L4 SWR COURSE April 9th & 10th

[RobM]

Hey Folks, its time to kick off the 2016 SWR season. We will be holding an ACA, L4 Swift water rescue course at the Siloam Springs Kayak park March 19th & 20th .

This first course will be primarily for boaters that are on the water year around. If you do kayak, raft, SUP or canoe year around this is a must take course. Only way to learn how the cold temperatures will effect us & how we can prepare for it is in that environment . Now for the course. This will be a very fun and active course. Also this is a great opportunity to take advantage of this great place right here in NWA to learn safety on the river.

Our rescue courses are unique in that we have little lecture time & a lot of in the water time which makes for a very FUN & very active SWR learning experience. This is not a learning to swim class. Even though this is a challenge by choice class, you will need to know how to swim. What this is though is a opportunity to quickly learn & refine the latest in self-rescue techniques, methods to avoid potential dangers & to have the knowledge to be able to help people in the river environment.

We focus heavily on aggressive techniques that will solve big problems on the river when your day on the river don't go as planned. Self-Rescue, rope skills, swimming tactics, knots & ways to unpin boats or help entrapped paddlers when seconds count. This is just a portion of what we practice in this fast paced 2day swift water rescue course.

Gear Required:
-boat with float bags (unless your boat is a sit on top, raft or inflatable kayak)
-Life jacket or Rescue PFD (which would be very handy)
-helmet
-paddle
-whistle
-Warm river clothes. We will be in the water for extended periods of time this will be very important. ABSOLUTELY NO COTTON. Wet suit or Dry suit will be necessary for this course because of the time of year. Fleece or wool under-layer is good to wear under your dry suit.
- Appropriate footwear (river booties, water shoes that cover & protect your toes & ankles).
-lunch & snacks
-Plenty of water
-Sunblock
-Throw rope
If there is any of these items you do not have, please contact me first before you think you will not be prepared for this course. I do have extras &/or know people that would loan some extra gear out to students in this course. This is why we have these sort of course, for people to learn what gear they’ll need & what gear works best for you!
Optional gear for your benefit)
- unpin kit which consists of 1 piece of webbing 15' to 20' foot long, two pulleys ( same diameter that will fit your rope ).
Two prussik loops or two pieces of kern-mantle static cord that's 6mm to 8mm in diameter & four locking carabineers.


The cost of this course will be $125.
If you’re an ACA member already there will be five dollars taken of the cost.

For more info and/or to register:
Contact Rob at 479-957-8118 or email arkansasoutdooroutfitters@yahoo.com

[RobM]

Hey folks, I'll be sending out all the paperwork for this course to everyone that has signed up. If you have not email me yet please do so at arkansasoutdooroutfitters@yahoo.com . That way I will have your email too.

We still have a few spots still open yet it's filling up a lot faster than I thought. So email me right away if you would like to get in on this important course. I know a lot of people are thinking, there will be more courses when the water is a lot warmer. And that's right, there will be. If you only go paddling in warm water that's fine, yet if you are a person that paddles when the rivers are up, it's going to be as cold as these days in March or colder. This is where we try our gear out, make sure it will work for us when we need it. This is a real world swiftwater rescue course, when it's cold, wet & the water will still be up & flowing more like when we do paddle & need the quick reactions that SWR training can provide & teach you. Aslso we all float with our family & friends, let's make sure we all have each other's back on the river

NW Chapter folks, our chapter is offering to pay 1/2 the cost back for taking a Swiftwater rescue course for all NW chapter members! Can not beat a deal like that. These courses go for double the money anywhere else in the country Than this one is being offered for then it's cut in half again by being a member of the ACC NW Chapter & a responsible boater by taking a SWR course .

[RobM]

Course has been postponed till April 9th & 10th due to cancellations. At the last moment we had a several students have to cancel because of spring break & work reason.

Now the bad news out of the way, here is the good news. We will have a few more weeks of warmer weather & spring rain. So this promises to bring out more paddlers that need to learn & practice SWR skills before our upcoming spring rains . This also opens up more spots in this course. If interested & can make these dates please email me at arkansasoutdooroutfitters@yahoo.com