The Playboater's Handbook [Paperback]

Ken Whiting (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 12, 1998

Enthusiasts the world over are hopping into specialist kayaks to take advantage of the white water playgrounds that exist in rivers and on the sea. This book presents a compilation of the techniques the author has spent the past ten years perfecting.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Just wanted to comment on your new book, The Playboater's Handbook. As a writer, myself, (Television Writer & Producer, 20yrs) you are to be congratulated for a very comprehensible, well thought out, and diagramed book. So consider this a pat on the back from a fellow writer. Your book is succinct and very clear. In three words: Very well written. The photos are plentiful and very illustrative of the proper set-ups and techniques necessary to make the freestyle moves work. Your book has definitely lead me to more "fun time" on the river... After digesting your book, I went out to the river and pulled off my first cartwheel, and within a week, was linking moves I hadn't even dreamed about trying before. In fact, this past week, at our local playhole, it was really cool to have some of the hotshot, young boaters comment on my "hot moves." Not bad for a 52-year-old. -- Anonymous Review

Ken gets all his variety and style points with The Playboater's Handbook. You must get a copy. -- Jamie Simon, 1995 Women's World Rodeo Champion

About the Author

Since Ken Whiting began kayaking at the age of 14, his paddling has taken him to all corners of North America as well as throughout Europe, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Honduras and Guatemala. Through these travels he managed a number of first descents, and has been the featured paddler in a number of videos ranging from 'Kayaks and Coconuts' (a Central American paddling adventure), to 'Walls of Freedom' and 'Breathe' (extreme skiing and kayaking films). In 1994 Ken began frequenting, and winning whitewater rodeos. His ultimate success took place in the fall of 1997 when he became the World Whitewater Rodeo Kayaking Champion.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Cordee (August 12, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1896980023
• ISBN-13: 978-1896980027
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,316,995 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent introduction to rodeo, November 18, 1999

By 

Marc Pottier "Natal, the SPARC Instruction Se... (Seattle, wa United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Playboater's Handbook (Paperback)

Like most people, I first started learning about rodeo moves on the river. I began with the basics (stern squirts, popups), but rapidly wanted to move on to flat spins and cartwheels.

Rodeo moves are tought to learn. There are many subtle aspects to the moves which are hard to see on the river. The Playboater's Handbook does an excellent job of breaking down moves into step by step instructions (complete with pictures), and higlighting critical aspects of each move. It's a comprehensive book that belongs on any playboaters bookshelf.

The only drawback with the book is that it's a book. You can't see the moves in full motion, and while the pictures are great, they don't do the moves justice. If you buy this book, also pick up an instructional rodeo video (something like play daze) to compliment it. The combination should prove to be a powerful tool.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Whitewater Gem, January 13, 1999

By 

Britt Terry ([e-mail]) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Playboater's Handbook (Paperback)

Having read many whitewater boating books, this one is likely the best written description of a sport that is impossible to put into words. It is an instructional guide to most of the latest moves that are now possible in today's playboat designs. Not as much fun as actually kayaking but is a definite must for those of us who already know how to surf and roll and ready to start doing the moves that the big dogs do. Get it and start practicing.