Two men paddling down whitewater in a red canoe.
Location: Bonaventure River, Quebec. Photo credit: Felix Serre

Intermediate Tandem Moving Water Canoeing

Discipline: Canoeing Program: Moving Water Stream: Skills Development

The Intermediate Tandem Moving Water Canoeing is an intermediate level course that introduces paddlers to the use of helpful water features to make manoeuvres easier and more efficient.

The focus of this course is on canoe stability, using water features, and paddling techniques for navigating Class II waters.

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Course Overview

Typical Course Length

14 hours of instruction.

Course Topics

Safety and Rescue
  • International river classification
  • Morphology (causes of features)
  • Expanded canoe and swimmer rescues and procedures
  • Water levels and flow rates
  • Personal gear for whitewater paddling
General Paddling Skills
  • Eddy exits into troughs
  • Stroke timing and placement
  • Controlling the arc
Paddling Strokes
  • Sculling draw
  • Sculling pry
  • Cut (powerface and non-powerface)
  • Righting pry
  • Low brace
Manoeuvres
  • Landing with back ferry
  • Jet ferries
  • Eddy exit and entry with wave troughs
  • S-turns with wave interference patterns
  • Front surf
  • Shift
  • Navigating eddies with back ferries
Concepts
  • Troughs
  • Crossing the grain
  • Scouting for shore
Knowledge
  • Class II river anatomy
  • Carving
  • Water features
  • Water reading - current patterns
  • Canoe designs
Course Prerequisites
  • Introduction to Tandem Moving Water Canoeing or permission of the Instructor, based on proof of prior learning of equivalent skill and knowledge.
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