Whitewater playboating has become a sport onto itself. It evolved from kayak and canoe river running. As downriver paddling skills developed and progressed, paddlers began to do more than just run the rivers – they began to “play” them.
Over time, boaters discovered that certain precise paddling techniques could reliably be used to perform whitewater stunts and tricks on the river.
Soon, most kayakers and some canoeists were surfing, squirting and spinning their way down rivers and streams. Many found that perfecting these skills was as rewarding and challenging (and sometimes as dangerous) as navigating down demanding rivers. This has spawned a new sub-sport known as playboating. The terms rodeo boating and freestyle boating are also used more or less synonymously.
The popularity of playboating has increased substantially in recent years. Since it is typically performed in a specific location where there is a stationary river feature, such as a hole or wave, favorite playspots are often more readily available than actual whitewater-river running opportunities.
In Maine, there are several reliable “park-and-play” locations frequented by rodeo boaters. They include waves on the Kennebec River in Madison and the Penobscot River in Bangor and tidal playspots, such as the Sheepscot Reversing Falls in Alna and Blue Hill Falls south of the town of Blue Hill.
Perhaps the best playspot in southwestern Maine is Limington Rips on the Saco River. It has something for just about everyone. At higher water levels, there are large surfing waves and holes that can challenge even expert boaters. As the levels diminish, several excellent rodeo holes develop that many paddlers use for training purposes. They are also ideal for beginners and intermediates.
There is a state-operated picnic area and parking lot right next to the rips that facilitates access. Most paddlers simply launch their boats at the picnic area. However, it is also possible to put-in about a half-mile upriver and surf your way down.
Many, if not most, whitewater rivers have playspots along the way. Probably the most well-known playspot in Maine is Smooth Ledge on the Rapid River. It is located in the town of Upton in far Western Maine near the New Hampshire border. The Rapid River flows for about four miles from Pond in the River to Umbagog Lake and is almost continuous class III and IV whitewater. Smooth Ledge is located about halfway through the run.
On days when there is a scheduled release at Middle Dam on Lower Richardson Lake, which controls the flow on the Rapid River, scores of kayakers and canoeists can be found surfing and spinning there. Information regarding the release dates on the Rapid River can be obtained by accessing the Penobscot Paddle and Chowder Society Web site at paddleandchowder.org and clicking on river info.
There are numerous moves and techniques that constitute playboating. They all have their genesis in three basic functions – front surfing, spins and stalls.
• Front surfing is accomplished by pointing the boat upstream on a wave or in a hole (which is caused by water pouring over a rock or ledge) and using the upstream force they create to surf the boat.
• Spins are executed by rotating the boat from the front surf position 360 degrees, while remaining on the wave or in the hole.
• Stalls are performed when one end of the boat is forced down into the water causing it to become vertical. When the bow sinks down, it’s called an ender and when the stern sinks down its called a stern squirt.
There are multiple variations of these fundamental moves that include back surfing, flat spins, cartwheels and air loops. True rodeo boating occurs when the paddler is able to complete a continuous combination of these moves without being washed off the wave or out of the hole. Since rodeo boaters spend a lot of their time upside down, having an outstanding roll is a critical part of the sport.
The popularity has resulted in the development of boats that are specifically designed for playboating. Rodeo kayaks are very short, frequently in the six-to-seven foot range, with a very low volume bow and stern. Often, both the bow and stern are squared off, which provides for more boat control when doing spin moves. The shorter boat designs also allow for more fluid moves with less water resistance than their longer downriver counterparts.
While rodeo canoeing is less common than kayaking, it has also gained in popularity. Canoes or open boats, as they are frequently called, have also been designed specifically for playboating. Like kayaks, they are much shorter than normal, some approaching 8 feet. They are light weight and have an extreme rocker, which is a banana-shaped hull design that gives the boat exceptional maneuverability.
Probably the first step in learning to rodeo boat is to acquire a strong, reliable boat roll. For many, learning to roll a boat is difficult. Most people instinctively exit a boat when it flips over. Further, it is very disorienting to try to perform precise techniques while upside down in the water. Rolling a kayak is generally easier than a canoe, as the kayaks have a smaller volume and the user has a double-bladed paddle. Rodeo canoes are fitted with airbags or it would not be possible to roll them. Paddling clubs and many outfitters offer rolling sessions.
The Madawaska Kanu Centre in Ontario, Canada, is a popular school that many Maine paddlers have attended. It offers freestyle paddling courses on the Upper Madawaska and Ottawa Rivers. A nearby section of the Ottawa River has several world class playspots. To obtain more information about the Kanu Centre, access their Web site at www.owl-mkc.ca.
Competitions have become commonplace. It is now an Olympic event. In recent years, competitions at Gilman Falls in Old Town have attracted competitors from the U.S. and Canada.
Maine has had several successful freestyle paddlers, including Dustin Urban of Sedgwick, who was the youngest member of the U.S. men’s freestyle kayak team and formerly the squirt boating world champion.
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