SKIPPER COURSE

(Big Canoe Leader – Paddle Canada)

Learning to lead a big canoe with a novice crew.

Duration: 2 days 

Content: Paddling in a straight line, turns, docking, with and without the help of your crew. Crew commands, and leading skills, rescues, big canoe safety, paddling with other big canoes, what to expect from novice paddlers, packing for a trip, trim and balance of a canoe, how to work together

Intent: To introduce big canoe paddling to those individuals who have a basic knowledge of paddling strokes. To gain knowledge and skill for the stern position in the big canoe and to gain the skills to lead novices in a big canoe on easy water (flat/lake water)

*Includes a workbook, skipper talk + manual.

Prerequisites: 

• Minimum age of 16 years or high level of fitness and maturity.
• Must currently hold at minimum a Standard First Aid up to a Wilderness First Responder certificate, depending on where you plan to travel. It is the participants responsibility to ensure their First Aid certifications are of the appropriate skill level for their paddling destinations/journeys.  

Safety and Rescue

• Carrying a big canoe
• Environment hazards (water/ wind/waves/weather) when to get off! Hypothermia & hyperthermia (being prepared)
• Group management
• Transport Canada regulations
• Safe canoe procedures and development of a float plan
• Signals (multiple canoes): whistle/paddle
• Canoe rescues
• Communication devices

General Paddling Skills

• Enter and exit a canoe: dock/shoreline
• Paddling and commanding a crew

Paddling Strokes

• Forward & reverse strokes
• Check (stop)
• Draw and pry (active and stationary)
• Forward and reverse sweeps (stern only)
• Low brace
• Drop skeg
• Optional strokes for the bow position: Draws and pry’s (active and stationary)

Concepts

• How to hold a paddle
• Position and roles of crew
• Commands for crew

Maneuvers

• Straight lines
• Turns (wide and tight) (active and stationary strokes)
• Pivots
• Reverse paddling
• Docking and shoreline
• Changing paddler placement

Knowledge

• Group management
• Risk management
• Paddling within your ability
• Paddlesmart
• Leave no trace principles
• Where to go from here (paddle courses and resources)

SKIPPER COURSE

(Big Canoe Leader – Paddle Canada)

Learning to lead a big canoe with a novice crew.

Duration: 2 days 

Content: Paddling in a straight line, turns, docking, with and without the help of your crew. Crew commands, and leading skills, rescues, big canoe safety, paddling with other big canoes, what to expect from novice paddlers, packing for a trip, trim and balance of a canoe, how to work together

Intent: To introduce big canoe paddling to those individuals who have a basic knowledge of paddling strokes. To gain knowledge and skill for the stern position in the big canoe and to gain the skills to lead novices in a big canoe on easy water (flat/lake water)

*Includes a workbook, skipper talk + manual.

Prerequisites: 

• Minimum age of 16 years or high level of fitness and maturity.
• Must currently hold at minimum a Standard First Aid up to a Wilderness First Responder certificate, depending on where you plan to travel. It is the participants responsibility to ensure their First Aid certifications are of the appropriate skill level for their paddling destinations/journeys.  

Safety and Rescue

• Carrying a big canoe
• Environment hazards (water/ wind/waves/weather) when to get off! Hypothermia & hyperthermia (being prepared)
• Group management
• Transport Canada regulations
• Safe canoe procedures and development of a float plan
• Signals (multiple canoes): whistle/paddle
• Canoe rescues
• Communication devices

General Paddling Skills

• Enter and exit a canoe: dock/shoreline
• Paddling and commanding a crew

Paddling Strokes

• Forward & reverse strokes
• Check (stop)
• Draw and pry (active and stationary)
• Forward and reverse sweeps (stern only)
• Low brace
• Drop skeg
• Optional strokes for the bow position: Draws and pry’s (active and stationary)

Concepts

• How to hold a paddle
• Position and roles of crew
• Commands for crew

Maneuvers

• Straight lines
• Turns (wide and tight) (active and stationary strokes)
• Pivots
• Reverse paddling
• Docking and shoreline
• Changing paddler placement

Knowledge

• Group management
• Risk management
• Paddling within your ability
• Paddlesmart
• Leave no trace principles
• Where to go from here (paddle courses and resources)

Location: Alouette Lake

Duration: 9am – 4pm

**Online registrations will close 1 week prior to the event! For registrations within one week of desired course, please contact our office at info@exploreridge.com or call (604)477-4663.

Course Content:

Safety and Rescue

*Price based on 2 participants as we do not accept solo registrations for the tandem offering. Spots remaining, as listed below, are per tandem canoe!

Location: Alouette Lake

Duration: 9am – 4pm

Course Content:

**Online registrations will close 1 week prior to the event! For registrations within one week of desired course, please contact our office at info@exploreridge.com or call (604)477-4663.

Safety and Rescue

• Carrying a canoe
• Basic environment hazards like water, wind, waves, weather
• When to get off the water
• Being prepared for hypothermia and hyperthermia
• Personal preparation (clothing, water, snacks, medication, etc.)
• Transport Canada regulations and requirements
• Safe canoe procedures (lead/sweep and on water leadership)
• Canoe over canoe rescues
• Towing a canoe
• Throw bag practice

General Paddling Skills

• Getting in and out of a canoe at a dock or easy shoreline
• Paddling in cadence
• Rafting up

Strokes

• Forward
• Reverse
• Check (stop)
• Draw
• Pry
• J-Stroke or rudder
• Forward and Reverse sweep (stern only)
• Low brace
• Drop Skeg

Maneuvers

• Forward paddling
• Wide turns (rectangular course)
• Pivots
• Left and right turns
• Docking (basic)
• Reverse paddling

Concepts

• Momentum and initiation
• Trimming a canoe

Knowledge

• Basic canoe and paddle parts
• Paddle and canoe care
• Knots for canoe tie down (bowline and truckers hitch)
• Equipment for a half day tour
• Paddling within your ability
• PaddleSmart
• Leave No Trace principles

Successful candidates receive the Introduction to Introduction to Tandem or Solo Lake Canoeing Instructor at this level.

The Introduction to Tandem or Solo Lake Canoeing Instructor is certified to:

• conduct an Introduction to Tandem or Solo Lake Canoeing, Canoeing Basics and the Waterfront Skills courses
• assist on an Intermediate Tandem or Solo Lake Canoeing skills course
• apprentice on an Intermediate Tandem or Solo Lake Canoeing Instructor course (Advanced Tandem or Solo Lake Canoeing skills certification required)

Instructors can transfer their certification to solo instructor by getting certification at a higher-level solo skills level and get a recommendation by an Instructor Trainer.

Course Prerequisites

 **Registrations will close 1 week prior to the event! For registrations within one week of desired course, please contact our office at info@exploreridge.com or call (604)477-4663.