Students and experienced paddlers of canoes and kayaks will head to the Tennessee Valley Canoe Club for its annual paddle school May 29-31.
Ashley Teel, the club's vice president, said 175 students are expected to attend, along with 110 safety/support boaters.
"This will be a record year," said Teel, a whitewater kayaker. "It is really showing how the size of the club has grown."
According to U.S. Coast Guard statistics, there were 610 recreational boating fatalities last year -- 75 from canoes, 58 from kayaks and two from stand-up paddleboards.
"The objective of the school is about getting people out on the water and making them feel comfortable," Teel said. "We love to share our knowledge and (get) people more educated on the river."
Most instructors, students and support boaters will set up camp the evening of May 29 at Outdoor Adventure Rafting (629 Welcome Valley Road in Benton) on the bank of Ocoee River. For those without a tent or camper, nearby cabin rentals offer another option for overnight stays.
A paddler's reception that Friday night includes check-in, dinner and a boat outfitting at the OAR campground. While instruction won't begin until the next morning, students renting or borrowing gear for the weekend are strongly encouraged to arrive May 29 to receive assistance outfitting and adjusting their boats, club officials said.
All students must provide their boat, paddles and any required safety equipment such as personal flotation devices. Outfitters in the Chattanooga and Ocoee River areas offer equipment rentals.
Instruction continues through the afternoon of May 31. Classes will be held on the Hiwassee River, with some starting at the boat ramp downstream below the TVA's Appalachia Dam powerhouse and others near the railroad bridge that crosses the river near Reliance.
Five classes will be offered: kids' club, whitewater kayaking, whitewater canoeing, alternate whitewater boat and flatwater. Within those classes are three different skill levels: beginner, beginner/intermediate and intermediate. Each skill level builds on the students' previous experiences and training on flatwater and moving water.
Learning basic paddling skills -- such as wet exits from kayaks -- and various strokes and terms will make up most of the beginners' training. The next two levels will refine their skills and face more challenging opportunities. Safety/support boaters will be alongside students as they paddle down the flowing waters of the Hiwassee.
Uwe Zitzow, a whitewater canoeing instructor, outlined his goals for students.
"Safety and fun -- in that order," he said.
Zitzow and his wife Carol are considered expert paddlers within the canoeing community and are frequent leaders of the Tennessee Valley Canoe Club's overnight and weeklong canoeing trips.
"What I want people to do is have fun and learn to have control of the boat," Zitzow said. "Rivers can be very dangerous places. They can hurt you and even kill you."
In addition to providing instruction and increasing safety, the paddle school is an important part of the club's growth.
"The paddle school is our lifeline for new members," said Don Fletcher, president of the TVCC. "It is kind of a yearly rebirth of the club with new people.
"You can travel the country with the paddle club. We just go all over, and it is a great way to make lifelong friends."
An evening meal will be provided after the first day of instruction. Participants may also challenge others during a jousting event in which two individuals on stand-up boards attempt to push one another into the chilly waters of the Ocoee.
That will be followed by an auction of donated new equipment, the club's major fund-raising event. Teel said $3,000 to $7,000 is raised each year at the auction, with those funds used to hold additional training, such as swift water rescue, rescue rodeo and instructor training for the American Canoe Association.
Additional information and registration forms for the paddle school are available at tvccpaddler.com.
Contact Gary Petty at sports@timesfreepress.com