Introduction, Expectations, & Logistics:

• Welcome, introductions, paperwork

• Student & instructor course expectations and limitations

• Course itinerary & site logistics

• Review waiver, assumption of risk, challenge by choice, medical disclosure

• About the ACA

• PFD policy (always wear on water)

• Appropriate personal behavior

• No alcohol / substance abuse

• Proper etiquette on & off the water

• Respect private property

• Practice Leave No Trace ethics

The Paddling Environment:

• Wind

• Types of strokes: power, turning & bracing

• Waves

• Stroke components: catch, propulsion, recovery, control and correction

• Weather

• Effective Body Usage and Bio-Kinetics

• Water

• Use of larger torso muscles

Personal Preparation:

• Arms as struts connecting paddle to torso

• Personal Ability

• Avoidance of positions that contribute to shoulder injury or dislocations

• Swimming Ability

• Water comfort & confidence

• Launching, carries, landing 

• Fitness, conditioning, and warm up

• Water confidence and comfort 

• Safe paddle and boat handling

• Rescue Priorities: People, gear, & boats 

• Safety and rescue considerations

• The Terminology of Paddling (frequently blended in with stroke instruction)

• Personal equipment (reviewed by Instructor)

• Types of strokes: power, turning & bracing

• Judgment. In addition to learning hard skills, the importance of developing personal judgment and group responsibility increases on more difficult paddling venues.

• The Terminology of Paddling (frequently blended in with stroke instruction) 

Water Comfort:

• Types of strokes: power, turning & bracing 

• Launching, carries, landing

• Stroke components: catch, propulsion, recovery, control and correction

• Water confidence and comfort

• Stroke components: catch, propulsion, recovery, control and correction

• Wet exits

• Effective Body Usage and Bio-Kinetics

• How to empty a kayak

• Use of larger torso muscles

• Rescue Priorities: People, gear, & boats

• Arms as struts connecting paddle to torso

• Avoidance of positions that contribute to shoulder injury or dislocations

• Kayak: types, materials, flotation, parts (including safety features: walls, foot braces, grab loops)

• Principles of Rescue 

• Kayak outfitting: comfort & safety; back rests, hip pads

• • Priorities - People, Boats, Gear 

• Paddle: types, parts, length, blade size & shape, fitting, hand position

• • Responsibilities of Victim

• Spray skirts: types & material, grab loop!

• • Responsibilities of Rescuers 

• Care of equipment

• Types of Rescue 

• Personal Equipment: water, food, shoes, sunscreen, bug spray, sun glasses, eyeglass straps, protective clothing for heat or cold, sponge, hat, foot protection, food, bailer, whistle

• • Self-Rescue in moving current (REQUIRED)

• Car topping: Loading and unloading, racks, tie down

• • Body/boat positions 

• Life jackets (PFDs): types, fit

• • Handling equipment 

• Helmet: types, fit

• • Boat-Assisted Rescue 

• • Tired Swimmer 

• • Towing

• • Bumping 

• • Shoreline Rescue - Extension Rescues 

• • Use of Throw Bags/Ropes 

• • Pinned Craft 

• Introduce ACA River Rescue Course 

• Need to take a First Aid and CPR course 

• Spins (onside and offside): boat pivots in place

• Fundamentals of River Currents 

• Forward: boat moves in reasonably straight line

• Current speed, direction and changes caused by streambed features 

• Reverse: boat moves in a reasonably straight line

• Downstream and Upstream V's / Chutes 

• Stopping: boat stops within a reasonable distance

• Eddies/ Eddy Lines 

• Turns: boat turns in broad arc made while underway

• Waves/ Wave Holes 

• Veering, Carving, and paddling the “inside circle”

• Inside and Outside Bends 

• Abeam: boat moves sideways without headway

• Effects of Obstacles 

• Sideslips: boat moves sideways with headway

• Ledges/ Horizon Lines 

• Strainers & Sieves 

• Forward Sweep (anticipatory and reactive techniques)

• Rocks/ Pillows 

• Reverse Sweep

• Holes/ Hydraulics 

• Stern Draw

• Other Hazards 

• Side Draw

• Power of the Current / River Level 

• Forward

• Cold Water 

• Back

• Dams/ Flow Diversion Structures/ Pipelines 

• T (Eskimo) Rescue

• Undercut Rocks / Ice 

• High Brace

• International Scale of River Difficulty (handout: American Whitewater Safety Code)

• Low Brace

• Bow Draw and Duffek

• Stationary Draw

• Sculling Draw

• Roll 

• Ferries 

• In addition to learning hard skills, the importance of devloping personal judgment and group responsibility increases on more difficult paddling venues.

• Eddy Turns 

• Peelouts 

• Understanding your level of anxiety 

• Wide (exit wide from eddy line) 

• Understanding your personal style and risk tolerance 

• Shallow (exit close to eddy line) 

• Responsibility to the group 

• Sequences of Maneuvers 

• River and group awareness 

• C-turns (Peel out and eddy into same eddy) 

• Rapid Analysis Scenarios 

• S-turns (Peel out one side and eddy into opposite side) 

• Surfing 

• What moves are required to successfully run the rapid?

• Group debrief / Individual feedback 

• Can I perform the required moves?

• Course limitations 

• What are the consequences of missing the required moves?

• Importance of First Aid & CPR 

• Am I willing to accept these consequences?

• Importance of additional instruction, practice, experience 

• What if?

• Importance of appropriate level of safety & rescue training

• Rescue considerations

• Demo advanced maneuver

Group Evaluation - Skill level of the group:

• Life sport / Paddling options

• Size of the group Group consequences

• Local paddling groups / Clubs

• Condition of the group

• Handouts / Reference materials 

• Continue learning process from more experienced paddlers 

• ACA Membership forms 

• Responsibility to support other padders (no peer pressure) 

• Course evaluation 

• Group Equipment: extra paddle, rescue sling, drybags, maps, first aid kit and location, rescue gear 

• Participation cards

• Guidebooks / Local Knowledge

• Assessing Current Environmental Conditions (including: Water, Weather, Time of Day, and Temperature, Limited Access: Canyons, Cliffs, Remote Area)

• Assessing Personal and Group Dynamics (Skills, Equipment, Group Makeup, Mental Status, Logistics, group selection, leadership)