Getting Started
The Easy Guide to Start Paddling at Dabulamanzi
OK … So you want to start paddling. You have probably lost a bet with your best mate over a few beers and are now forced to compete in the next Dusi or Fish River Canoe Marathon. Maybe you have chatted to a friend that paddles at Emmarentia or have seen the guys & gals paddling during the evenings or on a Sunday morning and decided that you wouldn’t mind giving this a go.
Problem is … WHERE TO START … especially if you don’t know someone that is a paddler and has the time to get you going. Also you might feel that you first want to give it a fair try before throwing sums of cash at equipment only to find out that maybe this is not really for you.
Dabulamanzi as a club has taken note of potential new paddlers who fall into this gap, and to this end, has made it remarkably easy to get going in the sport without all the uncertainty and expense that comes with starting out alone.
The club has employed Bill van der Walt (
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ) to get people introduced to paddling. Unless he is away racing, Bill will be there at the dam on Saturday’s at 13h45 and on Sunday from 16h15. I would recommend confirming with Bill just to make sure that he will be there on any specific weekend. (When I say “at the dam”, I mean the patch of grass in front of the sailing club at Emmarentia Dam. The entrance to this is on the left hand side of Louw Geldenhuys Drive (heading northwards) just before the robots where Louw Geldenhuys intersects with Olifants Road). If there is not parking there, there is parking along the road.
Bill will cover all basic start-up requirements, including the process to qualify for advanced paddling. He has, in Dabs the fleet, numerous boats / paddles and kayak jackets for most disciplines, from beginner to advanced paddlers. What this means is that for NO COST, you can pitch up, borrow a club boat, paddle and life-jacket and get coaching from Bill to get you proficient and in a position where you are able to take paddling to the next level.
So, if you are interested, you are welcome to join Bill at these sessions and get an informed trial-run on starting up. You are then welcome to continue coming down and putting what you have learned into practice. Should you wish to continue paddling as a social, non-racing person, you are welcome to join the club as a social member (R470 a year), get an access disk (R75) and use our fleet of club boats at your own convenience.
If you get to a point where you decide to start river racing and want to start enjoying the really fun side of paddling, then you will need to get your own equipment, get involved in some more advanced coaching and training as well as become proficient, which also involves testing. The procedure for starting out and advancing through all proficiency stages is put out to all paddlers by means of a document supplied to all new paddlers with registration forms.
No doubt you have many more questions. There is no way that this document will cover all of them. It is best to get hold of Bill, head off to the dam and see what it is all about.
As a small postscript, I have added some of the things that Bill will go through during your first session, which should last about an hour.
· What you want to achieve out of paddling. Maybe you just want to use it as a way of getting fit and enjoying the outdoors rather than being cooped up in a gym; maybe it is to be able to win that bet with your mates and finish the Dusi, or maybe you see yourself as the next Olympic gold medalist.
· This will be followed by a discussion on various boats, maintenance, what is required to make a boat river-worthy.
· Next is your position in the boat, paddles, paddle feathers and the correct handling of the paddles.
· Then it is onto the water to give it a go. First without the paddle, then with.
· A bit of capsizing practice and learning how to empty the boat. “There are two kinds of paddlers. Those that have swum and those that will … they are the same person." Finally a few laps around the dam.
As someone that had to get into the game the hard way and make all the mistakes myself, I cannot stress how valuable this session is. Secondly, it is a great way to meet people, understand how the club works, and get involved in the sport.
Hope to see you there.
Please click here for a Power Point Presentation
Nick Warren