utterly flummoxed

jko14 · 08-07-2007

Hello everybody! I'm a 16 year old very new into kayaking, and I'm a little stuck. I've got my roll down, and I've run a few veery small rapids in my new-used kayak (only slightly oxymoronic). At this point, I'd like to start practicing in flatwater, but have absolutely no idea where to begin. How would one go about attempting to do small things, like...almost carthwheels?

Thanks so much!

whip · 08-07-2007

I think you should find a good eddy pool and start with that.

Alpine Sports · 08-08-2007

Try joining a whitewater club, you'll meet people of a similar ability level and be able to learn from people that are a couple of steps above you. Depending on where you're located, I'd google something like "colorado paddling clubs" or something similar. Try Front Range Paddling Association and Colorado Whitewater Association. There's also lessons and guides that do trips of class II-III stuff to get your technique hammered in. Here at the shop, we work with Renaissance Adventure Guides, they're pretty rad and folks seem to be happy with em. Show up at paddling events, post on the buzz to find people to paddle with and just get out on the river you'll be throwin' down in no time.

hanala · 08-08-2007

Since you're in Billings, you might not find a paddle club. Billings isn't exactly the Montana mecca of boating

(Although some of the sickest runs around are hours from Billings, East Rosebud, Clark's Fork of the Yellowstone, sigh...) What do you want to practice in flatwater? As a new boater, I would recommend that you go out on the Yellowstone or Stillwater (which may be too low) and work on your eddy turns, ferrying and reading water. IMO these are so important to learn before you learn "tricks." Heck, eddy turns lead into stearn squirts, which lead into enders which leads into cartwheels... If you are at the point of learning "tricks," you could get a video (I'm sure lots of people on here probably have suggestions) or go down to Sunshine Sports and see if they know of anyone who might be happy to help you learn. Billings is a very small kayaking community. I'm sure the people at Sunshine would probably be happy to hook you up. Just a thought.

Good luck. Hope I see you out there.

Bozeman girl

shortbus · 08-08-2007

Yup, I'm a guy, so sorry to jump in on the betty-side, but I never looked at what forum I was reading from.Anyway, because you are in Billings, you should join up with the Beartooth Paddlers Society, which I think sort of bases themselves from Sunshine Sports. They have Wednesday Night coaching nights on the Stillwater. (if you hurry, you could still do it tonight!) Also on Wednesday evenings, a number of us in Cody, (WY) get together for a beginner night down a class II or III section of the Shoshone, which maintains flows into October. A girl named Robin Culver lives in Billings who used to work for Dagger, and I heard she was thinking of doing some womens clinics also. If you get down to Cody, give us a visit at Gradient Mountain Sports and we'll get you going in the right direction. 307-587-4659

hanala · 08-09-2007

Robin is a great person and paddler. She has always been an advocate for women paddlers. If she puts together a clinic, take it. You won't regret it.

jko14 · 08-10-2007

Hey guys, thanks so much for the advice. I've been looking at the Beartooth Paddler's site off of Sunshine's website, and it definitely seems like a good thing to start with. Good advice, thanks.