RE: [Paddlewise] WHITEWATER - Kayak or Canoe ????

Hal,

  A further note on the differences between an OC1 and a kayak for
whitewater paddling - If you paddle an OC1, you will swim.  Every time you
see one of your kayaking pals do a nice roll and come back up paddling like
nothing happened.....well, make the same mistake in an OC1 and the odds are
you're going for a swim.
  One of the best paddling courses I ever took was a three day River Rescue
class - in which the entire class spent nearly a whole day swimming down,
across, up, under, etc, a class II-III section of river.  The experience of
getting to swim thru a variety of hazards in a somewhat controlled
environment was invaluable! (I also fell in love with my drysuit that day,
tight gaskets and all<g>) Still have a big "battle scar" on the top of my
helmet from the little lesson the river thought I should learn about how not
to swim over a strainer (ie. do not attempt to go feet first!)
  I'm not saying that you can't roll an OC1, just that it's a bit more
difficult than rolling a WW kayak.  I never learned.  Swam a lot.  Loved
every minute.

Have fun in your class!!
Dave Seng
Juneau, Alaska

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Hal Christiansen [mailto:hal_at_mbox305.swipnet.se]
> Sent: Saturday, May 29, 1999 12:04 AM
> To: PaddleWise (E-mail)
> Subject: [Paddlewise] WHITEWATER - Kayak or Canoe ????
> 
> 
> I will be taking a beginners WW course in two weeks. The 
> facility offers 
> training using kayaks. I have paddled OC! almost exclusively 
> for several 
> years. So my question to the list is this :
> 
> What are the reasons why you favor either kayaks or canoes, 
> for white water 
> rivers, playboating, rodeo, etc. ???
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