The Essential Whitewater Kayaker: A Complete Course (Paperback)

by Jeff Bennett (Author) "When I first began kayaking, fiberglass boats were common, Hollowforms (one of the first mass-marketed plastic kayaks) still appeared on roof racks, and Perception's Mirage..." (more)
Key Phrases: bow squirt, static duffek, stern squirt, Kayak Anatomy (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Whitewater kayaking is a high-adrenaline Olympic sport that has won a large following and demands special skills. Beginning to intermediate river runners will find it all here: selecting equipment, padling techniques, reading a river, tips from the pros, and more. Great photos complete this companion to the highly successful The Essential Sea Kayaker.

From the Back Cover
"The next best thing to taking a class on the water."--Eugene Buchanan, Editor-in-Chief, Paddler magazine

"Thorough and well-written, it opens the door to attainable whitewater river adventures." --David Harrison, Editor-at-Large, Canoe & Kayak Magazine

"A comprehensive resource that includes concise, easy-to-read sections on everything from kayak selection and rolling techniques to river safety, advanced rodeo moves, and expeditionary kayaking. I only wish this book was available when I was learning to boat!" --Bob Gedekoh, Editor, American Whitewater

"Bennett's most nimble trick is to make whitewater kayaking accessible to the novice, playboating accessible to the accomplished paddler, and safer, smarter river stewards of us all." --Mike McLeod, Editor/Publisher, RIVER Magazine

A complete course for the whitewater kayaker--skills, equipment, and resources

A complete course in the dynamic sport of river running, this easy-to-follow manual guides you step-by-step from basic skills to advanced techniques.

Packed with detailed information and resources, The Essential Whitewater Kayaker covers equipment selection; paddling techniques; river reading; safety and rescue; playboating; surf kayaking; steep creeking; camping; exploratory paddling; racing; and much more.

Along the way, pick up tips from premier whitewater kayakers Shane Benedict, Sam Drevo, Dan Gavere, Cathy Hearn, Lars Holbek, Brandon Knapp, Jamie Simon, James Snyder, and John "Tree" Trujillo.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 180 pages
• Publisher: International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press; 1 edition (March 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 007134327X
• ISBN-13: 978-0071343275
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #487,667 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Essential Whitewater Kayaker, June 28, 2000

By	JT (Arkadelphia, AR) - See all my reviews

A friend of mine let me borrow this book, seeing how I am new to the sport, and it was great. It took me from basic rolls to maneuvering in whitewater. This book is great from beginners to experienced paddlers. No matter your skill level this book is a must. I will definately get my own copy.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book will get you started or enrich your experience, August 5, 2004

By	kordeul - See all my reviews

I'm new to kayaking and being a kind of do-it-yourself person, instead of taking a kayak class, I rather bought this book.

Reading through the chapters and then trying the methods in the kayak, I quickly learned different strokes, rolls, manouvers, reading the whitewater, understanding where danger may come from, how to avoid it, ... I'm not saying I became an expert or something (afterall it's been only a couple of weeks I have it), but I did get the proper knowledge base to build from - and since it gave me the understanding of the concepts, I can easily extent my knowledge by watching (or asking) expert kayakers - you can learn so much more and faster if you know *what* to watch or ask!

I was not comfortable even thinking of more demanding rapids or performing some tricks before, but now I feel that I want to try it. Now quite now, but eventually, when I get more experience and confidence.

I give it five stars because it is easy to read/understand and at the same time very informative. If you are a begginer and are buying a whitewater kayak book, you can't miss with this one. You should also consider this book if you are familiar with whitewater, but want to extend your knowledge (performing tricks, playboating, ...). It sure boosted my whitewater experience.

5.0 out of 5 stars Super buy, May 24, 2008

By	C. Shand (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Fantastic learning tool.One of the few book you can read and put into action on your own,even though you should NOT paddle alone.
The best book under $10 you can buy.