Email us to schedule private instruction
1 Student
$320
2 Students
$195.00/ea.
3 Students
$160/ea
We have been teaching long enough to know what works and what doesn’t –both in equipment and skills. You aren’t going to find any cookie cutter systems with us. What and how we teach is individualized to meet each person’s needs and goals. The effectiveness of the technique we emphasize is backed by physics and focuses on protecting the joints. A day with us instills habits that support paddling with grace and fluidity for as long as you want to paddle. Some 70 year olds still paddle our multi-day trips every year! No matter what your skill or how you learn, we have the experience to take you to the next step.
In guiding you in your ability to put your boat where you want it while using less effort, we often use video. This can decrease the time it takes to incorporate changes into your style. Growing your confidence, improving stroke technique and efficiency in action, enhancing water reading, strategies, river maneuvers and surfing, rolling and bomb-proofing your roll and braces in whitewater –these are areas we focus on. Even if you’ve been paddling for years, a lesson can bring quick improvement.
The videos below featuring Phil and Mary are a complete resource for all levels, from beginners through those teaching the sport. Produced in conjunction with Kent Ford of award winning Performance Video, these are now available as a free download:
Covering teaching and trouble shooting of a reliable and injury-free river roll. The Kayak Roll https://performancevideo.com/the-kayak-roll/
Featuring stroke technique, water reading, river maneuvers, strategies, and play. The River Runner’s Edge. https://performancevideo.com/the-river-runners-edge/
Located an hour northeast of Sacramento, we teach locally with California Watersports Collective on the South Fork of the American. The South Fork is a dam-controlled river with releases all throughout our dry summer. In 1848 gold was discovered on its banks and the California Gold Rush of ’49 ensued. The 21 miles of river are divided into three sections; the 8 playful miles of the Class III+ Chili Bar run contain drop-pool rapids surrounded by undeveloped meadows and oak forests. The 3 miles from Coloma to Lotus is a great Class II run with road access in several places. And the Gorge offers 10 more miles of Class III surrounded by undeveloped hillsides.