Go with the flow! You’re no idiot, of course. You love being on the water and in the great outdoors. But when it comes to canoeing or kayaking, you’re starting to think you hear a waterfall. Don’t head for higher ground! The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Canoeing and Kayaking will prepare you for your journey—whether you’re heading down a local river, around a regional lake, or into the ocean. In this Complete Idiot’s Guide®, you get: • Detailed information on the different types of canoes, kayaks, and tips for choosing the right one for you. • Paddling strokes, maneuvers, and techniques for all kinds of conditions. • Foolproof tips on navigating all types of waters—from rough rapids to slow-moving streams. • Great advice on using kayaks and canoes for fitness, fishing, camping, and competition. Learn more about: • Safety considerations, including quick exits, Eskimo Rolls, swift water-rescue techniques, and more. • Safely paddling with kids, to make sure everyone has fun. • Clothing and equipment, including how to choose and care for a personal flotation device. • Paddling techniques and how they evolved through the years. • Planning a trip and choosing an outfitter or guide. • Building your own canoe or kayak.

A beginner's guide to paddling canoes and kayaks, with tips on choosing equipment, safety and and performing maneuvers.

Well-illustrated with more than 600 color photographs, this how-to book achieves as high a standard as the authors' Paddle Your Own Canoe with step-by-step instructions on essential techniques, and includes history, recommendations, camping and more.

Kayaking is one of the most exhilarating ways of getting afloat, whether enjoying a leisurely paddle or shooting whitewater. This lavishly illustrated and clearly written guide imparts readers with all the knowledge they'll need for getting out on the water, and the confidence to tackle all of the basic kayaking maneuvers. Beginning with launching and basic paddling skills, the book goes on to explain more advanced techniques, including a step-by-step guide to the Eskimo roll. Safety is emphasized throughout, with full chapter dedicated to rescue and righting procedures.

From Rochester to Hornell, west to Chautauqua and north to the Buffalo region, western New York State is home to a wealth of quiet-water paddling locations for canoers and kayakers at all levels. TAKE A PADDLE--WESETERN NEW YORK is a detailed guide to 45 specific locations, with 20 ponds and small lakes and over 250 miles of quiet streams and rivers.

Interest in recreational kayaking is booming! Learn paddler lingo and river etiquette, what to do when you capsize, what to buy and money saving tips on what not to buy, how to load and unload and how to lead a paddle like a pro. Written by an American Canoe Association Kayak Instructor, over one hundred pages of the basics to help get you started.