The air boat activity An inflatable kayak to paddle autonomously!

Activity description An air-boat is a one-man inflatable craft which the paddler autonomously manoeuvres using a double-blade paddle. Thanks to its inflated self-bailing structure making it a very stable boat, beginners can paddle in white water without having had any previous experience of white water activities. Thanks to a specific strapping system, the paddler is comfortably seated on top of his boat, thus avoiding the constraints of being seated inside the boat, as is the case with a regular rigid kayak. An air-boat trip brings the same sensations as a white water kayak trip and offers a possibility of having fun and playing with the water, without experiencing the drawbacks of flipping over with a rigid kayak. With an air-boat, in case the paddler do flip over, all he has to do is to jump back on the boat and off he goes again! The guides accompany them in their own boats and indicate the way, while giving the first tips on how to surf the Verdon waves.

Equipment * self-bailing air-boat, * double blade paddle, * high buoyancy lifejacket, * helmet, * gloves (beginning and end of season), * 5 mm. or 3 mm. wet-suit, according to temperature, * neoprene jacket or wind-beaker, according to temperature, * neoprene booties or socks, according to temperature.

Our trips on the Middle-Verdon: Guided trip, only on days of water release, on the Upper-Verdon: Guided trip, during thawing period in the spring, on the Lower-Var: Guided trip in the summer. For more details, please see the details sheets by clicking on the chosen trip.

Period of validity * From April until October. * The flow of the Middle-Verdon is dam-controled. In the spring, (from April until June), the water releases occur on a regular basis, thanks to the thawing of the snow which feeds the Castillon Lake above the dam, upstream from Castellane. In the event that water releases are temporarily interrupted, we suggest riding the Verdon upstream from Castellane on the Upper-Verdon (the Fontgaillarde Gorges). This section is fed by the thawing of the snow in the spring. This trip takes place about 45 mn. away from Castellane. In the summer, (July and August), the water releases are only planned on specific days (usually on Tuesdays and Fridays). Replacement air-boat trips on the Upper-Verdon are not possible in the summer; we then run our trips on the Lower-Var river. In the autumn, (starting mid-September), the water releases are regular again and make the Middle-Verdon trips possible every day again.

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ABOARD RAFTING BP19 - 8, place de l'eglise 04120 Castellane Tél./Fax : 04 92 83 76 11 e-mail : [email protected]