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Sea Kayak Instruction
Our instructional classes are focused on helping
kayakers improve and refine their basic skills, and developing
new techniques and confidence that will let them expand their boundaries.
Whether teaching advanced rescues and Eskimo rolls, or the subtleties
of bow rudders and hanging draws, we bring more than 15 years of
paddling experience to every class.
Over the past several years we have refined
our courses to focus on paddlers whom already have a solid foundation
of basic skills. If you are new to kayaking, or have never been
in a kayak, our regularly scheduled classes are probably not
the right fit for you and we suggest private
instruction or we
can help you find another area course.
Combined, our instructors taught more than
100 students in 2006 alone. Each of our instructors are ACA Open
Water certified and are pursuing BCU coach training.
We teach our classes with as few as two students,
so you'll get plenty of individual and customize attention that
will help you advance as a paddler.
Course Offerings
We offer a variety of sea kayak instructional
courses, each designed to build upon basic skills and expand your
kayaking fun and safety. Our courses are designed for kayakers
that already have basic paddling skills and rescue equipment. We'll
take your basic skills and expand them to give you increased confidence
and safety while paddling.
We offer the following courses:
TUNE UP PADDLE -- We're offering an evening paddle at least once a
month as a chance to get out and paddle for a few hours with two fun
kayaking instructors, without committing to a full day class or
private instruction. It's a great opportunity to get
some refining tips for a stroke, practice a new Eskimo roll, learn a
new rescue or just pick our brains. This is a bring-your-own-kayak
and gear event and we find it's best to work on skills in the boat
you paddle regularly. We'll also have one model each of the Point 65N and NDK kayaks we stock available if you'd like to take one
for a test paddle.
NEW
Rolling & Recovery Essentials
A secret of many experienced paddlers is that once you know how to roll, you actually use it less often because your braces and other recovery skills get better and you capsize less. This class is designed to develop and practice recovery skills of all kinds, including low braces, high braces (including with your body all the way in the water), sculling for support and the Eskimo roll. You'll leave with a much higher confidence level and a smile on your face. The class runs from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and involves plenty of time on (and in) the water. Get a good night's rest the night before because this is a very active class.
Prerequisites: Experience with self and assisted rescues. $85. Limited to 6 students.
Dates: July 12, August 8. Register online
Surf Zone Strategies
-- Coastal paddling along Maryland, Virginia and North
Carolina provides some of the best kayaking on the Atlantic.
You can paddle with
dolphins,
enjoy the beautiful sunrise and reach secluded beaches where
you won't see another footprint for miles. One of the challenges
of coastal kayaking is launching and landing through the surf.
Our Surf Zone Strategies class will help you
safely navigate the breakers, with an emphasis on understanding
how sea kayaks interact with surf and breaking waves. We cover
the dynamics of the surf zone, launching through the waves, landing
in control, bracing in breaking waves and wave positioning.
Prerequisites: Solid foundation in basic strokes,
braces and rescues. Experience with self and assisted rescues.
Eskimo roll is helpful, but not required.
Equipment required: Sea kayak, spray
skirt, paddle, PFD,
standard safety and rescue equipment, plus a helmet designed for
water sports. We recommend bringing a sack lunch.
Duration: Full Day
Cost: $85 Dates: May 23, June 6, June 27, July 25
Sea Kayak Surfing -- Surfing
a sea kayak is a fun and exciting way to expand your enjoyment
of the sport. Our Sea Kayak Surfing class will help you expand
your skills and confidence so you can get out and catch waves safely.
We'll cover wave development and selection, surf etiquette, tides,
currents and bottom conditions, wave positioning and surf styles.
This is a dynamic class recommended for students
with solid flatwater paddling skills.
Prerequisites: Solid foundation in basic strokes,
braces and rescues. Experience with self and assisted rescues.
Eskimo roll is preferred
Equipment required: Sea kayak, paddle, spray
skirt, PFD,
standard safety and rescue equipment, plus a helmet designed for
water sports. We recommend bringing a sack lunch.
Duration: Full Day
Cost: $85 Dates: May 24, June 7, June 28, July 5, July 26
Strokes Refinement --
Take your kayaking skills
to the next level with our strokes refinement
class. We'll take your basic kayaking skills and help you take
them up several notches with fine tuning and advanced strokes.
Improve your sculling draw, learn how edging your boat assists with
turns and discover the usefulness of bow rudders, hanging draws
(slide slip) and stern rudders.
This course is taught in calm to moderate
conditions and will also cover the effects of wind and waves on
kayak maneuvering.
Prerequisites: Solid foundation in basic strokes,
braces and rescues. Experience with self and assisted rescues.
Equipment required: Sea kayak, paddle, spray
skirt, PFD,
standard safety and rescue equipment.
Duration: full day
Cost: $85
Open Water Paddling,
Navigation & Rescues
-- There's a big difference between padding in calm, protected
waters and challenging waters like the Ocean and Chesapeake Bay.
Our full-day open water course will let you practice your strokes,
maneuvers, rescues and navigation in coastal, open water settings.
We have found this course is great for people
who have solid "flat water" skills but haven't tried a rescue where
wind, waves and currents start pushing the boats around. It can
be very disconcerting to exit your kayak when you're several hundred
yards off the coast. Practicing your skills and learning new
ones under the guidance of qualified, capable instructors will
increase your confidence and paddling safety.
In addition to open water sessions, we'll
cover basic chart reading and navigation techniques, tide chart
interpretation and use, weather radio use, marine and shipping
hazards and group management in open water conditions.
Prerequisites: Solid foundation in basic strokes,
braces and rescues. Experience with self and assisted rescues.
Eskimo roll is helpful, but not required.
Equipment required: Sea kayak, paddle, spray
skirt, PFD, standard safety and rescue equipment, signal devices
(mirror or
flares), plus a helmet designed for water sports. We recommend
bringing a
sack
lunch.
Duration: full day
Cost: $85
Rescues and Towing -- Learn a variety of solo
and assisted rescues and towing techniques that will help you respond
in a rescue situation. Learn how and when to use each type of rescue,
the pros and cons, and what to expect in real-world situations.
Topics include rafted tows, in-line tows,
contact towing, T-Rescues, towing/carrying a paddler, solo rescues
(cowboy scramble, burrito roll, underwater re-enter & roll, etc.)
and more. This class is great for club trip organizers and leaders,
aspiring instructors and instructor candidates, guides and others
who wish to improve their on-water capabilities and confidence.
Prerequisites: Solid foundation in basic to
intermediate strokes.
Equipment required: Sea kayak, paddle, spray
skirt, PFD, standard safety and rescue equipment. We will provide
tow rigs if needed. We recommend bringing a sack lunch.
Duration: full day
Cost: $85
Intermediate Paddling
Skills --
This is an on-water workshop that will have you in and out of your
kayak working on balance, movement, body and boat control, and
blade placement. We spend time helping you understand the relationship
between your boat, what's happening with your body (positioning,
muscle groups, etc.) and your paddle.
We'll cover edging, leaning (and the differences
between them), and support strokes, too. You'll end the day tired,
but with a much higher level of confidence about
what
you
can do
with
your
kayak,
and comfortable with having pushed the envelope of your skills.
Prerequisites: Solid foundation in basic strokes.
Ability to perform self and assisted rescues. Enthusiasm for trying
new things and an open mind.
Equipment required: Sea kayak, paddle, spray
skirt, PFD, standard safety and rescue equipment. We recommend
bringing a sack lunch.
Duration: full day
Cost: $85
Eskimo Roll
& Bracing Workshop -- The
Eskimo roll is the ultimate self rescue -- you recover from a
capsize without even exiting the boat! It's a great rescue, and
tons of fun, with many variations. We'll work with you to develop
or improve the core foundation of the Eskimo roll, and then apply your new
skills to righting the boat during the roll. This workshop is
conducted year-round, either in a heated, indoor pool or a
nearby
lake.
This workshop is limited to just four students, giving you a 2:1 student/teacher ratio, so you'll get plenty of one-on-one attetion. You'll learn in YOUR boat. It's a great opportunity to improve your roll, work on an off-side roll or just play in the pool for a bit.
Prerequisites: Solid foundation in basic strokes,
braces and rescues. Experience with self and assisted rescues.
Eskimo roll is helpful, but not required.
Equipment required: Sea or whitewater kayak,
spray skirt paddle, PFD.
Duration: 2 hours. SPACE IS LIMITED TO FOUR STUDENTS, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 pm
Cost: $40 Dates: TBD. Click here to register online.
Introduction to Expedition Kayaking -- Join us for an overnight kayak camping trip on one of Virginia's barrier islands as the perfect introduction to expedition kayaking and kayak camping. This is more than a guided camping trip -- it's two days of skill development and instruction as well. We'll spend time discussing packing and loading your kayak for the best trim, pre-launch navigation (we provide laminated chart sections for each paddler), the effect of wind and tides, weather reading and prediction, and escape routes. Once we have the kayaks loaded we'll launch and paddle in protected bays, open water and open ocean surrounding the barrier islands, with some rough water practice in loaded boats. Toward the end of the first day we'll navigate to an island and find a suitable camp site. It's a great opportunity to feel how a loaded kayak behaves in open water and moderate surf conditions. 
Each paddler will carry their personal gear, plus a collection of group gear -- food, water and cooking. The location allows for primitive camping, with no defined sites or facilities, but plenty of soft sand. Depending on the experience level of participants, we may schedule a pre-trip planning session for one evening a week before the trip to cover what to bring, and what not to bring. We'll also provide a checklist in advance of the outing.
The second day will feature more navigation practice, along with open water paddling skills development. There will also be plenty of time to work on individual paddling skills, as well as rolling and bracing. We'll end the day arriving at the take out. Note, a variation of this trip has us starting at one launch point and ending at another, some miles away, and includes shuttle to your vehicle. All food is provided except the first day's lunch. Paddle distances will be approximately 20-22 miles over two days.
Prerequisites: Solid foundation in basic strokes, braces and rescues. Experience with self and assisted rescues. Eskimo roll is helpful, but not required.
Equipment required: Sea kayak, spray skirt, paddle, PFD, standard safety and rescue equipment, signal devices (mirror or flares) plus a helmet designed for water sports. We recommend bringing a sack lunch for the first day. You'll also need camping gear, including a tent (shared tent space may be available), sleeping bag, on and off-water clothing and drinking water.
Cost: $150 Dates: March 21 & 22
Register Online Here.
Private
Instruction -- In addition to our
regular classes and trips we often have students that prefer
one-on-one, custom instruction. We offer private instruction
year round in indoor and outdoor settings. Our talented staff
will help you identify the skills you want to develop and work
with you in a comfortable, fun setting. We can even bring the
training to you and can teach weekdays or weekends.
Some individuals simply prefer
one-on-one instruction, or maybe they want a training session
Cost: varies depending
on time and venue.
Instructor Training -- We provide American Canoe Association (ACA) instructor training and certifications up to the basic level for coastal kayaking. The instructor certification process is generally broken into two muti-day phases, the Instructor Development Workshop (IDW) and the Instructor Certification Exam (ICE).
If you are interested in becoming an ACA certified instructor, you may want to read the ACA's instructor criteria (pdf format). Or the FAQs about instructor certification.
IDW - Basic Level (L1, L2 & L3): The ACA indicates that "Basic Coastal Certification is for the candidate that will be teaching students the basic strokes and rescues course and having groups up to a 1/2 mile off shore in mild conditions. A Basic Coastal Instructor can also get endorsements to teach Traditional Kayak and Kayak Rolling."
The IDW is a three-day workshop for aspiring ACA-certified kayaking instructors with a strong emphasis on developing good teaching skills and improving paddling skills. Participants are assigned lesson topics in advance of the workshop, and come prepared to "teach" their lessons to the other participants. There are on-water and off-water teaching sessions, with critiques after each "lesson" help the aspiring instructor improve either the information covered or their presentation skills.
There are also on-water practical exercises & scenarios -- towing, rescues, etc., along with sessions on modeling strokes and video taping strokes and subsequent analysis.
Dates: April 4, 5 & 6 in Virginia Beach. Register online, here.
Cost: $300
ICE - Basic Level (L1, L2 & L3): The ICE is a two-day practical examination of teaching and paddling skills, separated by a few weeks to give aspiring instructors time to tune-up any paddling and teaching skills before the exam. Successful participants can walk away with a certification as an Essentials, Intro or Basic Coastal Kayaking instructor from the American Canoe Association.
Dates: May 2 & 3 in Virginia Beach. Register online, here.
Cost: $250
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Courses Available:
Custom Instruction:
Let us work with you or your paddling group to improve your skills
in a flexible, on-water session that is customized to your unique
needs and areas where you want to advance.
Do you want to improve your roll, practice
rolling in the surf zone, learn towing and rescues? We can develop
a custom class,
just for you! Weekends, weekdays and even weeknight sessions are
available!
Call 757-439-3179 or contact
us for more information.
"Success! I rolled the kayak! I liked how Tom and Ed altered their pace and teaching style according to individual personality, comfort level, etc. "
--Dorrie, Virginia Beach
"The intructors' knowledge and energy were top-shelf..
You guys rock!"
-- Rick, Williamsburg, VA
"I... want to thank both Ed and Tom for their
time and instruction. They remained positive in every aspect of
their training, offering support and encouragement throughout."
-- John, Virginia
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