Field trip: Introduction to Flatwater Packrafting
Flatwater Packraft Course Outing: paddle on a lake - Lake Washington: Matthews Beach
The first field trip will cover safety skills, swimming skills and paddling skills.
- Sun, Sep 14, 2025
- Seattle Packrafting Committee
- Packrafting
- Adults
- Easy
- 1 (10 capacity)
- FULL (4 capacity)
- Mon, Jun 16, 2025 at 6:00 PM
- Sun, Aug 10, 2025 at 6:00 PM
- Cancellation & Refund Policy
- iCal Google
Students will need to bring all required equipment, including a dry suit. This session will include:
- Inflation and preparation of the packraft
- Basic swimming skills
- Paddling skills
- Safety skills, including assisted and unassisted rescues
Module 1: rigging, adjust thigh straps, adjust backrest, tie bow line, tie stern grab line
Module 2: dry suit burping, practice floating, swimming backstroke, swimming crawl stroke, swimming on back with paddle, swimming with paddle doggie style
Module 3: various paddling strokes: box technique, draw stroke, sculling, back-paddling, etc. Set up 5 buoy slalom course, do relay races around the concrete dock. Paddle along the shore for a short distance
Module 4: rescues - waist deep self entry, partner assist, deep water entry, group rescue, paddling with extra paddle, boat carry on the bow, boat bump, tow a swimmer koala style on the bow, tow a swimmer on a line

Meet at 9 am at Matthews Beach park on Lake Washington.
Required Equipment
Standard flatwater Packrafting equipment per course overview