There are specific locations around the world where there tends to be confused water and/or rebound that either provides a challenge to a paddler's stability or can prove to be unmanageable in terms of one's ability to stay upright. Some of these places with the right intensity and safety conditions/support can provide a useful gauge for your readiness to paddle in bigger water or on runs that have similar sections. Some high quality runs do have significant sections of rebound going past steep shorelines or docks that you have to be capable of paddling through to reasonably justify your being able to do such a run at all.

If you can't maintain decent paddle technique then don't screw up your technique just practicing getting gripped in these kind of conditions.

Beyond assessing your paddling technique through slop, also practice and assess these:

• Practice your rough water remounts!!
• 3 strokes then a brace - this is one of Boyan's drills for brace practice and familiarization and you can keep up some momentum while staying upright. It gets you practice for your brace on both sides (do you neglect one side due to feather?) and gives you a mantra to focus on and help keep going in turbulent water.
  • If you ever find yourself in a desperate situation use 2 strokes then a brace with the brace happening on your better bracing side - but practice this also - on both sides.
• Throwing your legs out for stability - some prefer both legs on one side for the best stability (Oscar C. & Boyan Z.), tuck your paddle under one arm near the blade for a long moment arm of stability also.
• Paddling with your feet in the water - this might be the only way you can make progress toward shore staying in your boat and it will help you if you have practiced
• Being able to scull on either side with your wing paddle - sculling is a very handy skill to have when you are not moving forward and want to stay upright and/or move sideways.
• Falling in or throwing your legs in the water for stopping - practice as if you have to stop to keep from running into something - see how fast you slow down from either. This response needs to be automatic when you really need to stop.
• Look at self rescue related techniques - are there any other possibly useful self-rescue techniques here to practice?
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Discussion

• Lake Whatcom Slop Test discussion (DJ Jacobson/Dawid Mocke)
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Advanced Rebound Examples

More Testing Conditions Video

• Rebound Videos
• Beam Waves Videos
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