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Get Off To A Good Start: Take A Lesson
Kayaking and canoeing are wonderful, active sports. It's easy to just pick
up a paddle and a PFD (Personal Flotation Device, i.e. life jacket) and get
out on the water. Unfortunately, most people who take paddle in hand do
not have sufficient water safety knowledge.
Many "survivor" horror stories could have easily been avoided by taking a
paddling lesson.
A paddling lesson is time well spent. For most people, a basic, "Introduction to
Paddling" class will be sufficient to gain the skills necessary for
flatwater paddling. By the end of a 3-5-hour class, you will know how to
talk like a paddler and how to handle your craft on flatwater. You will
have gone over boating regulations and water safety, learned
the strokes necessary to move your boat in all directions, and
intentionally swamped your craft and emptied it. A paddling class won't just enhance your fun: you'll learn how to
paddle responsibly and assist someone in trouble.
Books and videos are great sources of information, helping you understand strokes and rescues both through words and images, but they can't offer the feedback that an instructor would give. Seeing
someone explain and demonstrate a stroke is much easier than trying to
remember what a book or video said. The instant critique that an instructor
gives is indispensable.
As you spend more time on the water, more skills can be added to your
repertoire. Classes commonly offered include Advanced Strokes, Navigation, Eskimo Rolling, River
Reading, Sea Kayaking, and Advanced Whitewater.
The American Canoe Association (ACA) is the main organization in the US
for instruction and certification of paddle skills. For over 100 years,
this non-profit organization has promoted paddling safety for canoeists and
more recently for kayakers. The ACA constantly reviews instructor
guidelines and promotes wise stewardship of America's waterways. Please
consider becoming a member. For more info on the ACA's courses and
philosophy, go to www.acanet.org.
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