NO!
Where is the snow? I hate skiing on ice.
Winter has not started yet!
If you hate skiing on ice
try paddling on it! I can’t even do a post to turn around and get back to the water.
It’s official
Add one to the instructor list. John Steib AKA Pagayeur will be attending and teaching.
Marc Ornstein
Reminder
The deadline to register (without a late fee) for the Florida FreeStyle Symposium is January 31st. It’s shaping up to be a great event with lots of instruction from basics to advanced. Most of the countries top instructors have signed on. We’ve improved the meal offerings and the afternoon enrichment classes. For full details go to www.freestylecanoeing.com and follow the link on the homepage.
Marc Ornstein
Correction/Additional Information
I just realized that one of the afternoon classes was not listed on the class description page. It is on the registration form.
The class is “Scuff Patch application including hull and trim maintenance”. The class will be taught by none other than Tom Mackenzie of Loon Works Canoe. He will teach the class each afternoon. You can attend any one session or all three. If you have already sent in your registration, simply send me an email and I’ll add your name to the class list. We can settle up the class fee at sign in.
Marc Ornstein
Ooop! a correction to the correction
The Scuff patch/hull maintenance class is two sessions (Sat. and Sun.) not three as previously posted. See the registration form for complete details.
Marc Ornstein
Current indications are
that attendance will be up about 10% over last year; perhaps as much as 20% if last minute registrations trickle in. It appears that we’ll have a good number of new faces. The representation from Florida folks is growing as well. If the economy is holding some people back, perhaps it’s being offset by the relentless cold and snow, encouraging more folks to head south.
Marc Ornstein
Registration deadline approaching
It’s not to late. Just a reminder that the deadline for registrations is March 1st.
Registrations are up a bit from last year, but we still can accommodate a few more. If you are planning to attend and have not yet registered, please send me an email or call. The advance notice will help me with planning.
Marc
If want any pictures of the FFS location
let me know and I’ll see if I can take them and send them to you.
Kayak_Ken
Not sure I understand
Ken,
As you know I’ve been to the site several times including last year’s symposium. So why would I need pictures unless you’re suggesting posting them for others to see?
Marc Ornstein
The final talley
is 45 registrants for this years’ FFS. That is approximately a 30% increase over last year.
If you’re not able to join us in Florida, don’t forget the Adirondack FreeStyle Symposium, host by none other than Charlie Wilson. It’s coming up this July in Ray Brook NY.
Marc Ornstein
Florida is lookng good
even if boat loading is risky. We still have a LOT of snow on the ground and the trailer is non emergent.
Somehow we’ll get the stuff organized but it seems odd to pack tropical clothing at minus ten.
I know it’s a bit early
and I’d hate to jinx it, but the long range forecast is mighty encouraging. Lots of sun and moderately warm temperatures. Short sleeves and suntan lotion. I can hardly wait.
Marc
Bring your sunscreen
The weather will be sunny in the high 70’s/low 80’s. You picked a good weekend.
Kayak_Ken
Brief Wrap Up Report
The 2nd annual Florida FreeStyle Symposium wrapped up earlier this week. From my perspective, as the organizer, it was a great success. I hope other attendees will post messages describing their experiences.
We had a total of 48 attendees, which is an increase of approximately 33% over last year. More importantly, the student to instructor ratio was up as was the percentage of first time symposium attendees.
The weather was spectacular. We experienced full sun and temperatures in the eighties, every day. For the most part, winds were light, except for the Sunday night exhibition. I had not yet memorized my routine. Shortly after beginning, a wind gust picked up my “cheat sheet” and relocated it to the back of my boat. Somehow,in the middle of a maneuver, I managed to reach back and retrieve it, but in the meantime lost my place and had to finish by doing a “flash” routine. The audience had a good laugh as did I.
No good canoeing event is complete without good food. We hired a new caterer this year and she was spectacular. We had wonderful (and healthy) food, three meals a day, including refreshments and appetizers before dinner the 1st night. Karen Miller from Old South Yankee Gourmet Shop and Catering (www.oldsouthyankee.com) did a fine job and I would highly recommend her to anyone in the Jacksonville area needing such service.
On Saturday night we did a Giant Slalom in which we invited every one we could convince or arm twist into a race around buoys. The buoys were marked with specific FS moves that were supposed to be done around each. No points were deducted for lack of form, only time counted. All of the participants and the audience had a great time.
We introduced a new afternoon enrichment class called “Creekin FreeStyle”. The class was held on a local creek and was designed to teach the functional use of FS maneuvers in a real life setting. Although the creek was very slow moving and had only minimal obstructions, it did allow us illustrate ways in which FS can be applied to and modified to fit into real world paddling situations. I intend to lead a similar class at the Adirondack FreeStyle Symposium. In the Adirondacks, we’ll have access to faster streams, with more features to work.
I’d like to thank all of the instructors who attended and helped make the event successful. All of them came from long distances and at considerable expense. Although I was able to pay the instructors more than last year, none recouped all of their expenses. All of the instructors came and taught because of their passion for the sport and their desire to teach others, what others previously taught them. A big thanks to all.
For those unfamiliar with FreeStyle symposiums, I’ll give you a brief rundown on the finances.
There are certain fixed expenses, such as facilities rental (in this case the college campus), food (a caterer) and a host of other smaller costs. We charge site and food fees to cover those expenses. We then charge a small feel for each class session. That fee is generally about $35.00 per 3 hour session. All of the collected funds go into a single “pot”. After paying all of the fixed expenses, the organizer divides up the balance by a simple formula based upon who taught how many classes or in the case of the afternoon enrichment classes, how many students. When all is done, the pot is essentially empty. The events are truly, non-profit. In fact, as noted earlier, if instructors and the organizer really account for all of their costs to travel and attend it’s a money loosing operation, but that’s not why we do it.
We’ve requested that the college reserve for us the same time slot for next year. The caterer likewise. That would make the 2012 Florida FreeStyle Symposium the weekend of March, 17 through 19. Mark that on your calender.
I’d love to see some reports from others. Please post some pictures as well.
One last time I’d like to thank all of those who attended, those who taught and those that in a variety of ways helped me put the symposium together.
Marc Ornstein
Dogpaddle Canoe Works
Custom Canoe Paddles and Woodstrip Canoes
While I teach FS I have to report
that due to the Symposium my hit and switch is much more powerful and my WildFire cousin canoe can be guided as straight as an arrow even with over two and a half inches of bow and stern rocker.
You can go straight by a J or variant, hit and switch with perfection(not the beginners switching) or by forwards and cross forwards.
No more searching for the perfect canoe. Can make a no rockered boat turn tightly and a highly rockered boat track on line.
A perfect cure for the budget crunch. Your boat can be made more adaptable.
hit one right outta the park…
FFS:
top instructors
great venue
cooperative weather, in fact spectacular
good food
interesting companions
variety of workshops
Pag
Great Event!
Instruction seemed to go well, food, fellowship, was top drawer and we found a new restaurant, Merge, that goes to the top of the list.
The downside was leaving clear, sunny, 80’s to arrive back North with the lake still frozen and night time temps below zero.
Great event
I could not be happier with the Freestyle Symposium. This was my second year. Last year I was alone and took the introductory solo course. This year my wife came along and we took the tandem course. We came away a much better paddling team than we went in.
The facilities were great. The food was great. The instructors were competent, patient, friendly and fun to be with.
As was pointed out above, when you improve your skills you can stretch what your boat can do. You can make a tracking boat turn and a turning boat track. It will put a smile on your face when you manage a difficult maneuver that previously eluded you.
My thanks to all.
Peter
I appreciate the fine feedback
– Last Updated: Mar-29-11 7:18 PM EST –
I've gotten, but more I appreciate all the folks that helped to make it happen. That includes all of the instructors who traveled at great personal expense, so that they could share their knowledge. I'm already compiling notes so that the next Florida FreeStyle Symposium can be even better.
I still looking for photos from the event. If anyone wants to post a few, that would be great. If you have a collection, please send them to me on a disc.
Now it's time to look forward. The next Symposium is the Adirondack Freestyle Symposium to be held in Ray Brook NY in July and hosted by none other than Mr. CE Wilson.I'll bet if I ask nicely, he'll post the details here shortly. Y'all come now.
Louise