(Text from Jeff Owen, President of MaCKRO (Maine Canoe & Kayak Racing Organization)
ACA-NE Kenduskeag River Clinic
Date: Friday, April 17th
Meeting Time: 4:00pm
Meeting Place:
The little park/parking lot immediately downstream of the Shopping Cart drop. The shuttle will depart promptly at 4:15.
Details:
1. We'll meet at the Shopping Cart park, and will shuttle people and boats up to six-mile falls (which will allow most paddlers to leave their vehicles at Shopping Cart).
2. To participate in the shuttle and/or the group clinic, you must have filled out an ACA insurance form and waiver, and have paid the associated fee. Forms will be available Friday. Minors will need parent/guardian signatures.
3. The clinic will not include paddling through six-mile falls. We'll be starting just below the falls in the grassy field on river left just upstream of the Rt. 15 bridge. (If you want to shuttle your own vehicle, you're welcome to meet us at this field instead of at Shopping Cart.)
4. You're welcome to arrive at six-mile falls early to paddle the falls on your own before the clinic departs downstream, but you would be doing so on your own with no expectation of assistance from the Clinic hosts. The clinic will head downstream at approximately 4:45.
5. There will be a lead boat and a sweep boat for the clinic. Clinic participants must stay between those two boats.
Looks like the water will be low and bony, making it a very good opportunity to learn the structure of the river. I hope you come and enjoy the clinic, and race successfully the next day.
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Passy Race Clinic
When: Friday, April 3 at 4:00pm
Where: Meet at the race start at 4:00pm (Savage Rd. off Poor Mills Road outside Belfast via Rt. 7/137)
We'll quickly shuttle vehicles to the finish, then paddle the full race course together.
Purpose: An opportunity for paddlers new to the sport, and/or new to the Passy, to paddle with or along side experienced paddlers.
Participants will need to have a signed ACA Insurance Waiver on file, or be willing to fill one out and pay the associated fee ($5 minimum) at the start.
Be sure to have a FULL set of dry clothes to leave in a vehicle at the finish, just in case......!
* * * *
St. George River Race Clinic
Where: St. George River, Searsmont
When: Friday, March 27, 4:00pm
We'll plan to meet in Searsmont, and the race start location, at 4:00pm. We'll drive the shuttle first, then hit the river. We're looking for experienced paddlers to paddle with, or along side, novices and other paddlers who may not have paddled that river previously. We'll try to provide instruction in whatever aspects of whitewater paddling are necessary--from technique, to reading the water, to safety.
All of the participants in our upcoming race clinics must be members of the American Canoe Association, and sign a waiver. ACA membership options include: a trial member ($10), student member ($25), or full ACA-NE member ($30 individual or $40 family). These memberships provide liability coverage for the hosts of any and all ACA NE events for 2009. These events include: any race clinics we host, the Souadabscook and Marsh Stream Races, the Whitewater Nationals on the Dead River, and the full slate of flatwater Series events, and possibly others, too.
A cheaper option is to pay a $5 event fee, providing liability coverage to the hosts of a single event. If one is likely to attend more than a couple of the events, the other options may end up being cheaper (and they have perks, too, such as a subscription to Paddler magazine).
Necessary forms will be available in Searsmont.
We'll be hosting Passagassawakeag and Kenduskeag Race Clinics, too, with details to be posted in this forum as they emerge.
Possibilities likely on the Passy on Sun, March 29 and/or Friday, April 3, and on the Kenduskeag on Friday, April 17.
Addendum by Clayton Cole:
A bit of clarification on the ACA Paddle America Club insurance program:
Other covered events this year include the Machias River Race on April 26; the Kenduskeag Slalom on May3; and three other slalom races in VT, NY and MA.
Pay one fee for the year and participate in all events!
Here is another bonus for participants: Do you hate filling out waiver forms? At ACA NE events you fill out a waiver form at the first event you attend.....THAT'S IT FOR THE YEAR!
American Canoe Association (website)