ACA Kayaking 101

Green Waters Paddling

An ACA four-hour course with both on land and on water  instruction, designed to boost the paddlers safety &amp; confidence on the  water.

Guist Creek Lake Bank Access point

This four-hour course is great for the beginner or intermediate kayaker who wants to establish better control of their Kayak. As well as gain knowledge to make them safer and better prepared when out on the water. The first hour and half will be spent on land and then we will transition to the water for the remaining time. Pre-teens and teens are welcome to attend these classes with a parent or guardian. At times we may run family themed versions of this course also. Our Instructors are CPR and basic 1st aid certified, Ruth is a waterfront lifeguard and Wilderness 1st aid trained. The safety of our students is our number one priority. *We will have kayaks available to rent for use in this course.In the on-land portion, through discussion and hands on activities we will cover:*Information about the American Canoe Association*Learn about the variety of Kayak designs available *Discuss weather conditions, forecasts, and other environmental hazards *Breakdown of Life jacket options and label meanings, as well as proper fit *Discuss safe boating practices &amp; Float plans *How to avoid and prevent cold water shock, hypothermia, &amp; hyperthermia by choosing the proper clothing; recognizing and treating early symptoms *Review personal equipment needed for the kayak, activity and environment *Review paddling equipment, terminology, and care of gear*Learn about communications on the water (Hand signals and whistle)*Identify appropriate rescue and safety gear *Discuss and explain ways to self-rescue and perform assisted rescues *Preparing Kayak for departure: stowing gear securely, and ensuring it is balancedOn-Water portion of the class, in our Kayaks we cover the following skills:*Learn the best ways to enter and launch your kayak from the shore*Instructors will teach the following strokes: *Forward Sweep, Reverse Sweep, In-Water Recovery Draw, Sculling Draw, &amp; Forward Stroke, as well as stopping smoothly.*These strokes and combinations of them will help you to learn to smoothly maneuverer your kayak in the following ways:*Move the kayak forward in a straight line *Stop the Kayak within 2 boat lengths*Move the kayak backwards at least 3-4 boat lengths in a straight line*In a stationary position turn the Kayak 180 degrees to the right &amp; left *Move the Kayak sideways 10 feet to each side using one of the draw strokes*Instructors will demonstrate some self and assisted Rescue skills *Course is challenge by choice but we recommend everyone practice how to recover their boat by either swimming their boat to shore or deep-water re-entry*Practice arriving at your destination point and exciting the Kayak in a controlled and safe manor *We will talk about properly loading and strapping your kayak for transporting, as well as cleaning and storing your kayak

Our {communityGuidelinesLink} describe the sort of content we prohibit on Eventbrite. If you suspect an event may be in violation, you can report it to us so we can investigate.

To report other categories of prohibited or illegal content, submit {link}