Kid friendly paddling

TedMc · Post by **TedMc** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 12:27 am

At the Winter Gathering, Raymond offered the challenge to make the club more kid/family friendly. I am interested in offering in June/July such a trip. I have some boats but I have to transport them on the roof. I need suggestions for suitable Rivers preferably east of the Blue Ridge with sections short enough to meet the abilities of younger paddlers.

Years ago I led family Sierra Club inner tube floats on the James from Hardware to Shores the take out point. But it has no parking anymore. Thanks CSX.
Mattaponi?
James - Warren Ferry to Hatton Ferry?
Others?

Ken wants the trips for the next newsletter soon.
Thanks.

Vertpaddler · Post by **Vertpaddler** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 6:27 am

I have been toying with offering a trip a little further west on the James (Lynchburg area). I'm not sure how it works. Can I field a trip with "Coastal" mentioned as a sponsor? Can I volunteer to do it in conjunction with my local Parks & Rec Dept. What is my liability? These and a thousand other questions keep me from proceeding. Sorry I couldn't help with your question about location, but I thought this was a good thread and a good time to jump start my own trip.

DJeffSmith · Post by **DJeffSmith** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 7:17 am

Me and my daughters would be interested in helping. I am however a big believers in kids going through lessons just as an adult would. I would think we'd want to spend a half day fitting boats, doing wet exits, showing strokes... before we'd want to take them down even the easiest river. I also think that we'd want to have other "lessons" for them after this.

I honestly think what would be great is to put together a progression of lessons and trips for kids to go through. My girls worked with Gene and got their basics (and lots) more down solid through lessons. They have better (much better) mechanics than I do.

Just some thoughts

Daryl · Post by **Daryl** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 8:27 am

Ted - I too am thinking about coordinating a family friendly beginner trip this summer once I can get my dates figured out. My thought was to float the section from Scottsville down to the Hardware landing. It's about 6 miles with nothing more than riffles, but the current is good. I think it'd be a good intro to moving water for beginners and kids.

Another reason I'm thinking about that section is that if anyone is interested in the trip but doesn't have a boat(s), there is an outfitter at the put-in that could provide rentals as well.

Daryl

Raymond · Post by **Raymond** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 12:16 pm

I'm glad to see the interest in kid friendly trips. Having more than one in different parts is a good idea.

As for liability, you should stress that you are "coordinating" a trip, not leading or teaching. That means you provide directions about when/where to meet, but this is not a clinic where you are responsible for teaching or showing lines.

If you are inviting or allowing non-club members to attend, you may want to have a liability waiver available for the parents to sign before their kids get on the water. I can send a copy later if anyone is interested.

Coordinating with a local Parks and Rec department can work well. That's how the local Franklin County club operates its kids float, which means we have 12 canoes (and the needed paddles, PFD's) available for first time paddlers.

If you want to do some instruction, remember to keep it brief and simple at first (cover the major safely issues and 1 or 2 basic strokes). Once you're on the water and have played around a bit, you can teach one or two more points, but kids have short attention spans.

I'm excited to see this discussion.

Let me know what the rest of us can do to get these going.

s2welee · Post by **s2welee** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 8:20 pm

This really interests me as well. I would love to get my son involved with the club but he is still far too young for whitewater. A few shorter trips would be just the ticket to getting the younger set involved.

JDaddy · Post by **JDaddy** » Sat Feb 07, 2009 6:00 pm

This got my curiosity going too... My son will be 3 this summer, still working on teaching him how to swim (we're all in between them). I have 2 sit on tops that could be used/borrowed for older kids, a torrent and a surfjet. Looking forward to this one

slo2rol · Post by **slo2rol** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 9:36 pm

Though my 9 month old is a little far off from swimming and paddling, I'd be interested in helping out and will loan my wife's sit on top if boats are needed. I think it's great to bring the whole family into the fold and can't wait for my son to get out the first time.

Brandon

TedMc · Post by **TedMc** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 1:06 am

June 27 is a good weekend between Fathers Day and July 4th weekends for the proposed kid friendly trip. The James near Scottsville offers three short trips: Howardsville to Warren Ferry 5.5 miles; Warren Ferry to Hatton Ferry 3 miles; Hatton Ferry to Scottsville 4 miles.

I envision my role as coordinating between paddlers with kids but without the full requisite number/type boats, and Coastal's with extra boats in their stable suitable for youth and willing to make them available. As an open boater, I first thought in terms of tandem canoes but others have suggested the youth may prefer to try sit-on-tops or recreational kayaks with which each kid controling their own boat....something fun on a summer day.

Open to boys and girls each with a parent as a participatory sport. This is not summer camp where you dump off the kids and go on vacation.
Also, there are two outfitters in the Scottsville area which offer canoe and sit-on-top rentals.

I am will to be the coordinator but I will need help from other interested Coastals. Let me hear from you this week before I commit to Ken and the CaNews 804-285-1341.

hazmat · Post by **hazmat** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 12:11 pm

Middle yough is awesome for kids. It also has plenty of activities for a family.

If we have a wet spring the Cacapon is a nice smaller river with a variety of rapids.

My kids 5 and 7 have done both of these rivers several times. As passengers in a canoe and as the pilot of the jackson boat with andwithout a skirt.

hazmat · Post by **hazmat** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 12:20 pm

Middle yough is awesome for kids. It also has plenty of activities for a family.

If we have a wet spring the Cacapon is a nice smaller river with a variety of rapids.

My kids 5 and 7 have done both of these rivers several times. As passengers in a canoe and as the pilot of the jackson boat with andwithout a skirt.

bcoada · Post by **bcoada** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 7:41 am

I have a tandem canoe, two self bailing rafts (4 man, 6 man) that I would be willing to lend, assist, etc... if you all put this together. If I'm booked that weekend, you are welcome to use them. I have ocean kayaks if they would work also. I have THREE touring kayaks with rudders that would work great for this, one being a tandem. Just let me know.

Bill Coada
804-363-2991

Paddle Daddy · Post by **Paddle Daddy** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 2:57 pm

sounds familiar. I used to know a paddler named Bill Coada. Hadn't seen him in a few months ...

bcoada · Post by **bcoada** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 3:19 pm

It's been chilly.......I'm a sissy.

slo2rol · Post by **slo2rol** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 12:00 am

Paddle Daddy wrote:sounds familiar. I used to know a paddler named Bill Coada. Hadn't seen him in a few months ...

Hey, threadjacker - that's just 'cause you were "working" this past Wednesday when Bill went paddling

Coastals

Kid friendly paddling

Kid friendly paddling

Kids trips?

James

June 27 kid friendly trip

I have a bunch of boats, rafts, etc...

Bill Coada, Bill Coada ...

I'm a sissy

Re: Bill Coada, Bill Coada ...