Clinic General Information

· PLEASE READ CLINIC LEVEL GUIDELINES before you make your clinic selections.
· Clinics are two hours long.
· There are two clinic time slots per day: one in the morning (10 am till 12 noon) and one in the afternoon (2 pm till 4 pm).
· You should be ready to meet 30 minutes before your clinics begin.
· You can participate in two clinics per day.
· Clinics are included with Palmer Fest registration, and are only available to those registrants.
· Organizers reserve the right to alter or cancel clinics, pending demand. Please check final schedule when you arrive to receive your wristband at the festival.
· REGISTER ONLY FOR CLINICS YOU ARE SURE TO ATTEND.

How to Choose the Right Level of Clinics

All Palmer Fest clinics are organized into four very different skill levels-Level 1, 2, 3 and All. Choosing the correct level insures the best experience for you and the other paddlers in your clinics. Level 1 is for people who have very little or no whitewater canoeing or kayaking experience. Level 2 is for those have a basic understanding and have had some formal instruction-these are designed to build upon and refine your basic skills. Level 3 are clinics that teach advance skills or concepts and are designed for strong intermediate paddlers. We would love to tell you which clinics are best for you but we don't know your skills or experience. Please don't sign up for clinics that are beyond your skill level.

If in doubt we suggest being modest, it is easier for our instructors to teach to a higher level for you than it is for them to bring an advanced clinic down to a basic level for one person in the group. In the past we've had people who couldn't get their spray skirt on sign up for an advance creeking. In cases like this for the benefit of the group our instructors may ask you to just audit the clinic.

Please read each level description and decide carefully being honest about your experience and ability, when selecting your clinics. If you do this you'll have a rewarding and extremely fun weekend.

Clinic Level Guidelines

Level 1 Clinics= Level 1 clinics are designed for first time paddlers who haven't had any previous experience or instruction paddling rivers in whitewater boats. These clinics are designed so that new whitewater paddlers can start from scratch and take all four, building upon the concepts and skills throughout the weekend. Even if you're an experience lakewater canoeist or sea kayaker you should begin here for the whitewater basics. Instruction will begin in flatwater and progress throughout the weekend to moving water. Entrants should be comfortable with the idea of exiting an overturned boat and be able to swim independently to safety. Entrants should be prepared with cool water paddling clothes.

Level 2 Clinics= Level 2 clinics are designed for paddlers who have some experience or formal instruction, perhaps a weekend whitewater course, and have been paddling some sort of whitewater boat on a short-term regular basis. You grasp the basic concepts and skills of whitewater paddling, either canoeing or kayaking. Expect to learn things that help you teach yourself to become a confident paddler ready to learn the entire scope of the sport. Most of this instruction will either fine-tuning core strokes and skills in flatwater or be in moving water that requires the ability to paddle competently across currents of class II-III. Entrants should be able to roll a kayak or canoe or have reasonably self-sufficient with self rescues.

Level 3 Clinics=Level 3 clinics include advanced techniques, skills or concepts designed for experienced whitewater paddlers who are competent in Class 3 water and beyond. You should have a reliable kayak or canoe roll, or be a master of self rescues. Advanced clinics are for skilled paddlers looking to improve certain aspects like strokes, or they are clinics teaching advances concepts or moves, like creeking and freestyle moves. You need not be an advanced creeker or high-level freestyle paddlers, but you should be a experienced and competent weekend paddler ready to learn advanced moves.  You should understand much of the terminology related to instruction and paddling at an intermediate to advanced level. In fairness to the group, if you belong in Level One clinics you may be asked to just audit the clinics.

ALL-Level Clinics=These clinics are for all levels of paddlers. These clinics included concepts, skills and techniques that apply to all levels of paddlers, such as river reading, trip planning and river safety. Instructors will assess the needs of the group and teach accordingly.

Continuing Clinics

We offer a number of clinics that build upon one another so that new or improving paddlers can progress through two or four clinics acquiring real skills and knowledge-almost like the first day of a paddling course. We offer these clinics for introduction to whitewater canoeing and kayaking and a new series of clinics for intermediate paddlers looking to improve their skills. You may not necessarily have the same instructor in each clinic, but you may.

What will I learn in each clinic?

Use the clinic description and skill levels as a guide. Our instructors will assess the level and desires of each paddler in the group and tailor the clinic accordingly. Anyone new to paddling should consider the beginner clinics. Level 2 and Level 3 clinics are for paddlers with previous whitewater experience, like a season of paddling or at least a prior whitewater paddling course.

Can I take the same clinic all weekend?

Sure, why not? If this is your weekend to master your roll or perfect a certain stroke, you can register for two, three or four of the rolling or strokes clinics. Some of the clinics topics are very general, like learning to hole ride, so that you could work on completely different things each clinic, or just spend four clinics just getting comfortable.

What about the kids clinics and kids in adult clinics?

We're proud to offer both kayaking and canoeing clinics for kids ages 7 and up. Because of so many returning young paddlers these clinics may be split into two skill groups to allow more advanced paddlers to progress.

Older kids may participate in adult clinics but kids under the age of 14 in adult clinics must be accompanied by a parent or guardian (with the parent in another kayak, solo boat or with them in a tandem canoe).

We will try to round up as much kids equipment for them to try, but we do not guarantee equipment for these clinics, so please set them up with boats and gear in advance.

Children must be equiped with safety gear and warm clothing or will be asked not to participate—outfitting them properly will help them have a good time and hook them for life.

Note: Upon registration you’ll be required to sign a RELEASE OF LIABILITY, WAIVER OF CLAIMS, ASSUMPTION OF RISKS AND INDEMNITY AGREEMENT, please download and read this legal document in advance. You will asked to read and sign this legal document when you arrive and check in. Review this document in advance, Palmer_Fest-Waiver_2010.pdf  bytes