Waterfront Kayak Skills

The items chosen for inclusion in this program are of importance to individuals being introduced to kayaking in a summer-camp environment. The program is designed to teach skill development, safety, and an understanding of limitations primarily through the use of games and activities.

Course Description

This course introduces the beginner to kayaking in calm waters in a designated waterfront area. The skills and knowledge gained at this level form the foundation necessary for confident and safe travel within small and calm environments. Programming is delivered primarily through paddling games and group activities.

General Learning Outcome

Participants who complete the Waterfront Kayak program are considered to be beginners, capable of performing the basic strokes to maneuver a kayak for short distances.

Course Details

Prerequisites

None.

Minimum Course Length

5 hours, minimum. This program can be taught as one, 5-hour session or as several mini sessions, depending on the needs of the organization or group.

Class Ratio

1 instructor:6 participants

Minimum Staff and Certification

One Waterfront Kayak Instructor is required to teach this course.

Environmental Conditions and Sea State

Conditions should not exceed water class 0. Please see Water Class Definitions for a specific description of all water classifications.

The course must take place in a suitable protected bay, lake, or pond and in a designated area free of powerboat traffic and no more than 100 meters from shore.

Teaching Notes

Summer-camps or organizations wishing to run kayak programs where the participants are taken on a paddle outside the designated waterfront paddling area as outlined below (for example, for a multi-hour excursion), then the trip leaders must gain Basic Kayak Instructor certification rather than Waterfront Kayak Instructor certification.

The use of spray skirts is optional for this program.

The participant will be introduced to the skills and theory by way of demos, games, lecture, etc. The instructor can adjust the requirements based on the age level.

Participant Assessment

Activities focus on safe, fun, and comfortable paddling in a designated and calm environment close to the shoreline. While there is a great deal to learn at this level, activity should concentrate on progress through teamwork in paddling games, activities, and the awareness for future learning. Participants should leave the course empowered and motivated to continue their learning and aware of their individual limitations.

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.

Waterfront Kayak Skills Summary

Re-entry Skills

• Wet Exit
• Retrieving an Empty Kayak
• Paddle in Place

Knowledge

• Kayak Outfitting, Gear and Clothing
• Journeying and Seamanship

Paddling Skills

• Lifting and Carrying a Kayak
• Launching and Landing a Kayak
• Forward and Reverse Strokes
• Stopping
• Forward Sweep Stroke
• Reverse Sweep Strokes
• Draw Stroke

Re-entry Skills

Re-entry skills concentrate on the safety of the individual paddler while paddling near shore with easy, uninterrupted landing opportunities.

Wet Exit

The participant will release the spray skirt and exit the kayak in a controlled and confident manner.

General Description

Developed through a series of challenges that increase confidence and skill, the participant will be able to capsize the kayak while underway and braced inside the cockpit.

Teaching Notes

Emphasis is on increasing time underwater before exiting in a controlled and confident manner.

Spray skirts are optional to complete this skill.

Retrieving an Empty Kayak

The participants will swim out 10-15 meters to a floating kayak and swim it back to shore.

Paddle in Place

The participant will demonstrate how to keep their kayak in one place and keep it pointing into a gentle breeze.

Assisted Re-entry

The participant will attempt an assisted re-entry.

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

This is an activity that can be done if the instructor has time.

Additional rescue and safety demonstrations can be drawn from skills the instructor has acquired from the Waterfront Kayak Instructor course.

Paddling Skills

Instructors have the flexibility to adjust the course to meet the needs of their participants. Additional paddling skills and strokes can be drawn from skills the instructor has acquired from the Waterfront Kayak instructor course.

Lifting and Carrying a Kayak

While in pairs, participants will demonstrate the safe and proper way to lift and carry a kayak.

Launching and Landing a Kayak

The participant will demonstrate safe entering and exiting a kayak from both a beach and alongside the shoreline or low dock.

Forward and Reverse Strokes

The participant will:

• paddle forward 75 meters in a relatively straight line, and
• paddle in reverse for 20 metres in a relatively straight line.

Teaching Note

Participants should be reminded to look backwards where they are going when paddling in reverse.

Stopping

The participant will stop the kayak without changing the kayak’s heading while paddling at a moderate speed.

General Description

Use small reverse strokes (when travelling forward) on alternating sides.

Forward Sweep Stroke

The participant will use forward sweeps to turn the kayak in each direction.

General Description

The paddle blade should be fully submerged just below the surface and placed near the boat at the toes.

Maintaining a slight bend in the water side elbow and a 90 degree bend in the other elbow, face the direction the bow is moving and sweep the blade away from the boat in an arc.

Torso rotation is the source of power for this stroke and good contact between the lower body and the kayak is required.

Blade exit is dependent upon how much turn is required along with keeping a moderate cadence. Participants should be encouraged to remove the blade from the water at or just past the hip.

Reverse Sweep Strokes

The participant will use reverse sweeps to turn the kayak in each direction.

General Description

The paddle blade should be fully submerged just below the surface and placed near the side of the boat as far back as comfortable.

Maintaining a slight bend in the water side elbow and a 90 degree bend in the other elbow, face the opposite direction the stern is moving and sweep the blade away from the boat in an arc.

Torso rotation is the source of power for this stroke and good contact between the lower body and the kayak is required.

Blade exit is dependent upon how much turn is required. Participants should be encouraged to remove the blade from the water at or near the toes.

Draw Stroke

The participant will use a draw stroke to move the kayak sideways 2 metres.

Teaching Note

While participants should be encouraged to demonstrate the stroke with a vertical paddle shaft and effective torso rotation, at this level emphasis should be placed on boat movement rather than strict paddler form.

Knowledge

Kayak Outfitting, Gear and Clothing

Participants should be familiar with:

• parts of the kayak and basic outfitting for personal fit, control, and safety,
• proper care of the paddle, lifejacket, and kayak,
• clothing appropriate for paddling in different water temperatures and weather conditions,
• the proper use of basic paddling and safety equipment required for kayaking, and
• different warm-up procedures that can prevent common injuries.

Journeying and Seamanship

Developing good judgment is fundamental and should be encouraged at all levels.

The participant will understand the necessary judgment and decision-making process prior to going out kayaking.

Teaching Notes

Typically, journeying and seamanship topics can be accomplished in 10–15 minutes.

Discussion topics can include:

• How to assess the local environmental conditions.
• The importance of developing a paddling plan and telling somebody responsible before you go.
• Where to get a local weather forecast.
• Other locations suitable for calm-water paddling.
• Discussions of judgment at this level generate more questions than answers. Due to the participants’ lack of experience they must be advised to err on the side of considerable caution.

Discussions related to journeying and seamanship need to focus on general patterns and accepted rules, and they should emphasize the need for continued training and additional experience.