Sea Kayak Level-4 Skills

Upon completion of the course, the participant will be able to confidently sea kayak in class 4 water conditions along remote and exposed open coast for an extended trip. The participant will be an effective part of a group of peers, able to perform both leadership and supportive roles. This course is a minimum of 5 days long.

General Learning Outcome

Participants will be challenged to apply already learned leadership/decision making and paddling skills in the context of a multi-day trip in class 4 or greater conditions. With a strong focus on scenarios and problem solving, this course will develop participants’ skills appropriate to travelling in remote and/or technically challenging locations while fine tuning new skills such as surf and currents.

Like Level-3 Skills, this five-day course has no formal campcraft skills as part of the syllabus; however, due to the strong focus on advanced skills and leadership on an extended trip with peers, there is a requirement for a minimum of 3 consecutive overnights (which must include at least two different campsite locations).

Course Details

Prerequisites

Skills Certification

All participants must have Paddle Canada Level-3 certification.

Paddling Experience

At least 10 day trips kayaking in class 3 conditions.

A minimum of three extended trips totalling 10 or more overnights. The participant must show evidence (for example, weather/sea state logs, photography, or video) that they spent a minimum of five days during any trip in class 3 conditions.

An ability to confidently roll (on one side) in class 3 conditions is essential.

Other Suggested Training

Wilderness first aid certification (40 hours) with CPR is strongly recommended.

Restricted Radio Operator’s Licence (marine VHF) is strongly recommended.

Minimum Course Length

45 hours of instruction (5 days) with a distinct excursion that includes 3 or more consecutive overnights (which must include at least two different campsite locations).

Minimum 30 hours instruction must be on the water.

Please see the teaching notes below for information on the overnight requirement for this level.

Class Ratio

1 Level-4 Instructor + 1 safety boater:4 participants

1 Level-4 Instructor + 1 assistant:6 participants

2 Level-4 Instructors + 1 assistant:8 participants

Minimum Staff and Certification

One instructor with one safety boater is required to teach this course. The instructor must be a Level-4 Instructor. The safety boater is defined as follows:

A safety boater:

• must have a high level of competency in all skills in the skill level they are acting as a safety boater for,
• must hold the certification of the skill level they are acting as a safety boater for, or higher,
• is not an assistant instructor and cannot assist in or lead teaching activities,
• acts as a competent rescuer and group leader as requested by the course instructor,
• must hold the relevant first aid certification for the environment they are in, and
• is under the direct supervision of the course instructor.

A safety boater is not required if an assistant or two Level-4 Instructors are present.

An assistant must be at least a Level-3 Instructor.

Environmental Conditions and Sea State

Instructors should aim to conduct their program within coastal waters class 4 conditions. Please see Water Class Definitions for a specific description of all water classifications.

It is the instructor’s responsibility to ensure that the minimum environmental and sea state conditions required for Level-4 are met. Certification cannot be considered complete if skills were not demonstrated in class 4 conditions.

Prior Learning Evaluation

A prior learning evaluation is not available for this level as participants must complete the full training and assessment for certification.

Teaching Notes

Level-4 participants should be challenging themselves to the dynamic, moderately intense, and usually manageable physical, psychological, and social hazards associated with paddling in class 4 conditions. Participants are expected to solve complicated and complex problems by integrating and adapting the skills and knowledge acquired through earlier training and applied experiences by using innovative and practical solutions.

At Level-4, participants should be able to identify and articulate their own goals, and independently seek opportunities to work toward these goals within the context of the program. Instructors are facilitating and coaching, rather than teaching.

At this level, instructors must be willing to let participants define most of their own environmental, psychological, and social limits. They must also be willing to let participants experience the low severity consequences of their choices.  Exposure to potentially moderately severe consequences may be appropriate. Participants should have the judgment to solve many of these consequences on their own, or as a group, without direct support from the instructor.

The overnight excursion component of level-4 is intended to put participants in an extended wilderness environment where skills like leadership, judgement, decision making, and self-care can be more accurately assessed (compared to students in the same day trip only environment).

Please note that any suggested teaching times listed are intended to be used as a resource for new instructors only. Instructors can use their discretion to shorten or lengthen suggested times as they see fit.

Participant Assessment

Assessment in Level-4 is done continuously throughout the program as the instructor observes the participants’ performance of each skill and overall development as a paddler. A written test is required at this level; however, it can be completed as a take-home or online exam.

A skills checklist is available for this level and instructors are encouraged to use it to assist in both decision making and communication about a student’s progress. Refer to Assessment Guidelines for Skills Courses for details on pass/fail guidelines.

Required Gear

Participants are required to carry a VHF radio as appropriate. The instructor will ensure that Canadian residents are made aware of licensing requirements.

Sea Kayak Level-4 Skills Summary

Re-entry and Incident Management Skills

• Emergency Response/Communication Plan
• Risk Analysis and Mitigation Strategies
• Emergency On-water Repairs
• Incident Management and Decision-making Scenarios
• Peer Debriefing Strategies Following an Incident
• Towing
• Rolling in Class 4 Conditions
• Re-entry

General Knowledge

• Leadership, Group Awareness, Judgment and Decision Making
• Weather Interpretation and Forecasting
• Waves and Currents
• Tides and Current Calculation

Paddling Skills

• Launching and Landing along Difficult Shorelines
• Paddling in Swell or Current
• Paddling in Sustained Wind with a Loaded Kayak
• Travelling Along Inaccessible Shorelines
• Surfing
• Paddling in Currents

Re-entry and Incident Management Skills

Emergency Response/Communication Plan

The participant will develop an emergency response plan suitable for an extended expedition.

Teaching Notes

This activity can be presented either as part of an in-class group exercise or a take-home homework assignment after the course.

The assignment can also be based on a real or hypothetical scenario.

Risk Analysis and Mitigation Strategies

The participant will:

• demonstrate that they have developed and practiced effective leadership skills and a risk-averse approach to paddling in advanced environments,
• exercise strong leadership on and off the water, including the ability to manage and resolve inter-group conflict,
• lead the group in progressively more challenging scenarios, requiring comprehensive incident responses, up to the point of transfer of care,
• consistently demonstrate safe leadership in an advanced, dynamic paddling environment, and
• demonstrate the attributes of effective expedition behaviour.

Teaching Notes

Instructors should demonstrate, in all aspects of course delivery, a comprehensive approach to risk assessment.

Debrief with participants their planning and response decisions and actions for further learning.

See Risk Assessment and Mitigation Frameworks for examples and online resources for further learning.

Emergency On-water Repairs

The participant will participate in complex scenarios related to on-water repairs where the group is unable to land on shore to solve the problem. Topics can include (but not limited to):

• improvised hatch cover,
• punctured or cracked deck/hull, or
• broken seat pan or backband.

Incident Management and Decision-making Scenarios

The participant will:

• demonstrate sound judgment by assessing the situation and developing a plan (before starting the rescue) that will help the victim in a timely and confident manner, yet will ensure that other group participants are also safe, and
• demonstrate critical thinking and paddling skills to manage incidents.

Teaching Notes

Scenarios should be realistically designed so that participants are presented with situations where they are challenged by several issues at once, such that the victim’s health, equipment, or conditions deteriorate throughout the length of the scenario. For example, the consequences of a dislocated shoulder might be that a person becomes hypothermic (since they are not paddling) or even semi-conscious due to pain.

Example scenarios could include:

• lost or broken paddling equipment and/or kayak,
• sea sickness, injury, or hypothermia management,
• lost paddler,
• re-entry from surf zone,
• injury in a surf zone,
• extraction of paddler(s) off rocks, or
• towing an injured or seasick paddler for an extended length of distance (for example 3 nautical miles).

Some scenarios should be developed that allow for all participants in the class to participate.

Debrief with participants their planning and response decisions and actions for further learning.

Peer Debriefing Strategies Following an Incident

The participant will:

• state the importance and emotional benefits of debriefing the incident as well as the potential for emotional damage if done incorrectly, and
• give examples of various potential strategies for debriefing and dealing with an incident after the fact.

Teaching Notes

The intent of this topic is to give participants a high-level awareness of the importance of talking about or working through a critical incident after the fact. It is not intended to become a crisis counselling session as you are not trained to be a professional crisis counsellor.

Please see Crisis Management Resources for suggested resources and further learning.

Towing

The participant will:

• demonstrate safe and effective use of various towing techniques and scenarios in class 4 conditions,
• release a towline under tension, including from a capsized position,
• confidently and quickly deploy a short or long tow line. After towing is completed, they can safely manage the rope to minimise entanglement,
• confidently apply non-rope towing techniques in class 3 conditions including (but not limited to) bulldozing or shove paddle shove, and
• integrate towing into other incident management scenarios.

Rolling in Class 4 Conditions

The participant will:

• demonstrate a reliable and confident roll on both sides in Level-4 conditions with a high degree of success (for example, 3 of 4 attempts). This is a requirement for certification. The participant will not swim between consecutive attempts,
• demonstrate an understanding that rolling on different sides has different resistance in current and waves, and be able to identify the side with least resistance, and
• demonstrate a re-enter and roll.

Re-entry

The participant will:

• perform several re-entries (assisted and solo) and adapt them to a range of sea conditions, including rescuing an incapacitated or passive swimmer, and
• demonstrate the ability to bring an injured paddler away from rocks or dynamic water using a variety of methods and complete a re-entry in calmer waters or on shore.

Use of Re-entry Aids

Paddle Canada is committed to inclusive, skill-focused leaning for paddlers of all body types and abilities. Re-entry aids such as paddle floats, stirrups, and other tools are welcome and encouraged in all courses, at any level. These tools do not need special permission to be used and using them does not prevent a participant from passing. They should, however, be used competently and in a way that that matches the skill level being taught.

Teaching Notes

Emphasis should be placed on the assistant assessing the situation to develop the best re-entry plan and ensure that other participants in the group are also kept out of the situation.

While there is no specific time deadline to complete the re-entry, participants should be encouraged to move quickly and confidently to get back in their boats without rushing or losing any equipment.

Paddling Skills

The participant will demonstrate the application of all paddling skills from Level-3 and use them effectively in dynamic class 4 conditions.

Launching and Landing along Difficult Shorelines

The participant will:

• demonstrate safe and effective launches and landings along difficult or inaccessible shorelines including beaches with breaking surf,
• demonstrate a safe and effective group launch from an exposed and rocky shoreline, and
• demonstrate a safe and effective group launch along difficult or inaccessible shorelines.

Teaching Notes

Participants should be given the opportunity to first perform with unloaded kayaks.

Instructors must ensure that this is done in gentle paddling conditions with minimal wind or surf.

Extreme care must be taken to ensure that boats and gear aren’t damaged during this activity.

Paddling in Swell or Current

The participant will:

• state the inherent risks of paddling in current and the potential consequences of crossing currents in a loaded kayak,
• demonstrate safe technique and boat control while paddling in swell or current in class 4 conditions, and
• demonstrate sustained paddling in class 4 swell or current for approximately 3 nautical miles.

Paddling in Sustained Wind with a Loaded Kayak

The participant will demonstrate maneuvers to maintain control of a loaded sea kayak in strong winds including paddling upwind/downwind and confidently turning around to rejoin or help other group members.

Travelling Along Inaccessible Shorelines

The participant will:

• be made aware of the inherent risks of paddling close to rocks, and
• demonstrate safe technique and boat control while paddling in rock gardens and along rocky shorelines in class 4 waters.

Surfing

The participant will:

• gain confidence with the basic concepts of kayak surfing in the context of catching small waves or landing in a surf zone,
• review bottom turns,
• experiment with linking bottom and top turns if conditions permit,
• demonstrate comfort to enter and exit the surf zone with confidence,
• demonstrate dropping in and staying on a wave,
• demonstrate proper surfing etiquette and awareness of safety rules, and
• state the inherent dangers of surfing as well as the importance of avoiding surfing with loaded kayaks.

Teaching Notes

Surfing is slated roughly as a 2-3 hour teaching block. Instructors wishing to spend more time should adjust overall course length accordingly.

This activity should be taught in a surf zone in class 4 or less conditions with waist to shoulder high waves. This can be taught either at a small surf break or in deep water where appropriate.

Instructors should review Level-2 and Level-3 surf content and safety considerations prior to any new activities.

Paddling in Currents

The participant will:

• gain confidence with the basic concepts and techniques of paddling in currents,
• ferry across current, choosing a ferry angle and maintaining it during a crossing,
• use line of sight/ranges to stay on course and set a proper ferry angle,
• eddy in and out of currents,
• cross eddy lines with confidence and demonstrate proper edge control,
• paddle upstream, taking advantage of back eddies and slower current,
• paddle downstream, pulling out into the current and maintaining control while staying in the downstream current, and
• hold ground in current; using landmarks to understand where you are and where you are moving towards.

Teaching Notes

Paddling in Currents is slated roughly as a 2-3 hour teaching block. Instructors wishing to spend more time should adjust overall course length accordingly.

Instructors should review Level-2 and Level-3 course content related to currents and safety considerations prior to any new activities.

General Knowledge

The participant will demonstrate confident application of all knowledge items outlined in Level-3.

Leadership, Group Awareness, Judgment and Decision Making

The participant will:

• demonstrate effective leadership by guiding classmates along a section of exposed ocean coast paying attention to their position for maximum effectiveness and the group’s needs,
• take charge, maintain control, and make sound decisions among a group of peers during incident management scenarios including ensuring that other members of the group stay out of harm’s way,
• evaluate the risk level of a situation and position him or herself in the group to be effective during a possible incident,
• keep a group together to maintain communication, and
• communicate effectively with members of the group any changes to itinerary or proposed route.

Teaching Note

See Outdoor Leadership Resources for more resources and further learning.

Weather Interpretation and Forecasting

The participant will:

• understand and apply weather concepts to short-term forecasting and expedition risk management,
• maintain an expedition log during the course with multiple daily data points, reports, buoys, and personal observations, and
• develop a forecast for the next 6 to 36 hours by observing local weather and sea state conditions.

Waves and Currents

The participant will:

• identify and explain how bathymetry can affect sea state, wave shapes and current speed. Provide local examples,
• state how to identify beach rip currents as well as techniques for escape,
• explain how waves form and provide examples of common patterns for beaches and headlands,
• identify potential route considerations due to local weather impacts,
• demonstrate the ability to estimate both current and wind speed from a combination of tables and observations when paddling in an environment with current, and
• use the above estimates to plan and execute either a crossing or a transition around a headland that is at least 2 nautical miles.

Tides and Current Calculation

The participant will:

• demonstrate the mathematical calculations and application of the rule of twelfths to a high level of precision,
• demonstrate the mathematical calculations and application of the 50/90 rule to a high level of precision,
• understand tidal and current considerations and calculations for expedition route planning,
• demonstrate calculations and practical application of vectors, and
• apply knowledge of tide and current calculations from the seat of the kayak rather than the classroom or kitchen table.

Teaching Note

Instructors should review tides and current theory from both level-2 and level-3 before progressing to new material.