Organizer:
Salome Hussein
Date/Time:
Date(s) - Saturday 14 March, 2026
All Day
activities
G’day OAC,
It’s time to get on the water while the days are still long and warm.
This course will cover the basics of paddling a kayak in flatwater (<Grade 1). The aim is to do some drills, develop boat control, and get comfortable with capsizing. The material will be a pre-requisite for Paddle Skills 2, which is an introduction to Whitewater. We have a tentative date for that March 21/22, river levels pending.
We will teach using hard-body creek or touring kayaks with a skirt. We don't intend to address other styles of boat, but if you have a canoe or packraft you'd like practice with, email to discuss.
You can hire Kayaks and kit for $50/day (mate's rates, pretty tough to beat). These would be Dagger Katanas with a hatch, which are also the craft Stu and I use for expedition (river camping) trips and intro whitewater up to Grade 3. This year's venue will likely be Manly Dam. As such, preference will be given to those who have appropriate vehicles to either move boats or people.
Please indicate in sign-up info —
- Swimming ability – must be able to swim 50m front crawl
- Past paddling experience
- Favorite color (or you’ll be auto-rejected)
Syllabus:
- Equipment and PPE
- PFDs, snag risks, buoyancy and aerated water
- Helmets for whitewater
- Paddles and types
- The difference in whitewater kayaks versus sea kayaks and other craft
- Correct posture, fitout, and foot pegs in your boat, securing and stowing kit
- Boat control:
- Carrying your equipment
- paddler’s box (injury prevention)
- Turning, stopping: forward, reverse, sweep
- Draw and pry stroke
- High/low brace
- Edging
- Self rescue and risk management:
- Group management, river levels, buddy systems
- Hazard identification – traffic, pinning, flow, tide changes, WIND (weather)
- River communication (whistles and hand signals)
- Capsize drills: wet exit and re-entry, T-rescue, X- rescue (https://photos.app.goo.gl/eKJvji9Y8cQG8gWo7)
A successful rescue!
Also a successful rescue!
Requirements:
- Swim 50m confidently
- Carry 15kg-25kg safely (or with assistance) for a distance of 50m and be able to raise arms overhead with load
Recommended gear:
Sun protection
Goggles, noseplugs, earplugs, wetsuit/neoprene/warm-something.
See you on the water,
salome, stu, Tim, and Kieran
