Carolina Canoe Club Education

The Carolina Canoe Club offers two basic types of instruction - paddling clinics and rescue and safety clinics. Continue reading this web page if you want to learn more in general about these clinics. Click on either item below for specifics about the dates and registration process for the 2008 clinics:

• Instructional paddling clinics
• Rescue/Safety clinics

Paddling Clinics

The CCC paddling clinics are held in three parts on three different weekends. We will work backward to explain what is being emphasized in each set of clinics. You should be able to see a natural progression in these clinics and just because you have had the previous does not guarantee that you should move on to the next set of clinics. Each student must best assess his/her skills honestly to get the most out of each of these clinics. There is no shame in taking any of them multiple times and not wanting to move up to the next set. It is a personal decision and is different for each individual boater.

The Beginner clinics are held in late May or early June. This late gives us a good chance of warm weather for beginning boaters who don't have much cold weather water gear. They are aimed at introducing new boaters to the sport of white water boating and working on getting students comfortable on moving water. They cover the very basics of canoe and kayaking and go over the fundamentals of boating. The first day is generally spent on a lake with the instructor introducing the proper stroke techniques on flat/non-moving water. This venue allows the student to concentrate on the strokes and not the water. The second day of the beginner clinic is held on a class II white water river, to ease the students into moving white water and emphasis is placed on technique and becoming comfortable on the river in one's boat. These clinics are held in the Triangle area.

The N/I (Novice/Intermediate) clinics are held in May. The N/I clinics are aimed at improving those skills first introduced in the beginner clinics from the previous year. The class layout/plan is totally dependent on the instructor. Generally, the first half of the first day is spent either on a lake or flat/moving water going over the basic fundamentals again. This is a time that the instructor uses to get to know his/her class, their skills and how they learn. The instructor takes all of that information and then forms or makes modifications to his/her class agenda according to the needs of the students. The second day is spent on a class II or II/III river to allow the students time to practice, practice, practice. Some instructors throw in a few moves and tricks to keep the class interested. The N/I clinics are held in the NOC area.

The Advanced clinics are usually held in April or May since some of these classes are water dependent and you have your best water in early Spring. These clinics are aimed at helping the more experienced boater (high intermediate paddler) transition his/her basic techniques into more fun on the water. The students must have a good combat roll and need to be very comfortable on class III water and have at least some experience on class IV water. These classes are usually divided up into the techniques that will be taught. Each advanced class is held where the instructor can find that best location/river to match the skills he or she is trying to teach for that class.

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Rescue and Safety Clinics

One of the great things about paddling is that the sport demands personal responsibility and self-reliance. Of course, the downside is that, when bad things happen, we can't just dial 911 and expect help to show up. Instead, we have to help ourselves and our fellow paddlers. One way to improve our ability to avoid and manage whitewater accidents is to take a rescue class.

The Carolina Canoe Club offers at least 2 weekend-long safety and rescue clinics each year - "Introductory Rescue and Safety" and "ACA Swiftwater Rescue (SWR). The introductory clinic is for the less experienced boater or someone who has never taken a rescue course. The clinic is open to any member of the Carolina Canoe Club on a first come, first served basis. This is a great time to take the course for the first time or for those of you who want a refresher. Look, lets be real, we practice our boating skills whether in the pool or on the river, so lets practice those Rescue and Safety skills. You never know when someone might need your help.

The ACA SWR course lasts 16 to 20 hours and is physically challenging. It covers accident prevention and management, hazard recognition, self rescue, wading and swimming, basic and advanced rope rescue techniques, unpinning and extrication, entrapment rescues, and use of swiftwater rescue vests. The first day of the clinic is spent learning techniques on land; the second day is spent in the water, learning more techniques and practicing material learned on Saturday. Participants should be comfortable in class III water and be ready to spend lots of time in the water.

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