Instruction for Moderate (CL II) Whitewater Canoeing

Activity Type: Paddling | Whitewater
Difficulty: 4 - Moderate
Trip Leader(s): Charles Sweet, PIerpaolo Polverari, Jerico Pena
Registration Type: Registration
Please Click Here to RSVP: https://activities.outdoors.org/a5UVX000001Hgrt
Register By: 9/17/2026
Audience: 20’s & 30’s; Adults

Description: Instruction Trip for Paddlers looking to Improve Canoeing Skills for Moderate Whitewater Runs. Instructees will learn how to paddle straight and turn more efficiently to enjoy canoeing more in swiftwater and whitewater. Will provide some experience maneuvering a canoe using small waves and eddies. Focus is on solo canoeing but strokes for tandem canoeing will be discussed as well.
The trip consists of three parts: 1) Friday PM - select boats and provide initial instruction on nearby river or lake (either Sudbury River or White Pond) 2) Saturday AM - Deerfield River swiftwater instruction prior to dam release with PM on Deerfield River easy whitewater section TBD 3) Sunday AM practice ferrying / boat control on swiftwater on Deerfield River. Rental boats to be returned to boathouse after instruction ends.
Prerequisites: Instructees must be able to 1) swim 2) have suitable warm clothing when wet (water temperature is moderately cool and may rain) 3) have some experience canoeing flatwater (swiftwater preferred), and 4) have or can rent appropriate equipment: either have a whitewater canoe with floatation, paddles and PFDs or a rental boat from AMC (~$40 / solo canoe, ~$60 / tandem canoe with paddles, PFDs and helmets). Instruction is $90 per person for the course. 5) Instructees must provide transportation to and from the boathouse, including paddling equipment.
Carpooling encouraged.

Reminder: Please click the RSVP link above to register!