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Frequently
Asked Questions
and what we would say if you were to ask us.
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| 1) Why did we start
a kayak school?
2) Do we only teach sea
kayaking?
3) Why a kayak school
in Homer?
4) Do I really need a
class to enjoy paddling safely?
5) Why do we use formally
trained and assessed instructors/coaches?
6) What skill level kayak
courses should I consider taking?
7) How can I participate
in a kayak school course?
8) What gear does the
Kayak School provide?
9) What gear do students
provide?
10) Do I have to be physically
fit to take a paddling skills class?
11) Do you offer courses
away from Homer?
12) How do I reserve
a place in an Alaska Kayak School Course?
13) Can I use my own
kayak and equipment in a Kayak School course?
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1. Why did we start a kayak
school?
Paddling canoes and kayaks is a fascinating and diverse
lifetime sport with many useful teaching/training systems,
which is great, because there's a lot to learn. To offset
the inherent dangers of paddling canoes and kayaks, we
have developed a proficiency to execute and teach rescues
and recoveries as normal activities. We have developed
and teach acute levels of safety awareness in the environments
we choose paddle in. Cold waters, such as those in all
of Alaska, pose many additional hazards that must be managed
for safe enjoyment of paddle sports. Its easy, if you
know what to do!
We formed the Alaska Kayak School to teach you how to
have fun paddling canoes and kayaks of all kinds in Alaskan
conditions. Our firm belief is that
having total control of your canoe or kayak is the best
measure of safety on the water.
Our goal is to help you realize your paddling dreams -
from mild to wild, from lazy rivers to storm surge surf,
we teach for your success using gradual skill development
progressions aimed at helping you become a safe and independent
lifetime paddler.
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2. Do we only teach sea
kayaking?
No we teach canoeing too. Check this out. To help paddlers
use and enjoy Alaska's diverse waterways, we offer a whole
diversity of courses and trips aimed at delivering professional
training in: basic kayaking skills, sea kayaking, white
water kayaking, open canoeing solo and tandem, river and
sea rescue. We also offer formal British Canoe Union and
American Canoe Association courses for novices to experts,
and coach and guide training. Please see the courses page
for lists of our offerings. Next May (2004) we expect
to offer American Canoe Association Instructor Training
Development Workshops and Instructor Certification Exams,
so you guide and instructor types stay tuned for details
or email us.
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3. Why a kayak school in
Homer?
Homer is strategically located on the North shore of Kachemak
Bay on the southern Kenai Peninsula in South Coastal Alaska
and offers nearly year-round sea kayak and kayak surfing
(the latter when surf's up). Many rivers and lakes on
the Peninsula offer a wide range open canoeing and river
kayaking opportunities from small lakes to Class V rivers
(from May to October most years). On any summer day, we
can go sea kayaking in the morning and river kayak play
boating in the afternoon.
The Homer Spit extends 4 miles out into the center of
Kachemak Bay and provides a diversity of sea paddling
opportunities year round. Wind, waves and tidal currents
are a near constant providing active and diverse conditions
for training. Kachemak Bay experiences 14 ft. of tidal
exchange on neap tides and as many as 26 ft. on spring
tides. There is always something moving. Bald Eagles,
Sea otters and many seabirds are constant companions on
paddles in the bay.
To top it all off, the many miles of protected and exposed
coast on the South side of Kachemak Bay are one of Alaska's
crown jewels: Seldovia, Eldred Passage, Tutka Bay, Sadie
Cove, Kasitsna Bay, Peterson Bay, Halibut Cove, Glacier
Spit, Halibut Cove Lagoon, and more.
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4. Do I really need a class
to enjoy paddling safely?
No, not necessarily.
With good judgement and applied study, you can learn a
tremendous amount about paddling by getting a boat and
just going paddling. Maybe as an after thought, reading
books about paddling can help round out your "experience".
At the novice and beginner level, it is possible to "get
by" on your instincts. But at a certain point, as
the sea and river conditions become more challenging,
the skills needed to safely maneuver a canoe or a kayak
are not intuitive. These are hard won personal skills
to be learned solely by experience. Good instruction can
tremendously speed up your learning - in the words of
expedition-kayaker extraordinaire Chris Duff:
"Good
instruction is something I did not have. It has taken
me 16,000 miles and 19 years to become a good paddler.
Good instruction shortens that down to a year."
Chris has paddled the entire eastern seaboard of the U.S.,
and circumnavigated Ireland and Britain, and the south
island of New Zealand all solo, and is currently undertaking
a circumnavigation of Iceland with two companions.
There are many benefits from taking a paddling skills
class:
• You learn how to properly and efficiently
use paddling equipment and clothing to increase your margin
of safety and raise the fun factor.
• If your
instructor is up to date, you learn state of the art techniques
and how to use state of the art equipment,
•
You learn safe & effective practices that increase
your desire to spend time on the water,
• You
avoid re-inventing the wheel, and take advantage of other
people's mistakes and difficult experiences,
•
You learn about kayaking equipment first hand,
•
Your purchase of canoes, kayaks and equipment becomes
an educated investment and not the salesman's dream.
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5. Why do we use formally
trained and assessed instructors/coaches?
Paddling is inherently dangerous: good equipment, safe
attitudes, applicable experience, and excellent skills
are a fantastic combination of attributes that spell:
BIG TIME FUN. Trained instructors are fun-hogs, they know
how to have fun on the water. But the key is to have the
safety awareness and skills to keep it safe. Many, if
not most, of our students are delighted and amazed at
the change in their fun quotient after they've taken our
classes.
Both the American Canoe Association and the British Canoe
Union have developed such fantastic paddling skill teaching
progressions that we have adopted both as our guide for
helping you achieve your paddling dreams - safely. This
spells - "how can we teach you to have more fun in
a canoe or kayak safely as soon as possible and with as
much fun as can be had?" BCU and ACA programs have
two things in common fun and safety. Having trained in
both the BCU and ACA we bring you the best of both worlds.
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6. What skill level kayak
courses should I consider taking?
If you've never paddled before, take an introductory course.
If you've paddled 20-50 days total, take a beginner-intermediate
or intermediate course. If you've paddled a fair bit,
say more than 100 days, consider taking either: beginner-intermediate
skills, or intermediate skills courses. Our coaching and
instructional style allows us to coach students of different
levels simultaneously. In our experience, you can’t
work on the basics too much. Contact us for details. Flatwater
practice of basic skills is appropriate for most paddlers
- even those of you who think of yourselves as intermediate
or advanced paddlers.
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7. How can I participate
in a kayak school course?
Go to the courses page of the AKS web site, and check
out the courses we're offering this week, or whenever
you'll be in Homer. Look at the list of courses for a
course that fits your interests or needs and then check
the course description to see if its really for you. Still
have questions? Email or call us.
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8. What gear does the Kayak
School provide?
In all kayak courses we provide kayak, paddle, PFD, skirt,
helmet, dry suit (or paddle jacket & pants), foot
wear (neoprene booties) hand wear (gloves-pogies) and
helmet liner (for warmth). We normally provide all needed
safety equipment: tow-line, bilge pump, etc.
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9. What gear do students
provide?
Any kayaking gear you have and want to use (paddle, dry
suit, drybags. etc). and especially appropriate layered
clothing. Synthetic clothing is best because it doesn't
absorb water - capilene or thin wicking layers (to keep
moisture away from your skin) as base layers, and fleece
and thicker layers as insulation and to absorb moisture
away from your skin. Contact us for a complete list of
stuff you need to participate in one of our trips and
courses.
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10. Do I have to be physically
fit to take a paddling skills class?
It’s a good idea if you are comfortable swimming.
If you can't swim, you might consider taking up canoeing
to learn paddling and working on your swimming skills
before you consider much kayaking. All of the courses
involve a certain level of physical activity. We practice
and emphasize safe capsizes and rescues in nearly all
of our classes as a way of becoming proficient at conducting
rescues, the basis for safe paddling. Capsizes and rescues
can be physically demanding to practice, and it’s
a good idea to have some level of physical activity as
a routine before considering taking a class.
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11. Do you offer courses
away from Homer?
Yes, we do. We offer one 2-day sea kayaking skills course:
Passage Canal Sea School - one weekend an month in Whittier,
check the courses page for the month of your choice. We
also offer custom courses and instructional trips from
Seward and other choice locations on the Kenai Peninsula.
Contact us for details.
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12. How do I reserve a
place in an Alaska Kayak School Course?
First look at our schedule and identify dates or courses
you are interested in. Second, email or call us for availability.
Once we have made contact we will send you a registration
form, an estimate of your fees, a waiver and release of
liability form, and information about our terms and conditions
FYI. Sometimes we can get your reservation information
over the phone, you can pay with a Visa/MC credit card,
and we'll send the waiver and terms and conditions. After
you have submitted your registration information, waiver
and payment has been processed, you have a reservation!
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13. Can I use my own kayak
and equipment in a Kayak School course?
Yes, you can - with our permission. As long as your craft
is appropriate for the course you wish to take, and we
can review the kayak's safety features and condition.
We reserve the right to refuse your desire to use a boat
that is not appropriate for the course you wish to take.
There may be a small discount if you use your own equipment
- contact us for details.
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