Valley Mill Kayak School Beginner Lessons
New for 2010 ! Check out our new Sit on top kayak trip, on our trips page!
Call to sign up and pay for any of these lessons (301)840-7388
** Please note: We do not give refunds on lessons or lesson packages purchased, and will only offer credit for future lessons- no exceptions! ** See Our Cancellation Policy at the Bottom of this Page
The Beginner Series: : Lessons 1, 2, and 3
You have the option of purchasing 1, 2, or all three of these introductory lessons that focus on all the basic fundamental skills needed to give you a solid foundation on which to launch you into the amazing world of kayaking. Whether you ultimately intend to just paddle easy flowing rivers, or ‘go big’ and run class 4 and 5 whitewater- this is where it all begins! Lesson #1 is on flat water, Lesson #2-flat water to moving current, and Lesson #3- moving current/easy whitewater . These are our introductory courses designed for beginners/novices. Each class is 3 hours in length and all kayaks and gear are provided for all lessons. Beginner lessons take place May through Sept. on the Potomac River.
Price: $105 per class.
Purchase all three Lessons for $295 and receive an instant free membership in our weekly paddling social club*!
When you purchase the series you can take all the time you need to complete all three lessons, while attending the social club sessions all season. Doing this will provide you with the three most important elements to improving your paddling:
1. time in your boat
2. time in your boat
3. time in your boat
The Beginner Lesson at Anglers
Beginner Lesson#1
Never been in a kayak before? No problem! We cover all the basics to get you started and our goal is to make sure you take the sport as far as you want to go.
Topics covered in this class include:
-The Gear- learning what it’s for, and how to wear it correctly.
-Kayak outfitting- getting to know your kayak’s features and how to properly fit in your kayak.
-The paddle- how to hold it and use it correctly on flat water.
-Basic Strokes and Concepts- learning to control your kayak on flat water with a few easy strokes. We will also cover kayaking concepts such as speed, angle, arc, and spin momentum.
-Bow rescues- using your buddy’s bow to upright yourself after a flip(in flat water).Introduction to the brace and roll- learning the mechanics of how the brace and roll (Eskimo roll) works using the ‘hip snap’ technique. (lesson times vary- call to schedule your lesson today! (301)840-7388 ) New dates will be posted as needed.
Beginner Lesson #2 :
Moving Water(takes up where lesson#1 left off)
The importance of the Brace – how to use your paddle to keep from flipping. The better your brace is- the less you roll!
Rolling- solidifying your ‘onside’ roll in flat water
Strokes and concepts- introducing you to more advanced strokes; the C-stroke, S-turns, compound strokes, and sprints to master control of your kayak.
Paddle dexterity- we will show you drills to help make your paddle an extension of your body.
Moving water skills and concepts: paddling on edge, ‘water reading’ skills, accurate use of speed, spin momentum, arc and boat angle to do common kayaking tasks such as peel-outs, ferrying, catching eddys, and more. Call to sign up! (301)840-7388
Beginner Lesson #3 :
Moving Water/Easy Whitewater (takes up where lesson #2 left off)
More Rolling- here is where we ‘bomb- proof’ your roll. We build your confidence in your roll and brace through simulating ‘real life’ scenarios in flat water, then move onto moving current, and then easy whitewater- we work at your pace here.
We introduce you to class 2 whitewater
Water reading skills
More strokes and concepts (learned from lessons #1 and #2) to control your kayak in easy whitewater while executing basic river maneuvers such as ferrying, peel-outs, and catching eddy’s on the fly.
The ‘roll test’- rolling in class 2 whitewater. Here is where ‘the rubber meets the road’ as they say. Nothing builds confidence like getting your first “combat” roll. Your newly found confidence will give a sharp boost to your learning curve once you’ve had a breakthrough in this class! Call to sign up! (301)840-7388
Pool Rolling
year round!!! Indoor Pool Sessions start in November-schedule will be posted in Oct.
We offer pool rolling packages during winter (indoor) and summer (outdoor pool). Purchase our “Instinctive roll” progression –package. Get three 2hr pool rolling lessons (indoor , outdoor, or combine the two) for just $180. Private lessons are available in the pool as well-call to sign up! (301)840-7388
SOCIAL CLUB
*What is our social club you ask? Our social club is a weeknight, informal paddling session where we meet up after work to paddle as a group to practice all our skills and just have fun together on the river under the supervision of a VMKS instructor. The sessions are two hours in length and take place across from the Old Anglers Inn. These sessions are offered up to twice per week from April through September and are free for those who purchase the beginner series of lessons. Anyone else may attend a session for just $30 if they have taken a beginner lesson previously- and sessions are free to those with their own kayak and gear. After each session, plan on hanging out at the Hunter’s Inn in Potomac Village for a bite to eat, a cold beer, and story swapping. It’s a great time, on and off the water, and you get to know your fellow paddlers better in the process- come join us and be social!
Social Nights: Sat(5-7pm), and Sun(5-7pm, if Sat session is full)-call or email to sign up!
Private Lessons Available any day of the week for $75.00 per hour. call to sign up 301-840-7388
This is the ultimate in personalized instruction! Work one on one with a VMKS instructor and quickly improve any aspect of your paddling that you want to focus on. Refine your stroke technique, learn a new rodeo move, or shave time off your upstream gates on the slalom course.
Private lessons can be scheduled for any day of the week with advance notice.
The “Next Level” Series of Lessons
This series of lessons is designed for the kayaker who is ready to take his/her skills to the next level. To be eligible to participate in a “next level” lesson you must have all the prerequisite skills, such as a reliable roll- refer to our beginner series. Each lesson may be purchased separately, and taken in any order, or you can purchase the entire series of lessons for $625 and gain instant membership into our “next level” social club.
Strokes and Concepts Lesson-2 Hrs. Cost: $60 Every Saturday 5pm to 7pm starting April 24th
This lesson stresses mastery and maintenance of all the strokes required for whitewater kayaking on any level. We will show you the proper technique to master your forward, reverse ,C-stroke, S-turns, reverse compound stroke, draws, and many more. You will learn drills that will strengthen your fundamentals, improve your strokes, and take your paddling to the next level. Purchase 2 or more Strokes and Concepts Lessons at one time, and receive a discount on the video “EJ’s Strokes and Concepts” at Valley Mill Boats.
Call to sign up! (301)840-7388
River Running Concepts Lesson- 4 Hrs. Cost: $120
This lesson is designed for those who are comfortable in class 2 whitewater, and want to ‘up the ante’ to more challenging class 3 whitewater, while having a river running experience. This is what kayaking is all about! Traveling down a river with a group of paddlers- your friends, from point ‘A’ to point ‘B’, and all the stuff that happens in between! We will cover the basic river running strategies and concepts such as; scouting a rapid/reading water, risk management/safety, strokes and more! The section of Potomac River where we choose to conduct the class may vary due to river levels/conditions, but plan on 4 hours of intense paddling. Little Falls is just one section of river that we use for this class.
(class time: 10am to 2pm)
Call to sign up! (301)840-7388
‘Get to Know Your Potomac’ Lesson-5 Hrs. Cost: $150
This 5 hr. lesson and trip is designed to introduce you to your new friend- the Potomac River. Don’t be one of those unfortunate souls who miss out on all that this great river has to offer, by only going to the ‘chutes’. There’s a lot more to the Potomac than just the MD chute, and our instructors know every inch of the Potomac River, at every river level. Have you run Little Falls? Do you know where the “C” channel is? How about Yellow Falls, Offutt Island, or Stublefield? We’ll introduce you to, and educate you on all these rapids; we’ll cover put in/take outs, play spots, history and more. This trip varies from our River Running Concepts Class, in that it is designed to cover more of the river, but one thing’s for sure- you’ll get to know your “Po”. (Class time:8am to 1pm)
Call to sign up! (301)840-7388
Play the River Lesson-4 Hrs. Cost: $120
We’ve taken our 4 hr. River Running Concepts Lesson and combined it with a play boating state of mind. This lesson is about maximizing the play potential of every river feature to just have more fun! After all, isn’t that what it’s all about? You will learn where every wave, hole, splat rock, eddy line and other play opportunities are in the rapids that you’ll be running with our top freestyle experts. Learn the basic moves like stern squirts, or learn to get more air on your loops- and everything in between. We cover fundamentals through advanced technique- catered to your needs. The section of Potomac chosen for this lesson may vary depending on river levels and conditions, but prepare to “leave it all on the river”. (Class Time: 10am to 2pm)
Call to sign up! (301)840-7388
Know Your Roll Lesson-4 Hrs. Cost: $120
How’s your roll these days? Do you have an ‘onside’, but lack a solid ‘offside’? Can you roll without a paddle? Can you do a back deck, or a ‘dry head’ roll? If the answer is no- then this 4 hr. lesson is for you. Our ultimate goal is to get you to roll “instinctively”- no matter what, on both sides, with or without a paddle. We also stress the importance of the brace as it relates to the roll, (after all- the brace is the roll) and we cover several bracing techniques to make the likelihood of having to roll- less likely. The goal is not to just make your roll better, but to make it “bomber”! (Class Time: 2pm to 6pm)
Call to sign up! (301)840-7388
Risk Management and River Safety Lesson 6 Hrs. Cost: $150
When it comes to kayaking- it’s all about managing the risks, no matter what your skill level, to be a safe on the river. We take a no- nonsense, common sense approach to the most common rescue scenarios you will encounter as a kayaker. We cover the basics like; river hazards and how to spot/avoid them, safety gear and how to use it properly, how to swim a rapid correctly, how to throw a rescue rope (and catch one), boat- aided rescues, signals, and more. You will throw ropes to swimmers and unpin pinned kayaks using ropes with mechanical advantages in this lesson. You will be challenged in this lesson with mock rescue scenarios and be expected to act quickly and efficiently as a team (or alone) to rescue your friend(s). Let’s hope you never have to use these techniques you’ll be learning, but chances are, if you kayak for long enough- you will encounter an emergency at some point- or be in need of a rescue yourself! This lesson is 6 hrs. long, with a break for lunch in the middle. This lesson is physically demanding, intense, and absolutely essential if you plan on running rivers. Location of this class varies. (Class Time: 10am to 4pm)
Call to sign up! (301)840-7388
* Any of these group lessons can be taken from April through November, and may be taken as a private lesson as well- at the private lesson rate *
Join the Next Level Social Club every Sat or Sun 5 pm to 7 pm for just $20 (free for package students).
These are some of the things you should consider bringing to class with you to make sure you have a more enjoyable experience on the river. Do not underestimate the value of these items! We’ve been doing this for quite a while, and experience has shown us that the student who comes prepared, has a better time on the water.
Here’s the list:
1) Completely filled out, legible health history form and waiver! This is mandatory- we will have extras on site, but filling these out ahead of time will save time on the day of your lesson. Download them off our website.
2) Plenty to drink- staying hydrated is very important with any physically demanding sport, so bring water with you everytime you paddle.
3) Sunscreen- you could be in the sun for up to 4hrs in some of our lessons. A bad sunburn is the most common kayaker ailment.
4) Snacks- you’ll be burning lots of calories, and you will need the energy supply, so bring something to snack on like a powerbar wrapped in a ziplock sandwich bag or drybag.
5) Proper footwear- we recommend kayak specific shoes because they fit better in low volume kayaks. Any thick soled shoe will probably not fit in your kayak. You MUST protect your feet from sharp rocks, glass, metal, sticks, or anything else that might be in the river- no bare feet allowed.
6) Noseplugs- this is a very recommended piece of gear! If you think you don’t need them, then go stick your head upside down in a bathtub full of water for ten seconds and see what happens. Being upside down in the river is less fun if you are uncomfortable! We will have a limited supply available for sale at your lesson for $10.00 ea.
7) Straps for eyewear- If you don’t want to lose your glasses, bring a strap to keep them on, or they could be lost to the river.
Drybag- These are a great way to maintain your stuff, and keep it from getting stolen from your car while you are on the river- always protect your valuables!
9) Layering- we supply the following; kayak, paddle, spray skirt, helmet, and pfd, but do not have layering gear for our students- that you have to buy. Items like: paddling tops, polypro, neoprene, rash tops, thin skin, etc. You WILL be wet the entire lesson and will need to keep your body temp regulated. Our lessons take place rain or shine, and you would be suprised how cold you can get on a cloudy, windy day in July when you are wet, so come PREPARED. Wet suits are ok, but they are better suited for scuba, than kayaking.
10) Medications- If you need to take any meds for any reason bring them with you- notify your instructor and they can hold onto them for you.
Enjoy your time on the river!
IMPORTANT: Our Cancellation Policy
We do NOT give refunds on any lesson or lesson packages purchased. If we cancel a lesson, due to high river levels, or inclement weather, we will issue a make-up date, according to availability on our schedule. We do not give refunds for any reason whatsoever. We will issue a credit towards future lessons, if needed, but no refunds will be given.
You may transfer your lesson, or lesson package to someone else, but they must meet eligibility requirements prior to taking any lesson.
If you need to reschedule or cancel your lesson, we require proper advance notice. You must contact us by close of business at least 48hrs prior to your lesson start time. For example;If your lesson is on a Saturday, and you wish to reschedule, you MUST contact us by 6pm on the Wednesday before your lesson. Failure to give sufficient notice, or not showing up for your lesson, is considered a “no-show” and you will forfeit your lesson and not be given a refund= NO EXCEPTIONS !!! If you cancel with proper notice, you may reschedule according to availability on our schedule.
If you have any question whatsoever considering our policy, please don’t hesitate to call us! (301)840-7388
Thank You
