Hybrid Swiftwater Rescue & Rowing Tuneup - 4 Day
Hybrid Swiftwater Rescue & Rowing Tuneup - 4 Day
*ONE OF A KIND NEW ADDITION!*
Level Up Your River Skills: 4-Day Swiftwater Rescue + Rowing Tune-Up!
Ready to boost your confidence, sharpen your technique, and get dialed for your next boating adventure? Join us on the Arkansas River near Salida for a high-energy, hands-on 4-day hybrid clinic combining 2 days of Swiftwater Rescue with 2 days of rowing skill refinement.
Days 1–2: Swiftwater Rescue
What You’ll Learn:
Gain practical experience in assessing river conditions, making smart decisions, and handling swiftwater rescue situations with confidence. Throughout the course, you'll develop critical skills to ensure both personal and group safety.
Topics Include:
River rescue techniques tailored for real-world scenarios
Whitewater swimming and self-rescue skills
Effective throw bagging techniques
Planning for swiftwater situations
Extractions and synches for complex rescues
Mechanical advantage systems for efficient rescue operations
Through a hands-on, practical approach, you'll have the opportunity to practice these skills in real river conditions, working alongside experienced instructors in a supportive environment. Teamwork, communication, and staying calm under pressure will be key themes throughout the clinic.
Certification:
Upon successful completion, participants will receive an ACA Swiftwater Rescue (SWR) Certificate of Completion, a respected credential recognized by raft guides, river professionals, and outdoor educators.
Days 3–4: Rowing Tune-Up
The Two-Day Rowing Clinic is designed for intermediate rower, with some prior experience. You’ll tuneup the fundamentals of rowing, water reading & scouting, and river safety as you work up in Class III whitewater. In addition, we’ll incorporate swiftwater rescue scenarios throughout.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:
Rowing Technique: Master the basics of rowing and maneuvering your raft.
Water Reading & Scouting: Learn how to assess river conditions and navigate safely.
River Safety: Build essential rescue skills and understand safety on the water.
Class III Rapids: Progressively tackle more challenging whitewater with confidence.
Applicable boat based rescue scenarios.
With hands-on learning in a fun, supportive environment, you’ll leave with the skills and confidence to safely navigate Class III rapids and enjoy your river adventures to the fullest.
Who Should Attend?
This clinic is ideal for rafters who want to feel more prepared and confident on the water.
We look forward to helping you build the skills you need for safe and enjoyable river adventures!
Offered in 2026:
July 30 - Aug 2
We offer both two-day and three-day Swiftwater Rescue training courses. Both options include the same core curriculum and cover the ACA Level 4 material. The two day course is a great opportunity to gain an overview of essential rescue concepts. The three-day course provides additional time to explore mechanical advantage in greater depth, including the 3:1 (Z-Drag) system. It also features more hands-on scenarios to practice these skills and allows for a more paced progression through the material.
Course Overview: The Swiftwater Rescue workshop teaches recognition and avoidance of common river hazards, execution of self-rescue techniques, and rescue techniques for paddlers in distress. Emphasis is placed both on personal safety and on simple, commonly used skills. Fundamental and more advanced techniques for dealing with hazards that carry greater risks for both victim and rescuer, such as strainers, rescue vest applications, entrapments, and pins, also are practiced. Scenarios will provide an opportunity for participants to practice their skills both individually and within a team/group context.
Course Objectives:
Promote proactive prevention of river accidents and injuries.
Develop and practice key self-rescue skills.
Identify and avoid river hazards by understanding hydrology, hazards, and river features.
Focus on fast, low-risk strategies for early management of river accidents
Develop and practice methods for recovering swimmers, and loose boats and equipment
Develop and practice more advanced rope-based and in-water skills
Gain experience using the rescue PFD, and understand its strengths and weaknesses
Utilize rescue scene management principles needed within a paddling group
Please review the Essential Eligibility Criteria (EEC) and a basic gear list here.
-
The core of the material is very much the same. Both the 2 day and 3 day classes meet the 16 hours as defined for a “L4” ACA swiftwater rescue course, and participants will receive a Proof of Completion Certificate.
The difference is that the 3 day allows us to spend more time on various aspects of practice including taking a much deeper dive into more complex mechanical advantage systems including the “Z-Drag.” Along with additional skills practice, the 3 day will also include more in-water scenarios to facilitate working a rescue as a team and to experience those skills in action.
Please call us at 719-398-1180 with any additional questions you might have.