Arkansas Canoe Club Forums

Hello all, I am new to whitewater kayaking and would love to get some formal instruction. Have used a ocean surfing kayak in Galveston for several years, prior canoe experience, but now looking at some white water and river running in NW Arkansas.

Hoping to get some instruction on proper form and technique. Likely have some bad habits to unlearn... Have both a play kayak and a longer river runner. Also have 3 young kids that have just transitioned from canoe cargo to kayaking!! Good days are ahead of us.

Please PM or email if you know of opportunities / instructors for kayaking.

Come out to the pool tonight! Wilson Park @ 6pm.

Also, look for our Whitewater Rescue fun day.

Hey Talldaddy,

Glad you are spreading your paddling wings even further to include whitewater. There are several great kayak instructors in the NWA area, and lots more across the ACC territory (Arkansas, Eastern OK, LA, and NE TX). If you decide to take your canoe experience into whitewater, let me know. I am a solo WW canoe instructor, and I have been talking with another local guy getting into solo WW canoeing. We will be playing in the pond soon, and the rivers as soon as they fill up again. I'm sure we could find a good boat for you to try out to see what a solo canoe is like.

Thanks,
Paul

If you are in a hurry to learn, have money and time.. then NOC in North Carolina would be the prefect place for instruction this time of year.

August and September, even October can be pretty dry in the Ozark. So the beginning of the "fall-winter" paddling season can be quite variable.

Thanks for the responses.

Paul, I"ll contact you about trying solo canoe. Looks like a blast, but don't have one. Just bought 4 used kayaks this past month to outfit my family. All five of us were on the White this past Saturday!

Maxtexan, thanks for the thought on NC, but my interest is purely pleasure and needs to be local. Have work and family obligations locally and would rather spend my money on a decent boat than traveling out of state for classes.

My only white water kayak experience is when I ran Lee Creek last year in my Super EZ and didn't have to wet exit, but was rather sloppy.

If you paddle a super ez you are in good company. My favorite boat!

When I was learning I had the flexibility to go any where to learn.... a good weekend of instruction can improve skills alot

I had a paddle mate there, who did not do so well with rolling etc. in a super ez beause of it big flat bottom. IT makes for a different type of paddling.