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Introduction to Kayaking

Coastal Kayaking Basic Strokes, Rescues, and Recoveries

Lets get serious about training. We want to paddle, be safe, have fun, and not work too hard, and really begin to learn the sport. This course will give confidence in our boat, our abilities, and help make our paddling look and feel easy and relaxed.

Topics covered: proper fit and adjustment of kayak for effective control and comfort, entering and exit kayak from shore, wet-exits, paddle control, basic strokes, basic assisted and unassisted recoveries, influence of weather, tides, rules of the road, understanding personal limitations and skill level.

* This course follows a standard American Canoe Association course plan.
ACA Registration and Certification Card may be provided for a $15.00 processing fee.

Essentials of Kayak Touring

Want to go out in more advanced environments than lakes and ponds? Want to be able maneuver our kayak with confidence, take care of ourself, and support other paddlers with us? Want to learn something about waves, wind and current? How do these factors effect our kayak and how do we handle them? How do we plan for a safe and enjoyable trip? Let's find out!

Topics covered: personal preparation, equipment, kayak carries, car topping, launching and landing, wet exits, basis strokes, assisted and unassisted recoveries, hypothermia/cold shock, risk management, group management, communication, rules of the road.

* This course follows a standard American Canoe Association course plan.
ACA Registration and Certification Card may be provided for a $15.00 processing fee.

Coastal Kayak Strokes & Maneuvers Refinement

For students working to refine strokes in order to perform maneuvers with decision and assurance in order to prepare for more demanding trips and crossings and to meet more challenging conditions such as wind and current. Graduates of this course may desire to re-take the course at any time to further refine techniques and develop style and form.

Topics covered: development and refinement of strokes and maneuvers in a sea kayak, including bracing, low/high brace turns, bow rudder, side slips and stern rudder.

* This course follows a standard American Canoe Association course plan.
ACA Registration and Certification Card may be provided for a $15.00 processing fee.

Coastal Kayak Basic Open Water Skills

So we want to go out in the bay or sound? Now we need to know how to handle rougher water. This course will increase efficiency, fluidity and control. We will also get comfortable with edging, leaning and bracing and develop our supportive strokes to improve confidence in wave environments.

Topics covered: forward and reverse strokes, sweeps, beam draws, bracing, rudders strokes, hanging draws, assisted recoviers, towing, understanding wind and waves, basic navigation.

Coastal Kayak Rough Water Maneuvering, Towing and Rescues

This course is for intermediate and advanced paddlers who want to improve their skills and better understand the marine environment. This course will prepare you for rough water rescues and recoveries and prepare you for functioning as a supportive member of a group in inner coastal areas.

Topics covered: Advance strokes, plan a rough water outing, decision-making process to manage risk, rough water re-entries with loaded boats, rough water towing, proper equipment, group formations and communicate in rough water, launching and land througth moderate surf, understanding tides and currents and how to deal with it, common injuries & avoidance,

* This course follows a standard American Canoe Association course plan.
ACA Registration and Certification Card may be provided for a $15.00 processing fee.

Surf Zone

This course is for intermediate and advanced paddlers who want to improve their skills and better understand the surf zone.

Topics covered: Surf zone dynamics, etiquette, and hazards, group communication and safety in surf, swimming in surf, brace in breaking waves, launching and landing techniques, basic boat control and positioning on the wave.

* This course follows a standard American Canoe Association course plan.
ACA Registration and Certification Card may be provided for a $15.00 processing fee.

Kayak Rescue

In the event of a capsize when out in a kayak, knowing your rescue skills is especially important so you can help yourself, or someone else. There is no better time than now to develop or refine your rescue techniques.

Topics covered: assisted and unassisted (self rescue) techniques.

Advanced Kayak Rescue

Rescue skills are only as good as the conditions you practice them under. This class is as real as it gets. Here is your chance to practice your rescues under real-life conditions, in simulated scenarios, under the supervision of certified instructors.

Topics covered: assisted and unassisted (self rescue), tandem rescue, towing, multiple rescues, and more.

Advanced Strokes

Learn to paddle more efficiently as you refine and combine your strokes. If you don't like working hard and want to maneuver your kayak with ease - this is the clinic for you.

Topics covered: we will develop efficient forward stroke, advanced maneuvering strokes and balancing outside the cockpit.

Basic Navigation

Compass, charts, tide tables, what do they all mean? How do you use them to plot a course and navigate your kayak to the destination? Come and find out how to do just that.

Topics covered: We will discover the fun of chart work and kayak navigation through this guided experience. Recommended for intermediate and advanced paddlers.

Cold Water Paddling

Are you ready? Cold weather is coming but that does not mean the paddling season is coming to a close. With proper clothing and training your paddling experience can be extended throughout the year.

Topics covered: hypothermia, clothing, safety equipment, cold water rescues, communications, essentials of group management.

Braces & Rolling

To roll you need a good brace. We will fine tune your braces and then work on developing a bombproof roll! Being able to roll builds on fundamental support skills that often make rolling non-essential, giving us great confidence.

Topics covered: draw strokes, low-brace, high-brace, development of hip-snap, rolling the kayak.

Basic Rolling

We want to flip that thing over, and come up again without getting out of our kayak. Rolling is the ultimate in self-rescue and one of the "coolest" maneuvers. Being able to roll builds on fundamental support skills that often make rolling non-essential, giving us great confidence.

Topics covered: review of support and recovery strokes, development of hip-snap, rolling the kayak.

Advanced Rolling

We can roll. Maybe our roll is not "bomb proof", maybe it is. Perhaps we want to do develop some advanced rolls, maybe even a hand roll. Lets make it happen!

Topics covered: the "on-side: & "off-side" roll; different rolling methods extended vs standard paddle rolls, hand-rolling.

Native Rolling

The natives people of Greenland and North America had almost lost most of their traditional skills when Edward Pawlata visited them and began to bring kayak rolling back to Europe. Today we are seeing a resurgence of interest in Native Communities and all over the world in traditional techniques.

Topics covered: native boats, native paddle building, traditional rolling techniques.

Rolling Development and Refinement

Many people will not pick up rolling after one class. Even after your first roll the skill will come and go in an elusive way. Even if you have a decent roll you can still work to make it bombproof, develop an off-side roll or pick up a few new rolls. This intensive 4-class 12-hour course will allow the time needed to culture training to your specific needs. We guarantee you will be a much better paddler after this class.

Topics covered: foundation skills, rolling development and exercises, C-to-C roll, Sweep/Screw roll, Extended Paddle techniques, Native rolling, rolling refinement, bombproofing your roll, trick rolls.

Starts & Sprints

Marathon Racing

Adventure Racing

Race Coaching

Armand Mikune-Santos - ACA ITE

Chris Raab - ACA IT From Tuktu Paddles

Summertime Outdoor Pool