The Boomer's Guide to Whitewater Kayaking: Version 2

By Greg Hansen

The popularity of kayaking increases every year, and the appearance of kayaks in ad media is seemingly everywhere. Studies indicate that the popularity of kayaking in general is on the rise, as is the popularity of whitewater kayaking. There are no statistical studies that show the increase in the popularity of kayaking for senior citizens, however, but the fact that some outdoor adventure companies are starting to offer paddling trips aimed at an older demographic is indicative of the growing senior market.
These ads and outings, however, focus on “flat water” kayaking or, on occasion, whitewater rafting. There is never a mention of whitewater kayaking. I suspect the reason for this is the idea that some people may have that whitewater kayaking is something only younger people do because it is dangerous and requires a lot of strength.
I discovered whitewater kayaking at the age of sixty-six. In less than three years, through a lot of hard work and study, I became certified as a Level 3 whitewater instructor by the American Canoe Association. I know, therefore, that older people can enjoy whitewater kayaking at least through Class III rapids if they are trained correctly.
I strongly believe that whitewater kayaking can provide a good physical experience for mature paddlers as well as a sense of excitement, but first they have to try it. My book provides information about whitewater kayaking in a methodical, progressive manner that is easy to understand. After reading my book, a paddler, especially an older paddler, will be able to put together a personal learning plan that will enable them to participate in whitewater kayaking in a safe, enjoyable manner.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Greg Hansen
• Release date: Mar 25, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005670450

Greg Hansen

I have been the leader of an artificial intelligence group, a modeling and simulation professional, NSA analyst, certified ethical hacker, white water kayak instructor, pickleball instructor and former police commissioner. I have published six non-fiction books, two with Prentice Hall. I am now venturing into the field of general fiction, calling on my experience in AI to develop a harrowing view of the future, as well as my experience as a police commissioner to detail methods of criminal investigation.

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A Boomer’s Guide to Whitewater Kayaking

Version Two

Greg Hansen

Copyright © 2021 by Greg Hansen

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Greg Hansen is a Level 3 kayak instructor, having earned his American Canoe Association certification in May, 2017.

Prior to that he was a Process Improvement Expert, specializing in the application of emerging technologies to optimize business operations, developing and implementing comprehensive change management plans, leading to quality execution, sustainability and cost reduction.

Mr. Hansen is the author of Automating Business Process Reengineering: Using the Power of Visual Simulation Strategies to Improve Performance and Profit (Prentice Hall).

DEDICATION

To Donna: Thank you for finding the Groupon coupon that got us started kayaking, for buying many kayaks, thereby letting me understand the differences between them, for modifying the outfitting in your kayaks, thereby letting me get a clearer picture of how outfitting matters, for spending time videoing me, and for pushing me to get my instructor certification.

Contents

Foreword

Chapter One - Introduction

Chapter Two – Obstacles to Learning

Chapter Three - Comparing Whitewater Kayaking to Other Sports

Chapter Four - Basic Whitewater Terminology

Chapter Five - River Hydrology

Chapter Six - Choosing a Kayak

Chapter Seven – Other Equipment

Chapter Eight – Entering and Exiting Your Kayak

Chapter Nine - The Basics of Whitewater Kayaks

Chapter Ten - Basic River Moves

Chapter Eleven - The Kayak Roll

Chapter Twelve – How to Read a River

Chapter Thirteen – Safety Issues

Chapter Fourteen - Getting Started with an Instructor

Chapter Fifteen - How to Select a Kayak Instructor

Chapter Sixteen - You Are Ready to get out on the River!

Chapter Seventeen - Some Practical Advice

Chapter Eighteen – White Water Rafting

Addendum - Swift Water Rescue

Foreword

The popularity of kayaking increases every year, and the appearance of kayaks in ad media is seemingly everywhere. Studies indicate that the popularity of kayaking in general is on the rise, as is the popularity of whitewater kayaking. There are no statistical studies that show the increase in the popularity of kayaking for senior citizens, however, but the fact that some outdoor adventure companies are starting to offer paddling trips aimed at an older demographic is indicative of the growing senior market.

These ads and outings, however, focus on flat water kayaking or, on occasion, whitewater rafting. There is never a mention of whitewater kayaking. I suspect the reason for this is the idea that some people may have that whitewater kayaking is something only younger people do because it is dangerous and requires a lot of strength.

I discovered whitewater kayaking at the age of sixty-six. In less than three years, through a lot of hard work and study, I became certified as a Level 3 whitewater instructor by the American Canoe Association. I know, therefore, that older people can enjoy whitewater kayaking at least through Class III rapids if they are trained correctly.

I strongly believe that whitewater kayaking can provide a good physical experience for mature paddlers as well as a sense of excitement, but first they have to try it. My book provides information about whitewater kayaking in a methodical, progressive manner that is easy to understand. After reading my book, a paddler, especially an older paddler, will be able to put together a personal learning plan that will enable them to participate in whitewater kayaking in a safe, enjoyable manner.

Chapter One - Introduction

If you’re over fifty you may have begun to realize that you can’t do the physical activities you used to do, at least not at the level you’d like to. Senior tennis consists of doubles matches. Senior golf is played from the front tees. You now play slow-pitch softball instead of fast-pitch softball. You can still be competitive, but competition just isn’t as much fun as it was when you were younger.

I used to play a lot of tennis. A torn ACL and two torn menisci took care of that sport. I also used to play golf on an almost daily basis, always walking the course to get exercise and to concentrate on my next shot. My knee issues don’t prevent me from continuing to walk a golf course – my back issues now keep me from playing golf. In addition, golf sucks up a lot of time, more than I want to spend. Despite my love of the game, I actually went cold turkey and gave up golf altogether.

Many older people remain strong athletes and enjoy vigorous physical activity. I’d like to think that I fit into that category. I work out twice a day – once in the morning and once in the afternoon. However, even the fittest people notice the decline in their abilities as they age. When you’re younger you might be able to play through pain. But as you age, continuing to play if you have an injury can make that injuryworse. A small stress fracture that might have healed quickly when you were younger can grow into a more serious, more painful fracture that will take longer to heal. Playing through pain is never a good idea to begin with, but it’s a really bad idea as you mature.

Let’s face it – your ability to perform in basketball, softball, jogging, skiing and most other sports are all affected by both your physical state and your mental state. As much as I enjoyed all of those sports, common sense told me it was time to find another activity that gave me a good workout but one that did not create too much stress on my body.

It was just after I turned sixty-five that my wife happened upon a Groupon deal for kayaking on the San Antonio River. We found the experience to be quite pleasant since we could take in the beauty of the river vegetation and get some upper body work as well. Kayaking seemed to be pretty easy.

We then signed up for a kayak trip on the San Marcos River. It was a long paddle of about eight miles that included some very small and tame rapids. It didn’t matter that they were small and tame – I capsized anyway. Suddenly kayaking didn’t seem so easy. I now had a challenge, and I love a challenge.

Since we lived near a big lake, we began to rent kayaks and take them out for hour-long paddles. At first, we really enjoyed kayaking on the lake but after a while it became rather monotonous. Moreover, the wind tended to pick up as the day went on, and paddling into the wind made a dull outing a tiring outing. The last thing you want to do is expend a lot of energy while doing something uninteresting.

Eventually we heard about the Rio Vista Whitewater Park in San Marcos, Texas. Out of curiosity we drove to the park to see what whitewater kayaking was all about. In addition to hundreds of people floating in inner tubes, we saw a dozen or so men and women in tiny boats playing around in the rapids.

We had found what we were looking for – a sport that seemed like a lot of fun and one that wouldn’t mangle my knees.

Our initial observation was that playing around in the whitewater didn’t seem to be very difficult, but we decided to take a lesson before we ventured into the rapids. We were given a few minutes of instruction on the basic strokes we needed to know and then headed into the water. Within about ten minutes I was upside down and bailing out of my kayak. My very expensive prescription sunglasses floated down river never to be seen again. Adding insult to injury was the fact that I had to drag the kayak out of the water and empty it out. There were probably thirty gallons of water in the boat. That’s more than two hundred pounds of water. I was exhausted after only an hour of the lesson.

But I was also hooked on whitewater kayaking. I’ve now gone through six kayaks and taken many more lessons. I will never be a play boater – the name given to the people I saw doing tricks in the rapids. As one of my kayak instructors said, Play boaters are young, strong and fearless. At my age, I am none of those. However, I am able to run down river through churning water, make turns as required, navigate past hazards and have a lot of fun in whitewater.

In the few years I’ve been whitewater kayaking, I’ve discovered that a lot of people love kayaking in general. If you look at billboards and TV commercials, you’ll see more and more references to kayaks. It is a very popular sport, as well as a very social sport. You can put as much or as little effort into kayaking as you like and still have a great time. Like everything else, though, the more effort you make the more enjoyment you will have. I believe that having as much information as you can before you start making the effort will make the learning process go more smoothly, especially when you are starting off at an older age.

I wrote this book to encourage mature people to investigate whitewater kayaking, and to provide as much information as I can, so they have a better idea of what to expect than I did when I began. I’m going to present a lot of information that will speed up the process of getting into some real rapids. I’ll also address the cost of whitewater kayaking which, once you have your initial set of equipment, is not that great – the rivers are pretty much free, after all. Finally, I’ll discuss the important topic of swift water rescue.

There is one message I want to give readers up front – you can never take too many lessons. I’ve found that I learn something new every time a take a lesson, and every bit of information I have makes me a better kayaker. Lessons can be expensive, especially when you have to travel to take them, but in my opinion, there is no better way to spend your retirement money.

Chapter Two – Obstacles to Learning

Recognize that Obstacles to Learning are Real

There are two widely accepted theories regarding the effects of aging on learning. One is that we tend to lose the ability to accumulate knowledge as we age, and the other is that we tend to learn more slowly as we age. Other studies show that neither of these theories are true, but that there are other factors that limit our ability to learn as we get older.

As a kayak instructor, I have to be able to recognize what the obstacles to learning are and develop mechanisms for dealing with them. These obstacles may be stronger and harder to overcome in older individuals, simply because they have had many years of varying experiences and have a preconceived set of notions about how things should work. This chapter focuses on the obstacles to learning that we all have and how working with competent instructors can help you overcome those obstacles.

Fear

One major factor that affects learning is fear. Research has shown that some people develop fears after a first-hand experience of an adverse event, such as getting stung by a bee or being chased by a dog. This is known as fear conditioning.

Below is a picture of me after I completed a motorcycle race in the deserts of California. In that race, I actually went over the handlebars of my bike, had the bike land on me and got run over by a couple of other racers. I picked myself up, got back on my bike and continued the race to the end. In this picture, I am smiling and proudly showing off my torn leather motorcycle pants.

Despite the fact that I am smiling, I had doubt begin to creep into my mind after this event and I became fearful of racing. That fear affected my ability to ride fast and, therefore, my overall biking ability. This is an example of fear conditioning based on a personal experience.

Something that could add to that fear is my knowledge of the fact that our ability to withstand injury decreases as we age. At this point in my life there is no way that I would climb on a bike and go tearing through the desert. I might, however, take motorcycle riding lessons to help minimize my fear of riding so that I could at least enjoy a leisurely ride on an off-road track.

There is another theory that fear conditioning can occur indirectly. For example, images of a horrifying plane crash can induce a fear of flying in many people. Similarly, you may watch some YouTube videos that show kayakers getting tossed upside down on a river or, worse, dying on a river. It does not matter that these people may have been in very dangerous water, only that they were injured or killed. Seeing something like that may affect not only your ability to learn whitewater kayaking, but even your desire to try it.

That fear can be overcome, or at least minimized, by working with a trained professional who can explain river dynamics and who can help you learn how to avoid dangerous situations. Ideally, the instructor will talk to a person taking lessons and try to find out if they have any fears and what those fears are. An instructor will help the student understand that learning a new skill is a challenge, that they should believe in their abilities to master the challenge,