Kayak Courses, Lessons and Clinics
Paddling across Lago Yelcho, Chile Part of the "Andes to the Ocean" trip. |
Email or call (206) 669-1622 to sign-up for one of our courses (below).
Club Members: 25% off an existing class KIX course **
Organize a group lesson of four people for $50.00 each (normally $85)
Take one private lesson for $125.00 (normally $185)
Schedule of Classes
Instructor Courses (click here to read more):
Whitewater Kayaking - Instructor Development Workshop and Exam Leavenworth/Spokane, Washington, September 19-23
Coastal Kayaking - Instructor Development Workshop - October 12-14
Coastal Kayaking - Instructor Certification Exam - October 19-21 , La Push, Washington, Pacific Ocean, rock garden, surf
Other events and kayaking classes
June 9, 10 Wenatchee River Festival
June 22 - Introduction to Paddling, Seattle, Friday evening
June 23- Basic Sea Kayaking, Seattle, Saturday 10:00 - 4:00
June 24- Strokes and Maneuvers, Seattle, Sunday 9:00 - 12:00
June 26 - Learning Mainstream Rescues, Seattle 6:00 - 8:00
July 14, 15- Neah Bay trip
July 21-22 - ACA Board Meeting, VA
July 26 - Paddle the Powerhouse - Intermediate River Kayaking Workout
July 27 - Friday evening Introduction to Kayaking
July 28 - Morning - Intermediate Strokes and Maneuvers, Seattle
July 28 - Afternoon - Rescues and Scenarios, Seattle
August 1 - Introduction to Paddling, Seattle, Wednesday evening
August 2 - Paddle the Powerhouse - Intermediate River Kayaking, Skills Workout
August 3 - Introduction to Paddling, Seattle, Friday evening
August 4- Basic Sea Kayaking, Seattle, Saturday 10:00 - 4:00
August 5- Strokes and Maneuvers, Seattle, Sunday 1:00 - 4:00
August 7-12 Idaho paddle trip, Outdoor Retailer Show
August 17 - Introduction to Paddling, Seattle, Friday evening
August 18- Basic Sea Kayaking, Seattle, Saturday 10:00 - 4:00
August 19- Rescues and Scenarios, Seattle, Sunday 1:00 - 4:00
August 22, 23 Beginning River Paddling
August 24 (evening), 25, 26- Surfing - Crescent Beach, Neah Bay/La Push
September 1, 2, 3 Learn-by-doing sea kayaking trip
September 14 - 16 West Coast Sea Kayak Symposium
TBD - Whitewater Instructor Update, Snoqualamie/Skykomish River
TBD - Coastal Kayak Navigation and Touring, one to two days, overnight
September 19-23 - IDW/ICE Whitewater
October 5-7 - Instructor Development Workshop Coastal Kayaking
October 12-14 - Instructor Certification Exam Coastal Kayaking
*All courses use approved outlines of the American Canoe Association
* New! Many of these kayaking lessons will be opportunities to be assessed into the new ACA Levels program.
**Instructor programs excluded
Tour Lake Union, Portage Bay and the houseboats! Beginners welcome!!
*Registration form and liability waivers at the bottom of the page. Please bring with you.
| *Most courses use approved outlines of the American Canoe Association | ||
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Description (Fine print, directions and liability waivers at the bottom of the page) |
Date and Location-Call for a date in your area. |
Private Lessons and Coaching: Tailored to you and/or your group. During an interview you specify what you want to work on. During the course your goals are kept in mind as the time progresses. Most of these courses work with skills, boat control, edging, rescue practice and scenarios. Scenarios are great team-building events! Choose a leader and let the time unfold! |
Cost Private Lessons - By appointment $130.00 one person / Two Hours
$155.00 two people/ 1-3 hours
Four people:
Per-day rates upon request, depending on venue. Custom groups, guided tours and team building are available.
Kayak rentals are extra. |
By appointment
Whitewater Beginning Private Lesson: "Most fun four hours spent in Washington! Great Instruction. Concise - deliberate - easy-to-follow. Explained procedure - demonstrated - then I got to practice. Land instruction helpful. I felt safe and confident! So looking forward to more lessons. Thank you Andree and thank you John for a great birthday gift! " |
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Introduction to Kayaking |
This course introduces the basics of sea kayaking.
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Seattle Bellingham Bay - Boat Works or Lake Padden Port Townsend Port Angeles |
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Skills update and boat control |
Learn to use the kayak as it was designed! Edging, turning, bracing. Modify your forward stroke to efficiancy. Learn and refine three draw strokes to move sideways. Video taping of strokes available. Three Hours
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Seattle Bellingham Bay - Boat Works or Lake Padden Port Townsend |
| Rescue yourself and others | Knowing various rescues and the most efficient methods is important for any kayaker! Learn several rescues in this class (bow rescue, self rescue, assisted rescue) and some variations. Be challenged with a scenario!
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Seattle Port Townsend |
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Introduction to River Kayaking and Whitewater Paddling |
Learn about the whitewater kayak and how to maneuver it down a river or use it for playboating! Different levels available: Flatwater - learn basic boat control and rescue, learn moves that cross-over to the river Moving Water - learn peel-outs, eddy turns and ferries. Introduction to river reading. Class two river running - take a trip down a class two river and apply the above skills!
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See Schedule |
| Coastal Skills Course | Depending on conditions (wind speed and direction), meet at either Freshwater Bay or Crescent Beach. Work with the swells and waves along the straits. Identify and work rock gardens, areas near the cliffs, surf in at Crescent Beach. Ideally I'd like to paddle from Freshwater Bay to Crescent Beach.
Intermediate course - must be fully prepared for immersion and be able to assist with efficient rescues. Adjourn for dinner! |
Midsummer, tbd. Please let me know if you are interested. |
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American Canoe Association Instructor Training and Development Workshop Coastal Kayaking (IDW) |
You get to practice teaching topics utilizing various teaching techniques, become involved in different feedback processes, refine and have your strokes video taped. We will practice rescues and have scenarios in wind and current using standardized methods. Read More: Instructor Development Workshop
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Includes continental breakfast and the ACA sanctioned book "Coastal Kayaking Topic Outlines" |
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Deception Pass Clinic
ACA Open Water Clinic |
In this course we will begin with a quick study of the of tides and currents, and apply this to the San Juan Islands and Deception Pass. We will discuss entering and existing eddies, and then move to the water to review wet exits, bracing and boat tilt. Once the group as a whole achieves a higher level of proficiency, we will set out to find some current. We may or may not venture into the pass the first day. Please bring lunches that you can eat while away from the beach, plus snacks and warm drinks. Dry suits are mandatory ( with enough clothing on under to feel comfortable floating for ten minutes) as are helmets (while playing in current). Course will satisfy the ACA open water agenda. Meet Saturday at 10:00 am - |
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| Pool Sessions! | A nice warm pool is a great way to get started kayaking. Get a quick lesson on parts of the kayak, the paddle and learn how to get in the kayak!
Knowing you can get out of the kayak is important and one of the first things we do. We move on to an introductory lesson on paddle strokes and boat control, focusing on devloping reflexes to keep you from going over and to help you turn the kayak. |
By appointment - sign the waiting list or sign-up a group for a private lesson.
You've a wonderful presence in the classroom setting. It's obvious that you are telling your own story from successful experience and not reading someone else's script. I particularly admired the way in which you worked with students. In the distant future your students may not remember what you said, but they will remember how you made them feel. |
| Team Building | Teambuilding and kayaking can be a good mix.
Set it up however you feel is best - team building in the morning, lunch, kayaking in the afternoon. Throw in some scenarious for leadership and group dynamics with debriefing afterwards. Tailored to your program. You can even have the team building without the kayaking without the kayaking! |
"Diminishing Circles"- |
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Instructor Certification Exam (ICE) |
This is where you teach us and your peers. Still a learning process, in this case your final evaluation will hopefully result in a certification level somewhere within the ACA hierarchy. Certification is not a rubber stamp; it is earned through hard work on your part. With great modeling, teaching, knowledge, comfort on the water and three consectutive rolls, an ACA certification is a feather in your cap! We can share cabins at La Push or you can opt for your own apartment. I will provide continental breakfasts, lunch is on your own or potluck, and dinners will be coordinated in or out!
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October 2007, La Push, WA |
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Wenatchee River Festival (Summer) |
On the Wenatchee |
June |
| San Juan Tours | Learn by doing - kayak to some of the beautiful islands in the San Juans! You have the choice to relax, hike or engage in lessons of your choice. Available to your are chart reading, figuring currents and tides, trip planning, cooking and even fishing or photography!
KIX will bring the breakfast, lunch is potluck or on your own, and participants plan and execute dinners. Expedition behavior is expected - expect the unexpected and be a problem solver! We may have wind, fog or current (more learning opportunities!) . An average day paddle might be two to three hours but, depending on conditions might be longer. The trip starts with a bang from Anacortes. Participants should have an idea of how to pack their kayaks (practice at home). Some group gear might be distributed. Recommended: Leave from Port Townsend on the whale watch boat.
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June, July and August By appointment.
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Outdoor Retailer Show |
August Salt Lake City |
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