy.”