The Great Sea Kayak Beginner Camp

About this camp

Since 2015, our large sea kayak entry camps are held at Rurberg, idyllically at the Lake Rursee. These weekends are all about paddling, camping and campfires. Our base camp is the Campsite Rursee In the Willow Brook owner Christina Bauer is herself a paddler and knows what it is all about. If you don't want to camp, there is also a cosy hotel nearby.

Content

During the two days of the training, we will take you to the paddling and train various kayaking and canoeing techniques and tactics. We start with the safe exit from the capsized kayak, then train specific forward, bow and support strokes. Material science is also an integral part of the course, because in no other area of paddling there are so many different materials, types of boats and equipment, such as touring and sea kayak sports.

The focus of this course is on:

Practice:

• Basic knowledge: Wearing the kayak, getting in and out on the beach and on the jetty, sprayskirt
• Stress-free Walk with the lake/touring kayak, safe exit under water
• Correct forward strokes according to BVKanu-standard (pressure and tensile)
• Static Bow Stroke
• Edges and Rejects, c2c, Kippunkt search
• Flat paddle Support
• Lateral displacement
• Entry into the Gekenterte kayak without Help
• Entry into the capsized kayak with the help of paddle partners

Theory:

• Material Customer: Sea kayak and Kayak Tours
• Material Science: Body equipment, basic equipment safety
• Ecology and behaviour on the water part I
• Trip planning Part I
• Hazard customer

This course contains all the necessary content to reach the EPP1 (European paddle pass level I). After successful participation we can award the EPP I.

We offer you in our course a very modern and high quality sea kayak and touring boat fleet consisting of carbon and Diolen boats of the company Lettmann. Our course equipment is well above the standard of other canoe schools.

Schedule

Day 1, Friday

Until 16.45: Arrival, construction of tents or campers. Then we start at 17.00 with a short briefing, with the distribution of the rental material and with the hiring of the boats. If the conditions on the lake are playing, we will start with a one-hour Sundowner paddle tour through the bay directly at the camp. If the weather does not play, we start with an approximately one hour theory unit. At the end of the day, at 19.00, we fire on the grill and let the evening fade out by the fire. Please buy before grilling so that no fuss arises.

Day 2, Saturday

Course program from 10:00 to approx. 16:00. After a short theory unit we start with an exit over the lake, where we install various training sessions on the subject of driving without tax and Skeg, cornering, edges, etc. We'll take a break at noon. We then apply the learned on a trip over the lake Rursee. After the paddling there is time to relax, at 19.00 we throw the grill again. After that: Campfire!

Day 3, Sunday

Course program from 10:00 to approx. 15:00. We consolidate the learned basic techniques and learn new techniques. The focus is on driving over the edge, the point of capsizing of the boat and exercises on the edges and leanings. The day ends at 15:00.

What you should bring for paddling

We spend a lot of time on and in the water. Please bring enough warm things with you. Paddling is particularly suited to ski underwear or other syntetic fabrics, and also to thicker fleece.

• Swimwear and shoes that are allowed to get wet (e.g. old sneakers, please no sandals), better still: Neoprene shoes or neoprene socks as supplement to the sneakers.
• If necessary, a eyewear strap
• Even at warmer temperatures you should bring fast drying outerwear (e.g. fleece pullover)
• Cap or buff
• Sun protection

You will receive a detailed list of materials with recommendations with the travel documents.

Requirements

You should have fun learning a new sport, you must be able to swim and should not be afraid of getting wet. You don't have to be particularly pain-free or death-defying. Experience in kayaking is not necessary.

Video

Here a video of the Kayak Course at the Lake Rursee in the framework of the Nicholas Paddling 2014, provided by Tom Stein Soapr and his company Aerocopterpyx. Santa Claus paddling at Lake Rursee From Aerocopterpyx On Vimeo.

Accommodations on the Lake Rursee

Camping

We are happy to stay together at the campsite "Camping Lake Rursee" In the Pasture Brook Valley. Here you can stay in the tent, motorhome, VW-bus or caravan. Of course, you can also sleep at home, but then a lump sum for the use of the facility falls.

Hotel/Pension

We have not yet been able to make recommendations. However, the Hotel Jägerhof Only 10-15 minutes walk or the Hotel Residence Only 15-20 minutes walk from the campsite. If you prefer to stay in a holiday apartment, you can Apartment Harth and the Apartments Eifel Flair Select the closest options.

Meals during the course

Directly at the campsite there is a small kiosk. Here you get everything for the sweet tooth, but also drinks and buns. For the great purchase of the dinner we recommend to bring everything with you. The nearest supermarket is in Simmerath (approx. 15-20 min one way). You can obtain a detailed description of the shopping possibilities with the travel documents. We'll throw the grill on both nights. If you would like to barbecue with us, you should have Grillware. A refrigerator is also available for fast perishable goods.

More info

• The arrival in advance or a longer stay at the camp are of course no problem.
• During the camp a variety of Lettmann sea kayaks and paddles can be tested free of charge. We bring extra more kayaks.
• Guests are welcome.

Tip

Following this course we recommend: Our Sea kayak construction courses in Germany, Croatia and Greece. 

Additional costs

• Accomondation on the campsite lake Rursee
• If you do not stay at the campsite, a daily guest fee will be charged for the use of the sanitary facilities and the course.
• Own arrival
• Grillware/Food/beverage