Step 0. Before you begin planning...

The most important thing you can do before you plan a paddling trip is to identify the answers to these 3 important questions:

• Who is going to be going? Age(s) & experience
• How long is the trip going to be? A few hours or 3 weeks?
• What type of experience are you going after? adrenaline or communal

Once you have answered these questions, then you are ready to begin the planning.

1. Pick the type of river
2. Pick the type of boat(s)
3. How to find a river
4. Getting the equipment
5. Arranging the Shuttle

Step 1. Pick the type of river

Perhaps the single most important step in planning trip is to pick the type of river. Rivers can offer a very wide range of experiences. At one end of the spectrum is a very easy, slow moving river (a.k.a. Float Trip). At the other end of the spectrum is a wild ride down a river that has rapids forming huge waves and powerful currents(a.k.a. White Water). In between these two extremes are infinite variations (Fast Float Trip, Easy White Water, Moderate White Water, etc). In general, the slower moving trips are suitable for inexperienced paddlers with little or no experience. As river difficulty rises, the need for experienced paddlers rises. In many cases, the more difficult rivers require the use of professional guides.

As you might imagine, the experiences taken from a Float Trip will be quite different from those on a White Water trip. Float Trips are very relaxing and allow the participants to blend in with their surroundings. There is time for paddlers to admire scenery, look for wild life, observe wild flowers, etc. Generally, these trips are unguided and suitable for children of any age (even as young as 1 year old). Generally speaking, river sections rated Class I or II are suitable for Float Trips.

White Water trips are often described as a roller-coaster ride. The boat will often be jostled and turned (and sometimes even tip over). Given all the activity, the paddlers are not generally in a position to ‘become one with nature’ as on a Float Trip. Instead, the paddlers will need to give they full concentration to maneuvering the boat through the rapids. Generally speaking, river sections rated Class III, IV or V are considered White Water Trips. Suitability of White Water trips can ranges as young as 5 or 6 years old for easy Class III (i.e. Class III-) and up to 18 years old (for Class V).

With the above descriptions, you might be tempted to believe that there is no way to combine these experiences. In fact, many rivers have sections that are quite calm (thus allowing time for viewing the scenery) and other sections that are more wild (thus allowing the paddlers to get a dose of adrenalin).

Step 2. Pick the type of boat(s)

There are many type of boats, but this site will try to categories the wide range into 4 types. These are canoes, rafts, kayaks and tubes. Each type of boat can be customized to allow it to perform well in a range of river difficulties (with the exception of Tubes - which are pretty well limited to Class I/II).

Canoes:   These craft have been around in one form or another for hundreds of years and are designed to carry 2 people down a river. The material canoes are made of has changed dramatically in the past 20 years (hollowed out logs, strips of wood, fiberglass, plastic, carbon-fiber). They can be designed to paddle efficiently on a lake during a 3-week trip, or to handle the roughest White Water that one can imagine. Certainly, the characteristics of the canoe will vary depending on the task one has in mind for the craft. For multiple-day outings, ample room for gear and high sides (to allow heavy loads to not sink the canoe) are required. For single day trips, smaller (and probably lighter) canoes can be used. Generally speaking, these boats are the work horse of the paddling community. There are many models that are truly the ‘jack of all trades, master of none’ - thus providing adequate performance in a wide range of river situations. Given the long history of canoes and the virtual universal knowledge of what a canoe looks like, we will describe the other crafts in terms of how they differ from canoes.

Rafts:   These are relatively new in the history of paddling (originating in say the last 50 years or so). Generally, rafts are designed to hold 6-8 people and made out of a rubber-like material (like a tire inner-tube). They are generally as long as a short canoe, but about twice as wide. As a result, they are far more stable than a canoe. Given that the raft is made of a flexible material, it has the advantage of bouncing off rocks (very useful in difficult White Water). Rafts are significantly slower than canoes. While most rafts are used on White Water trips, they can be a welcome addition to a gentle Float Trip. Given their stability, they make an excellent ‘barge’ from which to have a group outing while floating down a river. Given the relative sluggishness of the raft, it is best if there is a moderate current to help the paddlers along.

Kayaks:   Kayaks share as long a history as canoes. The primary difference between these two craft is how you sit in the boat. You sit on the floor of a kayaks (instead of a seat in a canoe). There are so many styles of kayaks that at some point, you may have a difficult time determining if a given boat is more like a canoe or a kayak. You can imagine slowly lowering the seat of a canoe until you are on the floor of the boat. Another difference between canoes and kayaks is that in general, kayaks are covered on top while canoes are open. This feature allows kayaks to be submerged in a wave and come back to the surface. A canoe on the other hand, would stay swamped once submerged.

Step 3. Find a river that meets your river needs

Once you have nailed down your general expectations, it is time to get specific. At this point in the planning process, it is best to know where you are going - specifically what river and what section of that river. Location of the river is perhaps the most important factor. It is of little use to know that there is a perfect river for an afternoon float, only to find out that it is a 17-hour drive from where you are now. There are a number of resources that you can use to find a river:

1. Friends/Fellow paddlers
2. Web-sites & books
3. Local Outfitters

Friends/Fellow paddlers
Perhaps the most easiest way to find a good river is to ask your friends that have been paddling. If they had a good experience, the chances are good that you will to. In addition, they may have some insights into specific details that enhance your experience. Ensure that your friends experiences and expectations match yours, or you will be in for a (perhaps unpleasant) surprise when you get to the river. As you might expect, the quality of the advice you receive will be quite dependant on your friend. It is best to follow-up any advice from this source with your own research (see below)

Web-sites & books
There are also many research resources in both print and electronic (web-site) form. These vary tremendously in terms of knowledge required and reliability. They do an excellent job of detailing Class Ratings, specific hazards and features of a river, as well as recommended water levels. Generally, these sources do not include maps or directions to put-ins.

Local Outfitters
Local Outfitters are companies whose sole reason to exist is to provide their customers the necessary equipment and service to float on the river. They generally service several rivers and can be an invaluable resource for researching potential river locations. Outfitters will know what sections of their rivers are appropriate at what time of the year. Perhaps the best aspect of using an outfitter is that the time required to research the trip is greatly diminished. Of course, it is always prudent to do some double-checking through independent sources (books, Internet, friends, etc), but generally, the outfitters have a strong base of knowledge and their advice is well heeded. This web-site has an excellent list of Outfitters in Kentucky.

Step 4. Getting the equipment

The equipment needed for your trip will include boats, paddles and PFDs (a.k.a. Life Jackets). This section will focus on that equipment. Personal equipment (i.e. clothes, coolers, cameras, etc) are discussed in another section of this web-site. This web-site has a page on equipment and gear to bring on the river.

There are 3 primary source that you have at your disposal to get the necessary equipment:

1. Purchase
2. Borrow
3. Rent

Purchase
The obvious advantage to purchasing anything is that you have complete control over when, where and how to use the equipment. The costs of purchasing equipment can range from a few hundred dollars to many thousands of dollars depending on the quality and quantity needed. For one outing a year, this is prohibitively expensive. In addition, as with any equipment, there is a certain amount of maintenance required.

Borrow
This is an excellent alternative to Purchasing. The obvious advantage is that the costs are minimal (assuming you do not damage the equipment). The disadvantage is that many times the equipment availability is not exactly what you wanted.

Rent
The vast majority of boating trips are taken in rented boats. The sources of the rental are either a retail shop (generally located near your home) or outfitters (generally located near the river). For the infrequent paddler, this has the obvious advantage of low cost and low hassle. The company from which you rent will take care of all maintenance issues. In most cases, the rental shop will also upgrade their inventory on an annual (if not more frequently) basis, so you will be more likely to have up to date and reliable equipment. Many retail shops will allow you to rent a boat and apply the rental fee to the purchase price of the boat if you decide to buy. The primary difference in renting from a retail shop vs. a river-side outfitter is the shuttle. Virtually all river-side outfitters will include the price of the shuttle in the rental fee. Don’t under-estimate the value of the shuttle. This web-site has a list of River-Side Outfitters in Kentucky.

Step 5. Arranging the shuttle.

You have two choices in arranging the shuttle. Either do it your self (which involves bringing 2 vehicles to the river) or using an outfitter to provide the shuttle. Which of these two works best will be dependant on your specific needs and situation. Unless you live near the river, it is well advised to use an outfitter. The obvious reason for this is the need for an additional car. This web-site has a list of Outfitters in Kentucky. In addition, most outfitters include the shuttle fee in the price of a boat rental.