Learning to Kayak in Colorado
Kayaking is fun, but fun hardly describes the experience of learning to kayak. Kayaking is also exciting, adventureous, and great exercise but learning to kayak can be more difficult than many people expect. Learning to kayak often includes feelings of frustration, and fear and the bumps and bruises that come from swimming down whitewater rapids. The challenge involved in learning the sport is part of what makes it so rewarding. All kayakers have vivid memories of running their first rapids and hitting their first “combat” roll, an unexpected roll in whitewater.
Give it a Chute
Before you run out to purchase kayak gear you should try it a few times. The best way is to take an introductory lesson from a professional kayak school. If you have friends who are paddlers, have them show you the basics, but beware that many relationships are damaged by attempts at kayak instruction. Make sure your first experience is on a lake or the calmest of rivers. These tiny boats are hard enough to control without adding current, waves, and rocks into the mix. Practice tipping over and getting out of the boat, and paddling in a straight line.
You may know right away that you want to pursue it further, but many people are unsure about paddling whitewater. You might be apprehensive at the thought of careening down the river ass over teakettle. This is a normal, natural and healthy fear that usually fades with experience. Don’t be put off if whitewater doesn’t appeal to you. Kayaks were invented for ocean travel and kayak touring offers graceful, efficient travel over long distances and access to some amazing wild places inaccessible by any other means.
You can rent kayaking equipment from many specialty retail stores, but if you are serious about getting into the sport its time to think about buying the gear. Think of it as an investment in your personal happiness and fulfillment and realize that once you own the gear all you need is money for gas, beers, and Little Debbie snacks.
Getting Your Gear
Let’s be up front about one thing: kayaking requires a significant amount of equipment. Especially in Colorado where the sport involves a constant battle with hypothermia. During the spring and early summer the snowmelt fed rivers of the rockies are COLD and you must dress appropriately. Your safety and comfort depend on how well equipped you are for the conditions you will encounter. The cost of all new equipment can easily climb to more than $1500. If that amount seems prohibitive, consider purchasing used gear which will set you back between $500-$900.
You need a Kayak. New kayaks cost between $800-$950 and are wonders of plastic molding technology. Boat design has taken an evolutionary leap forward in the past few years. Modern kayaks are easier to use and more comfortable than ever before. If you don’t want to spend all that cash on a new boat a used one will do nicely at first. Used boats can be purchased for between $250 – $600, often with quite a bit of accessory equipment included. When purchasing a used boat inspect it carefully for signs of significant damage. Scratches are insignificant but folds or creases in the hull are serious, and highly faded color is a sign of weakened plastic. Above all, don’t purchase a boat with cracks in the hull. Your kayak should be properly outfitted with floatation bags to keep it afloat when you swim.
There are four other basic pieces of kayaking equipment that you will need: paddle, skirt, helmet and PFD. A paddle will allow you propel your boat. Paddles range in price from $90-$300 and vary in their weight, durability, blade shape, and feather angle (blade offset). A salesperson can help you choose a new one, but virtually any used paddle will be fine to get started. Skirts are worn around the waist and attach to the cockpit of the boat to keep the water out. They are generally made of neoprene and cost between $90-$140. Helmets are an essential piece of safety equipment on whitewater and range from $40-$120. Personal Floatation Devices (PFD) are commonly known as life jackets. Spend the money, $60-$100, for a kayaking specific PFD. These jackets have evolved greatly in recent years and offer adequate floatation, in a compact comfortable package.
Wait a minute, you’re not done shopping yet. Aside from the essentials you’ll need specialized clothing to keep you warm and happy. A wetsuit is the most basic piece of cold water gear and costs around $100. Choose one that offers full mobility for your shoulders and arms. Paddlejackets and drytops are nylon jackets designed to keep your upper body relatively dry. As their name implies, drytops do a much better job with rubber gaskets around your neck and wrists. Gloves or pogies will keep your hands warm and booties will protect your feet. Many paddlers also carry safety equipment such as a knife, whistle, first aid kit, spare paddle and a throw bag which is a length of rope stuffed into a bag. You might as well include a mesh gear bag to carry all your stuff.
The Fundamental skills
Now that you are properly outfitted its time to really work on your skills. The more time you spend mastering the basics, the less time you will spend out of your boat swimming down the river. Anyone who has fallen out of a raft can tell you that this is not a pleasant experience. It is even worse when it happens repeatedly and you have to tow your kayak and paddle to shore each time. Spend lots of time working on your skills in three main areas: basic boat control, rolling and bracing, river reading and navigation.
In order to boat under control in any situation you have to be able to make the boat go where you want it too. This may sound simplistic but most beginners have difficulty even paddling kayaks in a straight line. Even many “expert” paddlers do not have strong, efficient forward strokes. Next practice turning the boats with sweep strokes. Improve your balance in the boat by “edging” the kayak; lifting and holding one knee out of the water while maintaining your balance over the boat.
The Eskimo roll is as elusive a skill as there is in all of sports. You can never practice it too much because your success depends equally on your technique, and your confidence in your technique. The basic idea is that you use your paddle on the surface of the water to momentarily support a twisting motion of your hips that rights the boat. If you lift your head up or pull to hard on your paddle you will miss your roll and remain underwater. Learning the roll is usually easiest with the help a professional instructor. Once you’ve learned it keep repeating it hundreds of times. Bracing strokes are similar to rolls in their execution, but they are used to keep you from tipping over in the first place. Even in the largest of waves and holes a strong brace is enough to keep you upright.
River reading is a term that refers to your ability to anticipate obstacles, hazards, eddies, currents, and the force and shape of rapids that you are paddling. Skill at river reading comes only from experience. As one wise old kayaker was known to say “Good judgement comes from experience, experience comes from bad judgement.” Rivers contain many features and hazards that are not always easily recognized so it is important to scout unfamiliar rapids from the shore to determine the safest line. Safely navigating down a rapid involves applying both river reading and boat control skills.
Paddlin’ Play spots in and near Denver, Colorado:
Confluence Park: One of the best urban whitewater parks in the country, confluence park keeps improving with the addition of six new man made chutes downstream. The rapids are generally rated Class 2-3. With a long season from February to September it is an excellent early and late season training area.
Golden Gates: Golden has a new whitewater park built on Clear Creek. This excellent play area features a slalom course and play holes and waves. This park is good training ground for boaters aspiring to run the more difficult rapids upstream in Clear Creek Canyon. The Park is rated Class 2-3.
Union Avenue: This whitewater park is located Just west off Sante Fe Drive at Union avenue in Littleton. It offers some of the finest play boating in Colorado at higher water levels. Beware of powerful hydraulic features above 900 cfs.
Boulder Creek: Boulder has its own whitewater park too. Located in Eben G Fine park at the mouth of Boulder Canyon. This park also features a slalom course and many play waves and holes. Because it is a smaller creek it can be crowded on beautiful summer afternoons. Rated Class 3
Get in one today
Obviously there is a lot to learn if you are interested in taking up this exciting sport. There are many excellent books and videos that explain the details of every aspect of the sport. You’ll never know if its for you until you try it. Maybe this summer you’ll be the one speeding of to the hills with one of those pods on your roof rack. For more information contact one of the following specialty shops
Colorado Paddling Shops
In Denver: Confluence Kayaks 303-433-3676
2372 15th Street, Unit B
Denver, CO 80202
One block from the rapids at Confluence Park, in the Vitamin Cottage building (new location June 2009)
www.confluencekayaks.com
In Golden: Alpenglow Mountainsport 303-277-0133
In Boulder: The Paddle Shop 303-786-8799
Boulder Outdoor Center 303-444-8420
In Fort Collins: The Mountain Shop (970) 493-5720
Rocky Mountain Adventures (970) 493-4005
Poudre River Kayaks (970) 484-5922
