Re: [Paddlewise] white water polemic

Applause ...!

Now I´ll say I absolutely agree. I will only add that it would be grate if
instructors appends a lesson on "how to cool down your brain", as most of
w.w. danger starts when adrenaline fills your ego so much, that you stop
listening, even to yourself.

Go for the last video, take note of the kayakers names, wait for the next
year and check how many are still alive .... and they call themselves PRO'S
!!!

Fernando Lopez Arbarello
Kayak Argentina - Sea Kayaking Mailing List
www.topica.com/lists/kayak_argentina
kayak_argentina_at_uol.com.ar


----- Original Message -----
From: Kevin Whilden <kevin_at_yourplanetearth.org>
To: <paddlewise_at_paddlewise.net>
Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2001 7:53 PM
Subject: [Paddlewise] white water polemic


> The problem with newer paddlers not knowing the basics comes from how they
> learn the sport, not the kind of craft they paddle.  One can learn the
> basics of whitewater in any currently available plastic closed-deck kayak,
> and progress to high skill in any such craft. Having taught whitewater for
> about five years now, I have noticed that the older style dancer/pirouette
> boats somewhat limit learning because they are less responsive than the
new
> short, flat play boats. Reponsiveness, to both good and bad technique is
the
> key to learning the skills necessary to whitewater kayak. A responsive
boat
> will tell you when something is wrong, and as soon as you start to do
things
> correctly, it will respond positively a little bit sooner than an
> unresponsive kayak. This helps speed the progress of acquiring skill.
>
> Contrary to what the old fogies say, speed is not important in learning
> whitewater. It IS important in making do-or-die ferries and surfing long
> fast waves, but how many beginners ever encounter those situations?
> Something is very wrong if they do. Paddling class II-III rapids does not
> require speed, but it does require control. A long fast boat is inherently
> harder to control than a short flat boat. I think it is a very telling
> statement to notice that this year's hottest beginner boat was last year's
> hottest rodeo boat. The underlying truth is that it is easier to learn
> whitewater in a responsive kayak.
>
> As far as the new school kayakers who learn to cartwheel before learning
> eddy turns or perfecting their eskimo roll. Let them have their fun,
because
> the river will soon teach them the necessity of sound paddling technique.
> The unforgiving River Gods reward hubris with spankings, enforcing
humility
> in all but the most obtuse of conscious paddlers. The only hope is that no
> permanent injuries will result as part of this process. Unfortunately the
> exponentially growing popularity of whitewater kayaking statistically
> ensures that mishaps will more frequently occur. Fortunately, the class
> II-III river is a fairly benign environment, especially when compared to
the
> harsh Mistress of the Sea. There are lots of reasons why I think learning
> whitewater is a much safer endeavor than learning sea kayaking, but I'll
> have to get into that later as necessity of work ends this particular
> polemic.
>
> Cheers,
> kevin
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
> Kevin Whilden
> Your Planet Earth
> kevin_at_yourplanetearth.org
> http://www.yourplanetearth.org
> voice: (206) 788-0281
> fax: (206) 788-0284
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
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