It is essential for the kayaker to be accustomed to various kinds of whitewater rapids when he is kayaking on whitewater. In fact every category of whitewater rapids requires different skill level and being aware of that is vital for the kayak aficionado. It is also important for the kayakers to know the diverse water characteristics other than the rapids. These are the first and very important point for the safety of the kayaker.

Classifications: whitewaters are categorized into six different classifications. Ultimately, the lower the water classification, the easier the waters are. Class I whitewater rapids has the least amount of obstructions in the water, and are the best waters for the neophyte kayaker.

It is not very tough to handle Class II waters but they need a little more skill as they have more hindrances in the water. On the other hand more complex skills are required to handle Class III waters as there are many more obstacles in the water and he should also know ledging. When kayakers take up Class IV, V, and VI waters they will require the ability to manage all types of water features and hindrances possible in the water successfully. This requires considerably superior proficiency.

Eddies, holes, playspots, pourovers, stoppers, sweepers, and waves are some of the different water features. Different areas in the water which move slower than the rest of the water are called as eddies. This should be handled properly by the kayaker otherwise the kayak may overturn.

The various movements in water which showcase the skill of a kayaker are known as the playspots, holes, pourovers, stoppers etc. If the kayaker tries to maneuver the water he is not used to the waves can be significantly dangerous.

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 18th, 2008 at 9:05 am and is filed under Kayaking, Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.