DemoFest Registration and Clinic Offerings

AM Clinic Descriptions

Family of Draws
Every family has them, the functional members and the dysfunctional members.  The “Draw” family is no different for many paddlers.  When used well these strokes add the next level of control to your paddling.  However if used poorly a lot of energy can be wasted.  Our experts will guide your body mechanics to get the most out of your draw strokes and you’ll also learn when the most effective time is to use various types of draws.

Improve Your Foundation Skills
If you are still on the newer side of paddling, but excited to join DemoFest to try out what kayak you might want to buy while also gaining some more experience in a whitewater boat, then this clinic is for you.  Realistically all paddlers should also focus in on their foundation from time to time as all more advanced paddling comes from a strong set of basic skills.  So all are welcome to come warm up your paddling with us in this skills refresher clinic.

Underwater Composure
Working on your roll requires excellent underwater composure. This clinic will dive into the underwater world and the headspace required to keep cool and confident in a combat roll situation. You will be spending lots of time underwater upside down in this clinic. Be sure to bring nose plugs (and goggles if you want) for optimal practice! Check out our roll clinics for a more catered option to your skill level and needs.

PM Clinic Descriptions

Buddy Boat Rescue

We’ll show you some of our tricks for helping capsized paddlers get back to shore quickly with their equipment.  After a basic rescue is reviewed we’ll up the ante based on the skills of the group.  We’ll be discussing concerns like group management, rescue priorities and strategies for increasing your sphere of awareness during a rescue. Check out our Rescue Skills for Boaters page to see our full day option too!

Building River Running Skills
Join us on a class I – II river run to improve your river awareness and boat control. We’ll be paddling approximately five miles from the Zoar Gap picnic area down to Zoar Outdoor along rt 2. Great for paddling families and kids!  We will cover basic maneuvers such as eddy turns and peel-outs. You will gain comfort in crossing gentle currents while learning about river features such as eddies, eddy lines and downstream V’s.  All paddlers need to have basic comfort with wet-exits and have a basic set of strokes to turn and edge the boat.

AM Clinic Descriptions

Buddy Boat Rescue
We’ll show you some of our tricks for helping capsized paddlers get back to shore quickly with their equipment.  After a basic rescue is reviewed we’ll up the ante based on the skills of the group.  We’ll be discussing concerns like group management, rescue priorities and strategies for increasing your sphere of awareness during a rescue. Check out our Rescue Skills for Boaters page to see our full day option too!

Relay Race
Bring your competitive drive and all your boating and rescue skills to get ready for this relay race! A mixture of rescue skills, paddling technique, and finesse will lead you to victory in this relay race style clinic. A brief review of skills will take place at the beginning of the course. Check out our Class II full day clinic for a deeper dive in your paddling technique.

Rolling Refresher
If you’re just about there, this is a great course to help you learn some tricks that might just get your roll the rest of the way. If you are rolling we’ll help clean up any weakness with your roll so it’ll be ready for the river. If you have a solid roll on only one side we’ll help you practice on the other side or challenge you to learn handrolls or back deck rolls so you can be ready for any situation in the river.

Sweeps & Forward Strokes
Great paddling starts at the foundation.  Perfect practice makes perfect.  Gain more precision with your paddle blades as we exam the correct blade angles, depth and length of stroke for sweep and forward strokes.  Finally as your core skills improve so will your vision and you’ll be keeping your eyes high and ready to win those boater x races.

PM Clinics

Half Slice, Twice as Nice: Infini-Tailees
Take advantage of the best selling boats on the market, half slice kayaks.  Half Slice boats are business up front and party in the back.   This allows for stable river running, great front surfing with actual carving and easy stern squirts ie “tailees”.  This clinic will focus in on the technique to achieve the ultimate tailee.  If you’ve gotten used to the ultra short rodeo spud boats the technique is a little different going back to a longer kayak.  We’ll help you with the timing and precision needed to take advantage of these awesome kayaks and river features.

Kids Clinic
The future of our sport!  It’s amazing to see young rippers in kayaks and equipment that fit them right.  This year we have added more kids equipment than ever to our shop to help give kids the same advantages that the older paddlers have.  Kids also learn differently than adults and getting them into clinics with other kids of similar age really helps grow their passion for paddling.  It’s all about having fun on the water.

LGBTQ+ Community Paddle Skills Course
LGBTQIA+ Community Paddle Skills Course: This is a mini clinic for folks who identify as LGBTQ+ folks and allies and are looking for a community river run with basic and intermediate paddling skills instruction.  Participants do need to have the same paddling prerequisites, but we are excited to bring folks together on the water.  It’s all about the community!

Ten Tips From Tip Top Instructors
Our instructors are full of tips for you to improve all aspects of your paddling.  Become more graceful on the water.  Having an experienced instructor examine where your current level is and provide feedback is such a gift.

Clinic Descriptions

SUP For Whitewater Kayakers – by NRS
Give SUP in whitewater a try!  We have great inflatable SUP’s from NRS available!  Besides just being fun leaning to SUP will actually improve your kayaking too.  Your balance will improve along with your ability to control the craft from one side.  Learn some new terminology and some new skills!

Canoeing For Whitewater Kayakers
Give canoeing a try!  We have great canoes from Esquif!  Besides just being fun leaning to canoe will actually improve your kayaking too.  Your balance will improve along with your ability to control the boat from one side.

Half Slice, Twice as Nice: Infini-Tailees
Take advantage of the best selling boats on the market, half slice kayaks.  Half Slice boats are business up front and party in the back.   This allows for stable river running, great front surfing with actual carving and easy stern squirts ie “tailees”.  This clinic will focus in on the technique to achieve the ultimate tailee.  If you’ve gotten used to the ultra short rodeo spud boats the technique is a little different going back to a longer kayak.  We’ll help you with the timing and precision needed to take advantage of these awesome kayaks and river features.

Paddling With Finesse
Do you spray your fellow paddlers with water while trying to catch a wave?  Or simply muscle your way through the more difficult moves?  If you feel like you grip your paddle to tight or have a lot of tension in your body then this course may be pretty helpful for your paddling.  Paddling with finesse is not just about paddling relaxed on the river, but also learning to use river features instead of fighting currents.  We’ll help with an overall approach to help you be a rad paddler.

Learn The Lines On The Class III-IV Dryway
For confident dryway level paddlers that want to push themselves to learn some new lines.  This is a great clinic for you.  Try out some new boats and play your way down the river with amazing paddlers.

PM Clinics

Moving on Up: Attainments
Test out a long boat and let our instructors challenge you with some of our favorite challenges.  Attainments are a great skill to practice.  Paddling up river lets you get back up to your favorite surf waves, help with a rescue or simply try fun moves over and over again.  Attainments are a super fun challenge in their own right too.  We’ll work on how to best use your energy and river features to make some pretty cool moves!

Zoar Gap With A Plan
A classic DemoFest clinic.  We’ve helped so many paddlers over the years with their goals of taking on new lines and paddling the Zoar Gap rapid with success.  Let our experience help guide you down this challenging class III New England test piece.  The Zoar Gap is a hoot!

The DemoFest mini-clinics are designed for experienced paddlers looking to paddle the hottest new whitewater kayaks. 

• Great for experienced kayakers and open to those who have mastered the wet-exit, can self rescue in current and who are comfortable in at least class one whitewater with a sprayskirt and a whitewater style kayak.
• Advanced paddlers who want an energizing and thrilling experience in Class IV water can also demo boats on the Dryway section.

If you’ve never paddled before or have never been in a true whitewater kayak you can sign up for our 2-day novice kayak courses to try out the sport.  Novice courses typically start on Wednesday’s and Saturday’s throughout the summer.

At Zoar, our staff makes the difference when it comes to your whitewater kayaking experience. Our friendly, accommodating team is here to answer any questions you might have, so don’t hesitate to give us a call!

Temperatures can change a lot during a September day and the Deerfield River is always cool, regardless of the time of year or air temperature. When packing your paddling clothes, please plan accordingly and bring clothing layers to accommodate the days fluctuations. Our clinics will run rain or shine.

Wear items such as:

• Synthetic long underwear, garments made of polypropylene, Capilene, or some polyester/spandex blend
• Fleece or wool socks
• Bathing suit
• Fleece or wool jacket/sweater (early/late season or if you tend to chill easily)

Other items to bring:

• Sunscreen
• Sunglasses
• Retaining strap for glasses
• Nose plugs
• Towel
• Required medications
• Extra money for snacks, T-shirts, or coin-operated showers

Zoar Outdoor will provide:

DemoFest site

• Boat- Try out a bunch of them!
• life jacket
• helmet
• paddle
• sprayskirt

Zoar Outdoor base only

• wetsuit
• paddle jacket
• booties

If you own your own equipment, we suggest you use it in the clinic to get used to its quirks.