Thread: Kayaking for idiots?

So I've been learning rolls and so far can get a sweep pretty much every time, first time in the pool, and a hand roll some of the time. Now I figure its time to start learning about all the other things I will need to know for this sport.

So, are there any good books/ websites/ other information sources I should read for atleast learning what is going on when people read rapids. Also, what about swift water rescue? I am well trained with climbing self rescue, and I can't imagine it would be a lot different, conceptually anyways.

So anyways, excuse my ignorance, but I'd like to remedy that.

(What the hell is a sieve?) < Kind of info I'm looking for.

Here's a good resource: http://www.chrisj.winisp.net/

I would recommend taking a swiftwater rescue class as soon as you can. There's some other good articles out there, just search around a bit. Jackson Kayaks website has some good articles on technique.

Btw, a sieve is anything that water flows through, but a human can't...like a spaghetti strainer. If you ever get a nice close up view of one, it'll probably be the last thing you ever see.

I have found William Nealy's book "Kayak: The Animated Manual of Intermediate and Advanced Whitewater Technique" to be a useful resource for beginners when I teach.

Originally Posted by Lost in AK

I have found William Nealy's book "Kayak: The Animated Manual of Intermediate and Advanced Whitewater Technique" to be a useful resource for beginners when I teach.

That is the first book I give anyone who is seriously considering whitewater boating. It was given to me by my master when I was just a Padawan. Funny how much you can learn from cartoons.

So I'm guessing this is like the Freedom of the Hills for kayaking? Thanks guys!

No, it's like Mad magazine on acid for kayakers.

Even better

+1 on the swiftwater rescue course. Climbing rescue techniques can come in handy, particularly in cases of entrapments, but there are a lot of situations that aren't really comparable. (Boat rescues, when to chase gear, positioning safeties...).

Is boatertalk.com still a good board? Back, cough::cough, in the day, it was the tgr of kayak/whitewater...Hell, Jimi Snyder, Corran, and EJ were even posting up every now and then...

Yeah, it's still pretty good overall.

You can also check out Charlie Walbridge's book - Whitewater Rescue Manual. It has a lot of good information in it, but doesn't substitute for a course. The Manual can be really good, though, especially if you get some group practice in on terra firma and then move it to the swiftwater.

Just $0.02.

Originally Posted by Tye 1on

Is boatertalk.com still a good board? Back, cough::cough, in the day, it was the tgr of kayak/whitewater...Hell, Jimi Snyder, Corran, and EJ were even posting up every now and then...

before you had to register it was pretty much full contact so any pros that were brave enough to visit got trashed .That doesnt seem to happen as much anymore but IMO participation looks to have dropped off

I havent posted on bt in years, occasionally scan it to see what's going on.

Originally Posted by MarsB

I havent posted on bt in years, occasionally scan it to see what's going on.

Yeah, it should be renamed "The Green Narrows Level Updater". Once in awhile I post something to try and get kicked off...it never works. For anything outside of the southeast...I find it to be pretty terrible. Not that there's anything wrong with the southeast...

But the DC vs. WV flamewars are always fun.
And I always know if Wilson Creek is running.

http://www.jacksonkayak.com/store/jkstore08.cfm

EJ has a good selection of instructional DVDs if you learn well from videos.

Originally Posted by MarsB

But the DC vs. WV flamewars are always fun.
And I always know if Wilson Creek is running.

Yes, yes...I do enjoy a good flaming of those who bash SAR. That guy is still a moron in my book.

Nealy's Book will teach you about moving water and paddle tech in very easy to read and understand terms.

In the word of the famous kayak instructor Mr Stinky: "LEAN DOWNSTREAM, LEAN DOWNSTREAM, PADDLE LIKE HAAAYYYYYEEEELLLL......SWIM OVER THERE"

Those were the instructions my first time down the Nantahala.

Originally Posted by ridinshockgun

In the word of the famous kayak instructor Mr Stinky: "LEAN DOWNSTREAM, LEAN DOWNSTREAM, PADDLE LIKE HAAAYYYYYEEEELLLL......SWIM OVER THERE"

Those were the instructions my first time down the Nantahala.

Just come on down to Mr. Stinky's School of Kayaking.
The Zen Master himself:



Who wouldn't trust this guy to teach you how to kayak?

Sweet my animated manual came in!

Oh and I got my hand roll nailed today.

^^^

Amazing how that works...

Way to get the hand roll going (hopefully you never need it - )

The only time I have ever needed my hand roll has been at the brink of disaster.

I've never hit it.

I still look like a wingless duck trying an offside.

I always thought that a hand roll was fairly useless except as a pool stunt, until I ran Lime Creek during Animas River days. There were a ton of people on the creek that day and at Adrenalin Falls about half the people I watched lost their paddles. The falls are 25ft vertical in a narrow vertical slot that pretty much forces you keep your paddle over your head. The entrance is such that you almost always pencil in with your boat in the foam pile while your upper body and paddle hit green water, often ripping the paddle out of your hands.

Those that had a hand roll recovered, those that didn't got a bath.