I am looking to start kayaking on red river/ky river. I have called around and get those that give basic instruction with a rental. Anyone around that offers more detailed instruction or safety course?
I live
in KY about 50 miles northeast of Lexington. What part of the state are you in? There is a guy in Lexington that teaches rolling. I have watched one of his pool sessions and he seems to be a good instructor and gets high praise from many people I have talked to. I don’t know anything else about his background, instructional certifications or what other things he teaches regarding kayaking.
Southeast
I live near Red River Gorge so you may be a bit far for my old farm truck. Lexington may be doable.
I’m not
I’m not an instructor.
You might have some luck with this link but most are in Louisville, Frankfort or further north.
http://www.americancanoe.org/?page=Find_Instructors
Are you familiar with a store in Lexington currently named Phillip Galls? End of this month the name is changing to Benchmark Outdoors or something like that.
This group
might be able to help you. The roll instructor I mentioned is a member.
http://bwa.shuttlepod.org/
Thanks!!
No response
From BWA so I’m going to drive up to Phillip Galls and ask around 
The new sign
– Last Updated: Jun-28-12 6:56 PM EST –
is up now. I believe its Benchmark Outfitters. Still the same location in Woodhill mall. Ask if Tim is working when you get there. He is pretty much in touch with the area kayaking crowd. There is another guy there who kayaks, but for the life of me I can't recall his name. There is a young woman who was there yesterday but I'm not positive that she is an employee, however she seems to know about kayaking as well.
Just looked
at another website of theirs and you may want to ask Tim for contact information on a woman named Maryanne. She will be doing the roll sessions for the next month or so. She might be an instructor.
Thanks
I emailed her and someone else thru the site but didn’t get a reply. they may not check those accounts often. Thanks for the info . Fingers crossed I don’t get carried away in the store!
I tried
to post a message on their forum site but couldn’t. I got an e-mail from a woman in the group that gave the reason I couldn’t post as, “not an active member of the association”
I have sent her an e-mail in reply asking for a list of instructors that you could contact. I explained to her what you were looking for in the way of instruction. Hopefully there will be someone you can work with.
My youngest sister is into whitewater and playboating and she has had to travel to take courses. She is heading to a kayaking school in Canada in the next month or so. You might run into the same kind thing.
Thanks
I had e-mailed the site as well.
I took your advice and went to “Benchmark”. HUGE grand opening today. Everything except boats 20% off. Some pretty good deals to be had. Even though there were people everywhere, I talked with a nice guy who said New River Gorge is about the closest.
I know
– Last Updated: Jul-01-12 12:09 PM EST –
the guy you talked to. I was there from 10:00 until noon. I talked to him and he indicated the New River Gorge in WV.
I talked with another young woman there, an employee, and she told me there is a woman that is a store employee who is an instructor and apparently one of the most skilled paddlers in the central KY area. She is currently in Canada for the next few weeks teaching there at one of the kayaking schools. You can call the store and Neil should be able to give you her contact information.
Forgot to mention, I got an e-mail from the lady with the BWA and she says there is a guy with Canoe Ky that gives lessons. She also mention there is another guy in TN that gives lessons but had no information on him.
Probably just missed you
Thanks for all the help with info. Being this close to the Red River, I had no idea it would be so hard to find someone to teach technique.
thank you, thank you, thank you
I just looked at the Canoe Ky site and it is EXACTLY what I am looking for! Thanks to you there may one less person paddling in circles
I’m not so sure
about not paddling in circles. Two of my daughters tried to paddle a canoe to a small island where my youngest sister got married on the Potomac river. The ceremony was delayed because no matter what they did it resulted in circles.
KY info
Other than maybe Canoe Ky, not much instruction for flatwater here in Lexington. BWA does have roll sessions, but until summer when we are in the bigger pool, its hard to handle touring kayaks. Technique is the same though. We should start back in March - you can usually borrow a WW boat. Info will be at http://www.bluegrasswildwater.org
The one rescue class I took I ended up taking in SC while on vacation. Not much use for it here, unless you go out on the Ohio.
A new meetup.com group, Bluegrass Canoe and Kayak started up in December. We are starting to get set up some meetups set up.