Key Points:

• Look where you want to go
• Can’t see? Ferry to other side to scout / find eddy / get out of boat.
• Arms should stay pretty rectangular to upper body to protect shoulders (inside the “Box”)
• Attempt moves first in simple, low-risk situations
• It is better to go to a familiar run and make it difficult rather than stepping up to a harder river. It is a better learning environment to push yourself on easier whitewater (catching all the eddies, surfing, boofing, etc.), basically making a class II or III run have class IV or V moves.
• You are building up a safety net of error-correction skills. This takes times and lots of pushing yourself in varied scenarios.
• Visualize where water / reactionaries will send you and account for it in your strokes and direction.
• You need momentum (forward / lateral / spin) for every move.
• Forward speed can be easily turned to lateral speed in river through draws / edging.
• Choosing between strokes - choose the one that pushes you towards your goal (i.e. reverse sweep or forward sweep - choose the forward sweep if you will then need to go in that direction / whatever brings your torso in the direction it needs to go).
• Edge Control - “show bottom” to powerful water when there is a speed difference
• Keep bottom of boat flat when paddling - at least when not turning
• Paddle Dexterity - feathering / sculling - are great to practice and can save you
• Keep weight over the boat until it is clear you will tip - then drop head and outside knee
• Separation of activity (head / torso )
• Keeping active paddle in water (for maintaining tracking )
• Backward awareness - build up backward awareness for better reactions when things go sideways, so you feel more comfortable ferrying above can’t miss moves, etc. Surf backwards, force yourself to paddle backwards in low risk situations.
  • Back Surfing
  • And All Other Moves Backwards
  • Back Ferry
• Keep Bow Dry - Get over holes, waves, etc with lock-in, boof, etc.
• Running into rock sideways and cant prevent it? The rock is “normally” your friend. Lean into the rock (unless there is a pillow of water to deflect off of) - otherwise you might be pinned against it.
• Learn some freestyle in a freestyle boat - it is one of the fastest ways to learn
• Scouting:
  • Look at speeds / time of water flowing between obstacles
  • Get used to following verbal instructions
  • Practice memorizing sections
  • Following is a skill - get used to following, noticing moves, but staying aware if leader goes off track
• Sit upright (open pelvis) - sitting more upright allows you breath deeper in your lower abdominals, allows you to keep your abs tensioned while breathing (protecting you), protects your hip flexors:
  • Practice keeping lower abs tensioned while breathing and going through sections
• Always go for a safe BET - Boof, Eddy, Tongue

Think about:

• Head
• Body
• Boat - Edging
• Paddle
• Speed
• Angle
• Arc
• Spin - determined by last strokes / vectors / falling off bow wake

Turning:

• Head Looks At Target (if continuing turn - head keeps looking to turn )
• Body leads turn (not necessarily the head)
• Control every turn on the inside of the turn
• Control every turn with draw stroke

River Directions:

• Upstream / Downstream
• River Right / River Left
• Surfers Left / Surfers Right

Ferrying

Crossing the river, facing upstream

Key Points:
- Moderate angle (~20) deg to waterflow 
- Watch seamlines
- Use stern draws/pries to keep on track - pull your tail to the paddle 
- Control your edges - keep close to flat - perhaps slightly leaned downstream

Ferry Turn

Executing a turn or change of sides when ferrying

Key Points:
- When Ferrying...
- One sweep on downstream side to initiate
- Sweep torso around dynamically and look downstream to the other side - changing edging 
- Use a bow draw to pull yourself around

Peel Out

Leaving an eddy and entering the current

Key Points:
- Get some power strokes in pointing upstream while in the eddy 
- To Ferry:
	- Leave eddy with slight edging leaning downstream
	- Transition to downstream-side only strokes or continue with power strokes
	- Flatten out boat
- To head downstream:
	- Make a sweep stroke on the upstream / shore-side to initiate turn downstream right when heading over eddy line 
	- Plant a draw stroke vertically and slightly behind the cockpit and use the draw to sail you where you want to go

Eddy Out / Pivot Turn

Leaving the current and landing in the slower, recirculating water (eddy)

Key Points:
- Look at end target
- Don't necessarily aim for uppermost portion of eddy - if recirculating eddy or waiting for others get towards rear
- Use stern draw stroke to pick-up speed
- At last second before entering -  perform sweep on downstream side to initiate
- Perform Pivot-Stroke / C-Stroke (middle draw, feather to bow draw, power stroke) when you have landed
- Don't place pivot stroke too soon (in moving water)
- Keep boat flat when pivot stroke has started so that it can glide easiest
- Lean to inside of turn 
- Edge tail in to bite-in - to stop more quickly

Tighter Eddy-Outs

Less Tight Eddy-Outs

Getting out of a hole

Key Points:
- Know where you can get out - seam line / tongue
- Patiently use pries to get there 
- Keep pries / braces as low as possible to protect shoulders
- If entering hole in big water, try duck diving or turtling before hole with speed and using green water speed to get spit out.

Boof

Different types -

• Late - boof occurs later or sustained during feature
• Lip - Rock or other contact required - often with a key moment

Key Points:
- Edging 
	- Sitting on one butt cheek 
- Stroke
	- Ab tension is critical - keep lower abs very tight 
	- Dont lean forward or pull (leads to you being in back seat / losing ab tension)
	- Downstream Side Plant
	- Vertical Paddle Stroke - near hips 
	- Non-power hand crosses the body completely
	- Use some follow-through but without hinging body  

Basic Boof

Core of Boof - Near body plant + tensioned body

Boof Exercise on floor or in chair

Boof - Heavily edging

Boof - Landing In Power Position

Lean Boof / Ear Dip

Pivot Turn / Squirt

Key Points:
- In flatter water, pivot point of the boat is actually  where water is building up around the boat (often in the front)- the wake 
- Keep hands very loose on the paddle 
- For driving straight: 
	- try to lean forward and use your shoulders / torso more 
	- try to avoid paddling too far past mid point - this contributes to turning
	- Don't punch front hand too far at end of stroke - use more torso instead
- For turning or sweep strokes:
	- try to engage lower body for movement vs through pushing the paddle 
	- stern draw
		- normally used to limit spin in kayak 
		- go wide with stroke
		- punch front hand over midline of boat 
	- Bow draw - 
		- used to redirect momentum
		- Don't let bow draw become hanging draw 

Basic Strokes

Forward Stroke

Forward Stroke - Basic

Draw Stroke

Draw Stroke - Basic

Draw Stroke - Basic - Test

Bow Draw for Pivot Turn

Bow Draw / Slalom Pivot Turn

Bow Draw / Speed Redirect used for quick turning with relative water speed

Slip Stroke - Basic

T Stroke / Active Draw - Basic

Sculling Draw - Basic

Sweep Stroke

Forward Sweep - Basic

Reverse Sweep - Basic

Compound Strokes

C-Stroke

Offside C-Stroke

Reverse Compound -Stroke

Key Points:
- Head down / look at the paddle 
- Elbows under the paddle / except in low brace
- Arms in the box (protecting shoulders)
- Be aware of what knee you are loading - dont pull on knee across from brace

Low Brace

High Brace

Sculling Brace

Brace Correction

Braces under Water - Exercise

Sustained Brace - Exercise

Deep Brace - Exercise

Tips for a bombproof roll:

- Attempt First In Simpler Situations
- Then In Whitewater
- Modified Backdeck Roll For Shallow Situations
- Stay Low-Profile When Heading Underwater
- If Bracing Fails - Commit To Roll Or Sustained Brace/Deep Brace
- Feeling For Pressure of On Water and paddle To Know When To Hip Snap
- Hip Snap Is The Most Important Part Of The Roll - it rolls the boat
- It Isnt About Sweeping The Paddle Through The Water But Using The Paddle To Support Hip Snap
- Keep Head Low (Forward / Side / Or Back) - comes up last 
- Looking At Your Paddle Until Upright and Recovered Can Help 
- Learn Roll On Both Sides And From All Positions
- Use Momentum From Failed Roll Attempt to Roll Up On Other Side
- Use Floatie (without paddle) to practice hip snap (requires you to limit pressure created with upper body) - slowly use less pressure
- Rolling in a hole - try to roll up on downstream side - feel for water pressure on you / the paddle and use it to your advantage 

Roll Learning Progression

- low brace
- sculling 
- high brace
- fall half under water and snap out (brace)
- fall fully under water and snap out (c-c)
- do a c-c roll - going underwater in setup 
- do a c-c roll - going underwater in odd positions
- fall fully under water - scull up to snap
- fall fully under water - feather up to snap
- normal backdeck 
- modified backdeck 
- static backdeck 
- backdeck recovery (one side only) 
- do complete exercises on offside 
- do complete execises in different whitewater, holes, waves, etc (with low risk)

Standard Rolls

C-C Roll

Sweep Roll

Backdeck Roll

Key Points:
- Commit 
- Try to kiss backdeck 
- Feather blade for push
- Use pressure between hands to get push on water the whole time 
- Side of face to water 

Modified Backdeck Roll / Screw Roll

Hand Roll - Normal

Hand Roll - Backdeck

Further Roll Variants

C-C No-Setup

Reverse Sweep Roll

Static Backdeck

Bombproofing Roll

Roll - Exercise with Floatie

Roll - Learn Roll On Both Sides And From All Positions

Roll Tip - Use Momentum From Failed Roll Attempts - For Other Side Roll

Test Roll / Hip-snap

Further Exercises

Practicing C-C in Hole - “Window Shading”

Practicing C-C in Hole - “Window Shading” - Lose and Replace Hand

Practicing Screw Roll in Hole - “Window Shading”

Seal Launch

Entering the water with a slide / drop

Basic Slide - Seal Launch - Seal Launch

Drop Style - Seal Launch

Key Points:
- Push with hand and paddle
- Don't lean back (Don't push too hard)
- Pull up knees
- Push off when at desired angle
- Rocker probably helps
- Check depth 

Fancy Entry

Wave Surf Technique

Key Points:
- Low brace is preferable
- Pick a point to look at for reference - somewhere up stream 
- Staying centered 
- Edging without paddle - carving
- Don't use forward strokes to turn  
- Use stern rudder-pry / turning body to initiate turn back in other direction 
- Keeping top hand pretty high on pry 
- Stay ahead of need to turn so you don't get flushed
- Controlling length of boat on water - long = fast
- Applying brake before we leave when carving toward one side
- Jet Ferry 
- Using power position - showing bottom of boat to upstream 

Carving

Wave Surfing / Carving

Wave Power Position - Carving

Hole Technique

Side Surf Low Bracing - Hole

Side Surf Negotiation - Forward - Hole

Side Surf Negotiation - Backward - Hole

Spin - Hole

Spin - Hole - Eyes Upstream

Double-Pump Technique

Double-Pump to Front

Double-Pump to Back

Taillee / Stern Squirt

Key Points:
- Pull knee up on opposite side of flow - to set upstream edge downwards
- Use swinging your upper body to slice under water
- Use reverse sweep / pry to push against flow 
- Try not to lean back to initiate
- Be aware that your abs control the angle- tightening your abs keeps more vertical
- Use bow draws to keep going? 

Key Points:
- Don't run blind 
- Scout hazards, water flows, possible lines, plan B, where to stop 
- Rating consequence - easy swim, bruises / cold swim, serious injury, risk of death, certain death.
- Order of strategies in rescue:
	- Talk, Reach, Throw. Tow, Go (TRTTG) - Go for the low risk options first.
- KISS - Keep it short and simple.
- Nothing a rescuer does should make a victim worse off.
- Person before gear - encourage people to get themselves out of danger first 
- If swimmer at bottom of rapid and faced with easy swim, hang on to paddle. if at start of rapid should throw paddle towards shore and swim.
- Throw paddle if needed 
- Boats can be nudged into eddys by a kayaker still in a boat 
- Always wear solid shoes allowing for scrambling, helping.
- Avoiding strainers is your best best.
- Being aware of your comfort - comfort, adventure, disaster zones
- Make sure you warm up prior to serious paddling 
- Control your breathing and stress  
- Bring a phone if not in a remote region
- Use float bags in your kayak - front and back - and ensure they are blown up 
- Stay away from / upstream of your boat if swimming 
- Someone have a very close call (breathe water)? Be wary of secondary drowning the next 48 hours.
- Keep rescue gear in your PFD 
- If you get out of your boat to scout, bring your throw bag.

Tough situations

• Swims
• Undercuts (getting pushed under undercut)
• Recirculation / Double Recirculation
• Getting caught in deep, strong whirlpool
• Foot entrapments
• Flat-pin / Broach / Side-pin
• Vertical pin
• Wood/Branch through skirt - pinning skirt / persons leg
• Catching gear ( tether, pfd , skirt loop, helmet go-pro, )
• Getting caught in Siphon / Strainer
• Stuck in hole / recirculation feature
• Injuries
• Collisions
• Hypothermia / Heat Exhaustion / Sun-burn / Frostbite / Shock / Bugs
• Lost gear (boat, paddle, food/water)
• Ending up in un-runnable section of walled-in gorge

Rescue Gear

Creating reaching and clipping device

• Extending distance of possible “Reach” rescue of boat or victim
• Carabiner with rope attached, secured with tape or zipzies to paddle or stick
• When with stick - taper end of stick to make it easy for zip-tied carabiner to slip off of
• Using little stick to prop open carabiner a bit
  

Preventing flush drowning

- Dress for swim / rescue - dry suit
- Conserve energy and try to breath well between features
- Look downstream for exit points and paths
- Swim defensively where dangerous, agressively where you can 
- Rescuer - try to offer back of boat if person no longer able to swim agressively enough
- Rescuer - get to position to be able to pull swimmer to rescue with roap quickly

Self Rescue from Broach / water-pressure pin

- "The rock is your friend" - Lean into rock / obstacle so edge isn't caught by upstream water pressure
- Extend paddle far to side for sweep stroke to generate spin to get off object. 

Rescuing Kayak from pinned position

- Use at least a 2 point anchor to attach a hauling line to a kayak. 
- Try pulling from a few different angles and with multiple pullers before setting up a mechanical advantage system.

Vertical Pin

- Person in boat  - try to support yourself using rear boat handles
- Rescuers - try to support person above water with direct rope or parallel line across river
- If 2+ rescuers or there is a good anchor point - can use "vector pull" pulling perp to line to pull them faster - or z pull

Rescuing from Vertical Pin

Practicing getting out of pin position

It is probably worth trying this in different positions outside of water

• stepping on bulkhead
• grabbing rear handles, one leg out, rotate body to avoid breaking other leg?

Using a Z-Drag to pull person / boat out of pin

Key Points:
- Mechanical Advantage achieved through use of Prusik on main line 
- Pulleys reduce friction over using carabiners alone 
- Use Prussik as brake on the main line if you need to support the person or object steadily
- To avoid injury if system breaks - add extra pulley so that you dont have your face near line under load.

Throw-rope - Basic

Key Points:
- Always wear solid shoes for scrambling.
- Keep bag in front of boat with easy access and easy to unclip under stress.
- Positioning yourself - Keep in mind where they will swing to.
- cover the highest risk.
- Throw past person / slightly upsteam of them (things on surface swim faster) - dont want them to grab the sack.
- Hold rope for example with left hand, having rope wrap around your back and your right hand is holding the rope leading to the swimmer.
- Brace yourself (there is a lot of force during a swim).

Using Throw Rope From Boat

Receiving throw rope

Securing throw rope in boat

Should be incredibly simple to retrieve with one hand under stress

Hand of God - Rescue

Key Points:
- Attempt first in simpler situations
- Paddle alongside
- Drop your paddle in-between
- Grab them securely (leaning over their kayak)
- Pull them upright

T-Rescue

• Person in danger should slap on the sides of their boat
• They should hear/feel for your boat nose against their boat

Towing Person to Safety (with boat)

- Verbally cue swimmer
- Offer back of boat and pull them through safe route to eddy / shore

Live Bait / Tethered Swimmer Rescue

A tethered person jumps in to save someone that is injured / unconcious

Towing Boat (with Cowtail)

Less suggested approach - only use in class I-III max Make sure cowtail safety belt will be released

Rescuing Your Own Boat

Rescuing A Boat From Others

- Preferred method should be to turn over and push boat with hands or by pushing with your stern 

Deepwater Rescue / Helping to Re-enter Boat

Entrapment Rescue

Wood pin against / through skirt

Retrieving Paddle

• Doubling up carried paddle and paddling with both paddles for a brief period.
• Or throw the paddle into an eddy - onto soft land

Swimming

Key Points:
- Stay Defensive if it is shallow 
- Swim aggressively if deeper / pool / risk of getting hit by rocks lower 
- Curl into ball to sink deeper if dropping into a big wave / hole with big foam pile

Aggressive Swimming

Defensive Swimming

Swimming - Log Roll into Eddies

Gear

Groups

Key Points
- Discussing Roles
- Discussing available safety gear 
- Discussing group control

Group Control

• One at a time
• Leapfrogging
• Everybody come on down

Group Roles

• Leader - pace, ensuring group is coming along alright, stops in eddies within site, warns group of risks
• Second - keeps leader in view, watches out for leader, pace for rest of group
• Weakest - stays in middle, try to keep next in sight to see their line, communicate if you arent comfortable / want to portage
• Rescue Boater - keeps those in front of them in sight - potential rescue

Rope Work

Making sure your life jacket belt is threaded for load and has ring Using a cowtail to recover boats / paddles

Creating an anchor for rope work

• Tree trunk
• Using Boulder
• Using Crack / Space between Boulders (using nut)
• Boat full of water

Carrying some climbing nuts

taping rope ends

Sling

Tip - changing length of sling with knot, moving carabiner

Shortening Sling

Carrying slings

Looping small slings together for carrying

normal prusik

Size of prusik rope needs to be around 60% of rope used on

double fishermans knot (for making prusiks, etc)

for making prusik loop

klemheist / machard knot

prusik-similar but not middle loaded/based - only 1 direction loadable

bachmann knot

uses carabiner for friction - ease of movement

Climbing out using Prusik knots

Key Points
- using blake
- using prusiks
- using texas prusik
- improvised harness 
- Use spectra-based throw bags to ensure load rating high enough

texas prusik

for feet or using two bands from prusik and biner

Whistle Signals

• One blow: ATTENTION — “Attention!” or “Look this Way!”
• Two blows: STOP — “I need to stop” or “Bring the group to a stop”
• Three Blows: EMERGENCY — “A paddler is in trouble” or “We have a problem”

Signals

Always point positive

Ok / Are you Ok?

Stop - Flat Paddle

Eddy Out - Circle In The Air And Point Towards Eddy Possibility

Go Ahead - Straight Up

Go That Way - Always Point To Best Line

Warning / Help - Swinging Paddle Back And Forth

Stop and Scout

Stop and Portage

Green Water / Tongue / Downstream V

No Recirculation Or Aerated Water

Waves

Pillows - Where Water Builds Up On Front Side

Siphon

Strainer / Sieves - Underneath Rocks / Fallen Trees

Downstream V - Easier To Leave

Upstream V - Harder To Leave - Because You Cant Reach The “Corner”

Horizon Line

Hole / Stopper / Reversal / Hydraulic

Pourover - These Are The More Dangerous Holes

Foampile

Aeration

Boilline

Recirculation

Stay Away From Holes Where Vertical Drop Reaches Bottom Of River (This Is A True Washing Machine)
Corners (The Sides Of The Hole) 
	Smiley 
	Frowny 
	Diagonal 
If Hole Is Powerful Enough - Bodily Injury - Difficult To Control Breathing
Double-Holes - Undercut On Backside 

Reactionary - Sides Of Downstream V-S - Pushes Boat Laterally

Eddies

Boils

Whirlpool

Undercut - If There Is No Pillow In A Bend Or At A Rock It Is Undercut

Gear Lists

Wear Earplugs against Surfer’s Ear

Outfitting

• i like to make footplate wider / padded
• spray skirts with completely rubberized rim
• put name on boat (on sticker)
• consider a tracking device? in case of big swim?

Mounting Go-Pro for observing your technique

Key Points
- Glue
- Drill Small 
- Countersink hole
- Screw throw into something
- Add sealing adhesive to inside securing object 

Paddle Indexing - mainly on round shafted paddles

Duct tape on paddle for protection / emergencies

Put duct tape on the middle of your paddle to protect paddle and/or for emergencies

Hockey tape on paddle shaft to improve grip with gloves

Fluoro tape on paddle for visibility

Write your name on your gear

Making a skirt strap easier to grab - using hosing and tape

Put rubber/tape on edges of bulkhead to distribute load on boat plastic

Drysuit Care

• Every 2 months lube zippers
• Every 6 months new waterproofing impregnation
• Apply protectant (303) to gaskets

Auto - Carrying passengers

• Have multiple seats for shuttling
• Have seat protectors in case people are in wet gear
• Make sure rack has some padding / rubber interface to protect kayaks from scratching
• Always carry lot of cam straps
• Consider a very wide rack - matching the width in your car papers (in Germany)
• Consider a folding set of verticals to increase the ease of carrying stacked boats (but to allow driving into garages)

Auto - Carrying boats

Carrying hardware

Carrying climbing nuts on carabiner

Trick for securing hip pads higher

Maintenance

- clean sand out of boat regularly 
- put foam or other load spreading material around foot bulkhead to avoid deformation / spread deformation 
- regularly tighten screws on boat to avoid tearout 
- use plastic washers between washers and boat material to reduce creep 

Sourcing Foam for Outfitting

pe minicell foam - 32kg/m3 density minicell pe - 2pout/ft3

• https://www.schaumstofflager.de/polyethylen-pe-schaumstoff-100x50x5cm-schwarz.html?language=de&gad_source=1&gclid=cjwkcajw88yxbhbweiwa7cm6pvdjoen0tszyguhcf4dohdyvvrz6tnafwky9me2nxp38npibnsrdmroc1ayqavd_bwe
• https://www.kko-alpinsport.eu/kajak-kanu-polyethylen-minicell-foam-100x50x1cm/artikel-farbe-schwarz
• https://www.sport-schroeer.de/online-shop/kanusportzubehoer/canadierzubehoer/10389/s-line-minicell-foam?c=98

Gluing Minicell Foam In Boat

Rough up with sandpaper coat both sides, let dry 10-15 minutes, warm with a hair dryer and stick. double coat if you want a bomber job. let the first coat dry for a while (1/2 hour or more). dangerous fumes and hard to clean up. wear latex gloves and respirator (or work in ventilation)

Cutting Foam To Shape

Cut and shape to fit any need! use a hack saw blade, dry wall saw, or band saw to cut. fine tune shape with a stanely sureform plane. a router can be used to carve relief slots. glue with em 89 adhesive-sealant, alternatively use dap weldwood contact cement for pads, lexel for bulkheads, as well as 3m 5200 adhesive sealant.

Hull Repair

https://helmi-sport.de/en/p/prijon-repair-stick-pe

Repairing Neoprene Leaks

• Aquasure 28g
• Flexibler Kleber Zur Reparatur Von Neopren

Expedition

Whitewater I’ve Paddled

Tour Breakdowns