Half Slice Party

It is a 5 days course paddling on the half slice  boats with top quality coaching aimed at developing all aspects of downriver skills. The Half Slice Party idea is to find all nice eddies, kickers and fun currents to play with on every run and learn to play with them. Firstly we always practice our skills on easier runs and then we take paddling to some more technical places where after getting comfortable we try to make it fun and enjoyable.

The coaching will be provided by LiLi guides in partnership with guest coaches. It will be designed to suit your individual requirements, with the aim of transforming all aspects of your half slice kayaking.

The plan will remain flexible depending on the water levels. Below is a rough training plan for the trip that you will experience on various rivers during our half slice programs in Galicia, Greece and Austria

DAY 1 — Getting a Feel for the Boat

You’ll start on easy water — no pressure, just paddling and getting comfortable. The half-slice behaves differently from most boats, and the first thing you’ll notice is the tail: it’s short, it’s loose, and it wants to move.

In the morning you’ll learn how to use that. You will learn skiping by approaching waves at a 45° angle and sweeping from the bow, you’ll start landing on wave peaks — hopping across the river rather than just going down it. It’s the first taste of what this boat can do.

In the afternoon you get into your first stern squirts. You’ll break the movement down step by step — finding the right angle, speed, and edge to sink the tail and pop the bow into the air. By the end of the day you’ll be initiating from eddies on both sides and starting to feel when it works and why.

DAY 2 — Taking It onto the River

The skills from Day 1 start going into real river situations. You’ll learn to cut the tail in and kick the boat up and forward while actually moving — hopping between wave peaks, using the current to help rather than fight you.

In the afternoon you’ll push the squirt further: working on holding the rotation past vertical, and learning how an early sweep stroke can make the whole initiation feel effortless. Things start clicking.

DAY 3 — Turning Up the Intensity

Faster water, quicker eddies, less time to think. This day is about doing everything you’ve learned under pressure — committing fully to the edge, trusting the rotation, and letting the boat do its job. You’ll run the section multiple times, each lap sharper than the last.

DAY 4 — Reading Features & Making Decisions

You’ll encounter a new section and spend the day learning how to read it and respond to it. The focus is on two different ways to work a feature with this boat: a clean boof (driving up and over) versus a flare (letting the tail slice in and spin). They look similar from the bank — the difference is in your angle and how much you pull. You’ll feel the difference immediately.

DAY 5 — Putting It All Together

The final day is yours. You run the same section as Day 4 but now with everything in your toolkit — wave hopping, clean squirt initiations, boof or flare decisions made on the fly. The goal is fluid, connected paddling where each move sets up the next.

You’ll finish with a group conversation about what changed over the week — and why everything you learned here applies to every other boat you’ll ever paddle.

The package is ideal for anyone who wants learn how to make most of the half slice and any river that they encounter!

Personal paddling equipment (available to rent at an additional cost, let us know what equipment you need and we can arrange it for you!) – Kayak 110 euro for standard boats and 160 for premium Jackson Kayak boats & Paddle 55 euro per trip (Sherpa, Surge, Powerhouse) or 75 euro per premium (Double Diamond, Shogun). When renting please be sure to bring 2 air bags and additional hip pads/foam bits that you would have in your boat. We usually source private boats and these won’t have these pieces.

The camp is suitable for both youth and adult paddlers. During the camp if our coaches are going to look after young paddlers, participants and their legal supervisors must agree to rules of camp.

Feel free to drop us an email if you have any concerns or questions about this or to discuss it further info@loveitliveit.co.uk.

Camping is not included in the trip however once we are certain of water levels and weather predictions we will be helping you to arrange them making a booking for all the participants that has to be paid separately. Each place where we will be staying has nice fully equipped camping nearby. Basic camping equipment is advised. Alternative options of accommodation in the area may be selected. We can also help with renting camping gear if you let us know upfront. It is good to account for 10-15 euro for camping fees per night. We will have camping stove and we can share meals together or go out for meals around places we stay.