Canoe Courses & Clinics 2008

All clinics and courses are run for the benefit of club members, to give you the skills to enjoy our great program of day and weekend trips.
We strongly encourage you to take the appropriate course to upgrade or fine tune your skills but you still need the experience on the river at your skill level for building confidence.
If you are not sure of your skill level, discuss it with the course coordinator before signing up.

Club canoes and equipment are available for free rental for courses, but you are responsible for transporting them to and from the course site. If you bring your own canoe, you should be able to paddle it comfortably in the kneeling position.

Beginner Course

BEGINNER CANOE - DATE: June 21 & 22, 2008

This course will introduce students to the sport of canoeing. Besides a discussion on the anatomy of canoes, proper clothing, river factors, loading and carrying a canoe and safety will be discussed. Basic canoe strokes for bow and stern (forward, J-stroke, reverse, draw, pry); are covered on both flat and slow moving water. An introduction to ferries and eddy turns is also included. The cost of each course is $75 per participant. Membership in the club is required prior to registration. Participants wishing to register in a course should contact Norma Ouellette at 444-0263 at least two weeks prior to the course start date. Courses require minimum registration levels.

There are limited places available for this course so please register early.

Rundle Park Paddling Centre

In the summer, we have weekly access to the Rundle Park Paddling Centre. For those unfamiliar with RPPC, it’s an outdoor facility with a boat house full of canoes and kayaks, and a big clean paddling pond. It is available FREE OF CHARGE to members of participating clubs, such as us. We get to use the place every Wednesday night from 7:00 to 9:00. Experienced club members are usually on hand every week, to provide instruction to those who need it. Non-members can also show up for one free visit, but must join the club if they wish to continue coming. If you’re interested, just show up and grab one of the supplied boats, or bring your own. To get there, simply head for the buildings in Rundle Park, then look for the sign.

Equipment is essential for participants comfort and well-being. Please ensure you come prepared with appropriate gear and clothing.

Items to Bring:
- Bag Lunch

Personal
- Sunglasses and sun screen
- Water bottle
- 1 large Glad garbage bag
- Change of clothing for the trip home or in case you get wet!
- Logbook and pencil, if you wish to take notes

Clothing
**A note on clothing: Attempt to eliminate cotton as much as possible during activities. Synthetic (i.e. fleece) is a much more effective option for outdoor activities.
- Toque and sun hat
- Light weight undershirt
- Wool or thermal socks OR neoprene socks
- Towel

Outdoor Gear
- Wind shell
- Warm coat or fleece liner
- Good rain gear (jacket and pants - no ponchos, please)
- Gloves or mitts (weather dependent)
- Old runners that may get wet - water shoes must be close toed
- Dry shoes for the trip home
- Day pack

We have requested sunshine for the day, but unfortunately cannot guarantee it. Should you tend to be cold when outside for long periods of time, you may want to bring extra warm clothes. Remember that it is better to wear multiple layers for warmth, than to wear one heavy layer.