This class will be taught by club member David Gilbert, an ACA Certified Level IV Whitewater Kayak Instructor who has been teaching kayakers since 2011. Please check out his website at www.spokanepaddling.com for more information about him.

The class is geared toward people who have done some paddling (not a lot is required) and are interested in developing their paddling skills and transitioning to rivers. Folks who have never paddled before at all would not be a good fit for this course. A brief overview of the day:
• Overview of the Day
• Equipment, Outfitting, and Adjustments
• Safety and the River Environment
• Warming up
• Wet Exit
• The Sweep (Turning) Stroke
• The Forward Stroke
o Reverse Stroke
• The Big Four
o Posture
o Paddler’s Box
o Core Rotation
o Tilt and Lean
• Bracing
• Entering and Exiting the Current
o Eddy Turns
o Peel Outs
o Ferrying
• Basic Rescues

These topics and many more would be sprinkled throughout the day where appropriate given the group and the different locations on the river. This class would be approximately 7 hours and would begin at a fixed location with some flat water and some mild currents and then would progress to running a stretch of class II water twice. Exact location for the class will depend on river levels. David can provide boats and gear to those who need it.