photo by Branden Baltich
PRIVATE INSTRUCTION
I'll never forget the time I taught my first kayaking lesson. Though I had mentored many folks over the years and given informal bits of instruction here and there, actually spending a day getting to know a person and their goals, and then customizing the experience to best help them achieve their whitewater dreams, awakened a sense of purpose I never knew existed within me. More than just discovering this burning within myself, I am very proud to be working for who I consider to be the foremost paddling instruction program around. Built from the passion of legendary paddler Jeff West, Ace's motto is to "Do it for the love of it!" Everyone involved with Ace is there for one reason - to share our passion of kayaking with the world. If you're looking to start whitewater paddling, have even been at it a while and would like to accelerate your game through professional instruction, or are new to rivers all together and want a guided tour of one of our amazing southeastern rivers, Ace is without a doubt your best option!
CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE!
BELOW IS A MENU OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF INSTRUCTIONAL SESSIONS, WITH A RANGE OF DURATIONS AND STYLES. IF WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR ISN’T LISTED, JUST REACH OUT AND WE’LL FIGURE OUT A STRATEGY FOR THE DAY THAT BEST MEETS YOUR GOALS!
Full Day Session
$280
Add $100 each additional student
DURATion: 4 to 6 hours
This is as full day of instruction, typically starting around 10am with the goal of wrapping up around 4pm. We’ll spend some time initially working on fundamentals and stroke technique, as well as a few drills and rolls, before paddling downriver, where we’ll work on reading the water, line selection, execution, and processing results. Depending on the venue and time of year, the style of the lesson may lean heavily on training, or focus more on efficient downstream movement in order to stay on pace. Beginner sessions will also include more time on the front end familiarizing oneself with equipment and additional safety discussion.
We may choose to target any of the following elements specifically as a plan, or may adapt towards these elements as needed, as well as other concepts not listed. We will work with intention, but embrace adaptability.
Stroke Technique - Here we’re sharpening your tools.
Confidence Training - Rolling, Mental Game, Working through Anxiety
Full Slice Playboating - Throwing Ends, Squirting, Surfing, Splatting, Creativity
Half Slice Playboating - Squirts, Surfs, Splats, Hard Moves
Creeking Technique - Boofing, Scouting, Drops, Advanced Boat Control
Water Reading and Line Selection - Studying flow and how to work with it
Surfing Holes - Stabilization, Edging, Sculling Brace, Extrication
Combat Rolling & Bracing - Play/practice in controlled settings
Leadership Roles - How to paddle on point, communicate, make decisions
*see cancellation policy at bottom of page
Roll Session
$150
DURATION: 2 hours
Here we take a look at the roll you’ve brought to the session, assess what needs to change, focus on each element, and then integrate those elements into a seamless roll. Beginner rolling starts with hip and knee motion, head positioning, sequence, and t-rescues before involving the paddle and working towards the full roll. Other types of training may entail forging the roll through repetition, opposition training, and the development of mental agility.
Location TBD Based on season, instructor schedule, and client location.
*see cancellation policy at bottom of page
Flatwater Session
$150
DURATION: 2 hours
The truth can often be less than thrilling, but I think it’s great news that much of the development potential inside each paddler can be fully realized merely through a regular routine of flatwater sessions. The forward stroke, circle drills, combination drills, stroke technique, body mechanics, posture, bracing, and more can all be optimized on the lake. If most paddlers spent half the time they spent on whitewater rivers instead training on the lake, they would see a big jump in their progression. But if you’re working on the wrong elements or approaching them the wrong way, the work can be less than fruitful. Pretend this whole kayaking thing is a sport and let’s train like it’s a sport!
Location TBD Based on season, instructor schedule, and client location.
*see cancellation policy at bottom of page
photo by Dee Pullen of Ocoee Photos
Ocoee Half Day Session
$180
DURATION: 3 hours
Looking for some support on a lap down the Ocoee? Looking to learn the lines and gain self-sufficiency on this regional classic? Or are you wanting an intense half-day workout session cartwheeling your full-slice, squirting your half-slice, or hitting the hard lines in the boat of your choice? Want to work the eddies at Broken Nose or Tablesaw but don’t need a full day lesson? This half-day session is a great option if you’re looking for a smaller chunk of instruction or guiding.
Availability of Ocoee half-day sessions is typically from mid-July through August. Extra students can be added for $80 each.
*see cancellation policy at bottom of page
Upper Ocoee Olympic Session
$180
DURATION: 3 hours
If you’re looking for the most intense training session available on the Ocoee, this is it. While the Upper Ocoee doesn’t see the traffic and love that the more consistent Middle Ocoee downstream, the half-mile long race course designed to host the 1996 Olympic Slalom events offers the best place on the entire river to test one’s abilities and train for rivers like the Cheoah and Upper Gauley. These 3 hour intensive sessions focus on hard ferries, attainments, precise boat control, big moves above big holes, and line refinement. If you are comfortable sneaking down the left side of the Olympic Section and want to take your skills to the next level, and have a bombproof combat roll, then come out and work the river with me!
Availability of Olympic Sessions is Saturdays & Sundays, from mid-July through August. Extra students can be added for $80 each.
*see cancellation policy at bottom of page
photo by Rob Giersch
Advanced Creeking - Green River, IV-IV+
$400
DURATION: 1 day
The Green River in North Carolina affords the opportunity to practice advanced creeking skills like boofing, smearing rocks, punching holes, and running slides, and is available most days of the year, even many days in the summer. If you’re paddling rivers like Watauga, North Chick, Tallulah, Caney Fork or similar and are looking to go steeper and a little more full-contact, the Green is a rite of passage that also serves as a foundational training ground for Class IV paddlers who are looking to progress further. To be ready for a session on the Green, your roll needs to be completely solid. Paddlers should be boating 60+ days a year, and have frequent, confident experiences on Class IV creeks and rivers. Reach out to discuss the possibilities here.
Check-out from a prior lesson is required to be eligible for a Green River session. Additional consecutive days can be added for $280/day.
Video Services
Video can serve as a powerful tool in the progression of any paddler. It’s one thing to think you’re doing it right, but often enough video would tell a different story. We strive to emulate what we see, but knowing what we look like when we’re doing it is a missing piece of the puzzle, without which we are unable to complete the process of refining what we’re doing. The following services are available:
Follow-Cam Video Analysis - Here you are being followed down the river and recorded by Gopro. We’ll then take the video from the session and voice over recommendations and comments about what you’re doing and how to improve it.
Flatwater Session with video analysis - Here we are focused on the fundamentals. We’ll shoot footage of your basic strokes and review on site, then give it subsequent recordings looking for further improvement.
GoPro Analysis - Already have some gopro footage that you’ve got questions about or would like to dissect? We can do this too.
reach out to lay out what you’re looking for in video analysis and to discuss pricing
CANCELLATION POLICY FOR PRIVATE INSTRUCTION
When you book a day or multi-day session, we can’t sell it to someone else, which commits us to working with you. Finding replacements can be very difficult last minute so in order to offer reasonable pricing, we need a commitment from our clients.
Cancellation 24 hours or less before session start time requires full payment for session.
Cancellation less than 48 hours before session start time but greater than 24 hours before start time requires a payment in the amount of half of the session cost.
