Spring Class II Whitewater School

NHAMC Paddlers Spring Whitewater Canoe and Kayak School

This School is generally held in late March or early April

The School provides Class II whitewater instruction for flatwater and quickwater paddlers.  Register to learn tandem canoe, solo canoe, or solo kayak.  The school teaches you the skills and proper preparation to safely paddle Class II whitewater and gives you the practice so that you are comfortable and having fun paddling.

The school sessions take place in Nashua, Henniker, and on several area rivers selected according to appropriate river levels and difficulty.

During this course, you’ll learn the basic skills of river reading and maneuvering through whitewater, as well as some basic safety and rescue procedures.  We’ll review and help you improve your basic paddling strokes, as well as how to perform a forward ferry, back ferry, eddy turn, peel out, and other river maneuvers

You’ll work with several instructors as they get to know you and you get to know them.  Each will bring their perspective and experience into the learning environment.  The instructors are passionate about whitewater paddling and are eager to show you how to thoroughly enjoy this active outdoor sport.  They are very supportive and will guide you through the exercises so that you feel comfortable at all times and learn that whitewater presents many opportunities for fun, rather than being viewed as an obstacle.

The objective is for you to become comfortable in whitewater while learning the techniques of whitewater paddling.  We also hope you will build new friendships and feel the sense of camaraderie of our paddling community.

The course consists of required sessions over several weekends:

• The first session is at a pool in Nashua.  At this session, we go over paddling gear to wear and have kayakers practice a wet exit.  This session is required in order to participate in the rest of the school.  We try to offer a choice of one of two dates.
• The main sessions are held on Friday evening and all day Saturday in Henniker and all day Sunday on a nearby river.  Lectures and organization on Friday are followed by flatwater skills practice on Saturday morning and whitewater skills practice on Saturday afternoon, interspersed with lectures and demonstrations. On Sunday, we all run a nearby river with an entertaining and instructive lunch stop.  Hot chocolate and goodies await us at the takeout.
• Over the next three weekends, Class II trips will be offered on both Saturday and Sunday.  Students are encouraged to participate in at least two of these trips to practice the skills learned and get additional help from leaders.
• The following weekend will be an instructional trip where instructors will fine-tune your skills and teach you additional techniques.  To join this trip you must have paddled 2 NHAMC Paddlers Class II trips after the Henniker weekend so that you have practiced skills from the school and are ready to perfect new skills. At the end of this skills trip will be a fun awards ceremony.  A goal is for you to earn an NH AMC Paddlers Class II rating.

The required sessions for the 2012 Whitewater School are:

• Outfitting and Pool Session – Nashua – Saturday evening, <TBD>
• Main Session – Henniker – Friday Evening, <TBD>; Saturday, <TBD> and a nearby river, Sunday, <TBD>
• Class II Skills Instruction Trip – Saturday, April <TBD>

As an extension to the school, the student is highly encouraged to take the Basic Safety and Rescue Course given when the water warms.

The NHAMC Paddlers offer additional river trips each weekend throughout the paddling season as well as advanced safety and skills courses.  Join us and continue to improve your whitewater skills!

The school fee includes all instruction, boats & all river equipment for the main sessions, and Saturday’s continental breakfast and full dinner.  Students need only to bring personal gear and lunches on the river.  Wetsuits or drysuits and helmets are required.  For the trips after the main sessions, boats with paddles & PFD’s can be rented at $10/day.

The many volunteers that donate their time to offer this course hope and encourage you to thank them by regularly paddling with us and eventually contributing to our paddling activities.