A man canoeing in moving water solo.
Location: Bonaventure River, Quebec. Photo credit: Felix Serre

Advanced Solo Moving Water Canoeing

Discipline: Canoeing Program: Moving Water Stream: Skills Development

The Advanced program is designed to take those keen whitewater paddlers to the next level. Students will hone their skills and strengthen their understanding of the language of the river.

Students will further develop skills to descend and cross currents, capture micro eddies and run complex class III rapids.

New maneuvers like side and back surfing will strengthen stability skills and build one’s confidence. All together the course maximizes the fun on the river.

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Course Overview

Typical Course Length

14 hours of instruction.

Course Topics

Safety and Rescue
  • Advanced river features/hazards (class III)
  • Advanced rescue systems and courses
  • When to portage
General Paddling Skills
  • Active paddle blade
  • Navigating advanced river features
  • Blending strokes
Paddling Strokes
  • Review and refine intermediate strokes
  • Stroke blending
  • High brace
  • Boof stroke
Manoeuvres
  • Launching and landing in circulating eddies
  • Back ferry
  • Boofing
  • Wave blocking
  • Crossing the grain
  • Side surfing holes (class II)
  • Back surfing (class II)
  • Navigating advanced water features
  • Crossing the grain with speed (complex)
Concepts
  • Wave interference patterns
  • Navigating differential currents
  • Finding the dry line
  • Scouting from the canoe
Knowledge
  • Class III river anatomy
  • Water reading - gradient patterns
  • Advanced canoe design
Course Prerequisites
  • Intermediate Solo Moving Water or with permission of the instructor, based on proof of prior learning of equivalent skill and knowledge.
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