Читать книгу Carolina Whitewater. A Paddler's Guide to the Western Carolinas онлайн

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If interested in working toward a better system of trails in North Carolina, contact:

North Carolina Trails Committee

12700 Bayleaf Church Road

Raleigh, NC 27614

(919) 846-9995

Paddler Information

The most widely publicized paddler self-evaluation was created by the Keelhaulers Canoe Club of Ohio. Their system brings the problem of matching paddlers with rivers into perspective but seems to overemphasize non-paddling skills. A canoe clinic student who is athletically inclined but almost totally without paddling skill once achieved a rating of 15 points using the Keel-Haulers system. His rating, based almost exclusively on general fitness and strength, incorrectly implied that he was capable of handling many Class II and Class III rivers. A second problem evident in the system is the lack of depth in skill category descriptions. Finally, confusion exists in several rating areas as to whether the evaluation applies to open canoes, decked canoes, or both.

To remedy these perceived shortcomings and to bring added objectivity to paddler self-evaluation, Bob Sehlingerssss1 has attempted to refine the paddler rating system. Admittedly, the refined system is more complex and exhaustive but not more so than warranted by the situation. Heavy emphasis is placed on paddling skills, with descriptions adopted from several different evaluation formats, including a nonnumerical system proposed by Dick Schwind.ssss1