Whitewater kayaking is a great way to enjoy the outdoors, whether you are a beginner paddler trying a new sport or an experienced paddler looking to enhance your current skillset. Festive Water has partnered with Ace Kayaking School to offer North Georgia whitewater kayaking lessons. AKS's expert instructors assess each individual’s experience level to offer personalized coaching and support to meet your goals.
Call Ace Kayaking School at 423-716-7666 or email them at [email protected] to schedule your lesson today!
About Ace Kayaking School
Ace Kayaking School teaches small, personalized classes and schedules them at whatever time is most convenient for you. Whether you’re just looking for a good time on the water, developing advanced techniques and river reading skills, tuning up rolls or learning about expedition kayaking, Ace is the place to do it.
From working on your summer play game to developing your winter creeking skills, reach out anytime. Ace Kayaking School is open year round, but their coaches may be on expeditions in the winter, and the summers get packed. We suggest you schedule further in advance to better your chance of getting the days you want. Call or email AKS, and they will work it out. You can always reschedule with due notice.
You can visit the Ace Kayaking School website to learn more about their programs and instructors.
Where do lessons take place?
Most lessons take place on the middle section of the Ocoee River right across the Georgia state border in Tennessee.
Lessons and Coaching Overview
The instructors at Ace Kayaking School teach for the love of it. They want others to see that truth during their time on the river and let it grow and flow into the rest of their lives. Ace Kayaking School offers the following private lessons:
Beginner Coaching
Our beginner classes start off with an introduction to the gear, outfitting, and types of kayaks in the whitewater world.
Then we move on to the lake and learn the strokes, posture, and balance control you will need. Once you are comfortable in your boat and we paddle a few miles of moving water we’ll then start challenging ourselves on two class I-II rapids. Here we will teach you the more technical side of paddling such as river running strategy, how to perform peel outs, eddy turns, and ferries.
We finish the day front surfing waves and introducing you to the roll. This comprehensive one day course includes all gear and lasts for six hours.
Plan a second day with us and we’ll pick up where we left off with rolling and then build up experience on a guided Class I-II river trip.
Rolling
Whether you are learning your first roll or working out some kinks we are experts at teaching great roll technique. We’ll be sure to get you started off on the right track. If you are a beginner we will teach you the roll most suited for your style of paddling. If you would like to improve an existing roll we will work with you to perfect your technique.
Confidence in rolling is a must for whitewater kayaking. We have taught thousands of people how to roll over the past decade. Let our coaches help in perfecting your roll!
Intermediate Coaching
Intermediate paddlers are boaters that have a solid on-side roll and can competently navigate Class III whitewater. Many folks at this level want to perfect a certain skill or need guidance on the Ocoee. Perhaps, you desire to dial in your freestyle kayaking. Perhaps you need help with an off-side roll or more practice applying the combat roll. Regardless of your desires we can coach you to accomplish your goals.
This style of coaching is typically a 1:1 ratio. We start on the lake and create a specific game plan to accomplish your goals. We may decide to spend the entire day on the Ocoee drilling specific moves such as s-turns and c-turns, or we may run multiple laps on sections of the Ocoee working on making lines and linking moves. Personalized instruction with an excellent instructor is what will accomplish your goals. We are the coaches you need.
Advanced Coaching
Advanced coaching is almost always 1:1. Students typically desire to learn specific techniques of freestyle and creek boating such as cartwheels or boofing. Your goal may be to paddle the Gauley, Cheoah, Tallulah, or Green and you need our coaches to show you the most demanding moves the Ocoee has to offer. Great paddlers have the ability to find class V lines in Class III Rivers and find the Class III lines when confronted with Class V Rivers.
The Ocoee offers far more challenging moves than are required to paddle most Class IV-V runs. The best part is that they have Class II-III dangers. Let our coaches improve your skills and take you to the next level! You will see results!
Creek Boating
Why do kayakers enjoy creek boating? It may be the thrill of kayaking over waterfalls, or perhaps it is the adventure of paddling through beautiful, deep canyons. To some, it is the challenge of kayaking Class IV-V whitewater. To most creek boaters though, it is a combination of these plus the amazing sensations acquired from a steep creek. Sensations that make you smile for weeks after a great paddling trip!
The southeast is home to some of the best and most accessible creeks in the world. Learn how to properly boof, tuck and scout before challenging these creeks. Reduce the risk and increase the fun by training with us!
