Huge Experiences Blog

"The Spirit of Whitewater"

What is the Whitewater Symposium?

“What is the Whitewater Symposium?” asked directors Bob Campbell and Bruce Lessels this past weekend at the 2007 Whitewater Symposium’s final panel discussion, “The Future of the Whitewater Symposium.” The kayak industry’s top leaders brainstormed the question with the goal of trying to encompass the question into one all-telling sentence.

(c) Chris Port, NOC

Above: Bruce Lessels (Zoar Outdoor) moderates a panel discussion

The Whitewater Symposium is a collection of the kayak industry leaders assembled in a series of three-day events. Kayak schools, manufacturers, magazines, safety instructors, athletes, whitewater park developers, video producers, and service project leaders all collaborated information.

For each attendee, the symposium offers something unique. For example, Woody Calloway stated that Liquid Logic’s new impressive river runner “the Remix” was a direct result of instructor input he gained from his attendance during the 2005 symposium. Kayak schools and manufacturers plan their business around a positive and fun image that industry leaders have researched as productive, exciting, and inspirational to everyone from families to extremists.

A Profound Impression

Charlie Walbridge teaches one of many symposium sessions, "New Foot Entrapment Rescue."

This symposium blew my mind as I looked around a room full of kayak industry owners with their top instructors and employees. They were there to improve their instruction, plan for the future of kayaking, improve their business models, and to share their wealth of knowledge.

Where else could you gain so much instruction and information about the sport within even a period of a month, and this was all happening in three days. I thought, “Wow! Now I understand why these companies are so successful.” Their presence alone was motivational.

Why does the public view kayaking as death-defying?

Months ago, I was interviewed by Outside Magazine regarding an experience where I was trapped in my kayak underwater for over a minute. I rarely share that story, as it was an isolated incident. While the experience caused me to move to a more conservative safety model that aspires to teach how to avoid and escape this situation, I am often left preoccupied with the imagery that the magazine is likely to publish.

Kent Ford described it best with the symposium’s opening discussion regarding changing the public’s image of kayaking. Kent’s video entertained and clearly illustrated an image of a scary and dangerous sport to those who are not familiar with kayaking. And while the sport is extraordinarily fun and user-friendly there is a continual presentation of this type of story that has consistently branded a dangerous, extreme image to the public. Kent went on to illustrate a recent change in the “kayak image.” A growing television presence has kayak companies opting to advertise ease of use and fun adventure, while manufacturers are marketing quality of life to contribute to a more positive image for kayakers.

Kent then moderated a panel discussion with panel members Mark Singleton of American Whitewater, Eugene Buchanon of Paddling Life, Anna Levesque of Girls at Play, and myself, David Hughes of the New River Academy. We each spoke on our own perspective regarding the future of kayaking. Finally, the audience took turns asking directed questions.

Which session do I attend?

The symposium began each day at 9:00 am with a series of four 90 minute time slots. Moderators and speakers addressed the kayak industry with topics such as: “Use of the Internet”, a variety of kayak skills courses, instructor updates, safety and rescue courses, youth and teen development roundtables, American Whitewater presentations, “Mental Components of Kayaking”, expedition planning, and more.

The instructor list of presenters is the who’s who of kayaking. So, just making a decision between two or three topics/instructors became tough. But it did not matter when I missed Heather Herbek’s (Wetplanet) “Mental Side of Kayaking” or Janet Cowie’s (Zoar) “Game On” topic. I just asked them at dinner to brief me with their discussion and for a copy of their presentation.

The symposium made it easy to see why kayak schools like NOC, Zoar, DeRemier Adventure Kayak, NE PA Kayak School, Wetplanet, Liquid Adventures, Potomac Paddlesports, Girls at Play, and many others are the remarkable kayak school leaders. They invest in their instructional development, the quality of life of their employees, and hire and maintain fabulous instructors.

Are Kayakers Attention Deficit?

With hours of stimulating sessions, it was easy for a gathering of avid kayakers to lose their attention. Bob Campbell, Kent Ford, and Bruce Lessels strategically planned this symposium with the Adventure Sports Center International. We could actually attend a session and walk 30 seconds and put on great whitewater. I would play on the wave where the Freestyle National Championships were held just a month prior with other instructors while kayak instructors and pro-athletes would use the course to present instructional courses to learning instructors.

The Highlight of the Symposium

(c) Fergus Coffey/Janet Cowie (Zoar Outdoor)

Above: Anna Levesque (Girls at Play), David Hughes (Huge Experiences), and Mike Porter (Zoar) team surf.

The symposium was all but over as leaders began to depart for airports and extended drives to their homes. I was lucky enough to paddle with NOC, Zoar, and US National Whitewater Center instructors one last time before our departures. Anna Levesque, “Bluejay,” was there and it was not long before I was reminded of her playful mischievous nature. Anna instigated a wave war that soon evolved into a more positive team trying to keep each other on the wave.

The surf was thirty minutes of ten paddlers from different parts of the world smiling, hooting, and helping each other stay on the wave. Owners and spectators snapped photos of us laughing, surfing, flipping, and enjoying our passion.

The surf had embodied everything Kent during his original and Joe Pulliam in his keynote presentation expressed that the kayak image should be.

Why not “kayak just for fun?”

Original post by New River Academy and software by Elliott Back

Families often ask, “How does the New River Academy fly with
their kayaks?” “We fly with them.”
Flying with your kayak may be intimidating at first but it is only
slightly more difficult than flying with normal luggage.

The goal with this whitewater kayak school travel segment is to
teach you how to fly internationally with your kayak gear at an economical
rate.

Lets break it down into steps:

Choose
a kayak friendly airline. Airlines post their oversize
baggage specifications whether they allow or “blacklist” kayaks. Stay away from airlines that do
not allow kayaks as oversize luggage. If you use the rules in this article you may still be
able to fly with a blacklist company but don’t count on it.

I most often use US Airways and
United Airlines.

Know weight and size
allowance: Bags are free under 50
pounds, but will be classified as oversize based on dimensions. Your max limit maybe around 115”
(l+w+h) and typically = $80 fee.
Freestyle kayaks are around 74” hl+ 13” h + 25” w. Check the oversize baggage
allowance for your airline.

(c) Morgan Tidd

Daniel Stewart measures boat dimensions. 

Packing
your kayak you will need: packing tape, sharpie, strap, boat
bag or alternative kayak wrap.

Label
each piece of gear.
Stuff
lite weight items like fleece, dry
tops, skirts, booties into foot and stern compartments. Do not exceed 50 pounds unless you
are fine with a possible second oversize fee for dimension and weight.
Brace
your paddle(s). Use sleeping bags, sleeping pads,
pfds, sandals, and any bulky items to provide support between your kayak
and paddle. Tape and wrap
the paddle well to the cockpit rim.
I have observed non-braced paddles break.
Wrap
to protect. You can use a kayak bag, but they are hard to find and
end up being an additional awkward piece of gear.

(c) Morgan Tidd

A disposble tarp can also serve as a ground cloth.  Plus, it is not an awkward piece of gear you will have to carry.

E. Make a handle for the skycaps. Imagine that skycaps hate
heavy awkward to carry luggage.
So, make it easy to carry.

a. Cut a hole in your wrapping system at the cockpit rim
allowing for a handle.

b. Or make a shoulder strap that you previously built prior to
wrapping. The shoulder strap can
be a piece of webbing that ties around the bow and stern and protrudes out of
two holes from the tarp.

F. Label, Label, Label- Where
will you be, where are you going, which flight number is it?

Checking
in:

Show
up 3 hours early. You have large luggage and if the
plane is nearly full the counter person is more likely to turn you
down. If you are one of the
earliest then there is less stress related to an over packed plane
belly. Plus, you will want
the extra time to carry your heavy gear.
What
to say. Avoid the word “Kayak.” The word “Kayak” is an expensive
word that is often charged twice as much as other similar sized
items. I always call my
craft a “surf ski.” What is
a “surf ski?”

“A surf ski is something you sit
on top of and surf in the ocean.
It is like a surf board because of its design and you surf it in the
ocean.” If the person behind
the counter says to you, “that looks a lot like a kayak.” Smile at her and say, “Has anyone told
you have a wonderful smile today?
Yes, I agree. We do sit on
these and surf them in the ocean.”

I keep relating it to a surf board
because I want the surf board rate.
If they charge you $80 be happy, pay your fee, and leave the desk person
with a smile.

4. What if airline will
not accept the kayak? I have traveled internationally with a
kayak for 12 years now and always have been able to nicely convince the desk
person to allow the kayak. Allow
them to be in charge from the start, ask them how you can help move the kayak
to where they need it so they will not have extra work, be excited about your
“surf ski” adventure, and smile.

If they turn you down and say they don’t accept kayaks then
you are going to have to ask them for their help. Going over the top to management is a bad ideal unless
worded correct.

EG- “Can I
speak to your manager?” is a bad ideal.

Try this instead.
“Thank you for your help.
Obviously, you realize how important this piece of equipment is to my
vacation. Is there anything you
can do within your power or someone you can ask or lead me to speak with that
can approve this? My apologies for
not packing this well, being here earlier… Any help you can offer would make me most appreciative and
have a strong positive impact on my vacation.”

Now, you have asked them for genuine help. It is hard to deny wanting to help
someone who has been nothing but kind.

You may have to be persistent. Keep your eye on being the world champion of gratitude and
letting the officials know how much it would benefit your trip. I have stuck out several “no you can
not travel with your kayak.” Only to later be allowed based on barraging them
with kindness and sticking out the situation.

Go Huge Kayaking in your international destination.

Original post by New River Academy and software by Elliott Back