Come try out a Skin-On-Frame Kayak! Kiliii will be at the Willamette River from 11am to 1pm on Saturdays doing kayak demos, as well as on request. He will be helping people take ‘test drives’ of the boats and giving some basic Greenland paddling instruction. There’s no better way to find out if a kayak is the one for you without getting in one, making sure it’s comfortable, stable, fast and, well, everything you dream of in a kayak…! Please RSVP by emailing kiliii@seawolfkayak.com or calling 503.877.2SEA (2732) so we know to expect you!

Where: Under the Hawthorne Bridge (East) at the OMSI RiverEast parking lot
When: Check our calendar. Available most Saturdays in the summer, from 11am to 1pm, and upon request from two or more paddlers.

August of 2008, I pushed my skin-on-frame kayak into the northern waters of Vancouver Island, loaded with rice and butter and nothing else. I landed 315 miles away on the western coast, happy to be alive, having survived 40 knot winds, 12 ft swells, upset sea lions, a bear’s nose, and countless sea otters with their ridiculously cute pups. I stayed amazingly healthy feasting off the ocean’s critters and wild edible plants. The verdict? The best thing I have ever done in my life. And I’d do it again.

This is a great course for those who want to develop their skills and become certified to instruct for one of the world’s most respected paddlesports organizations. A bonus to joining the ranks of the ACA instructor team is that you can teach anywhere in the world, be advertised, and be insured!

The ACA instructor certification process has two components: the Instructor Development Workshop (IDW), and Instructor Certification Exam (ICE). The IDW presents Instructor Candidates the skills and knowledge that are required to become an instructor. The ICE challenges each candidate to demonstrate proficiency in the presentation (logical progression) and demonstration (proper modeling) of paddling subjects, general paddling knowledge, safety, and leadership. Certification levels for coastal kayaking in order of expertise are;

Introduction to kayak
Essentials of kayak touring
Coastal kayak
Open water coastal kayak
Advanced open water coastal kayak

These certification levels correspond to the ACA course levels which you are then able to teach to.

What makes this course distinct

Though all ACA certifications have core subjects in common, your trainer is the person who creates the experience. Greg Weiss is an ACA Instructor Trainer at the Open Water level and an instructor for Advanced Open Water Coastal Kayak, Whitewater Kayak, and River Canoe. He has been paddling since 1990 and teaching since 1994 in locations throughout North and South America. Greg has also spent time instructing skin boat building and continues to build boats and carve traditional paddles. He is a full-time educator, teaching leadership & outdoor skills to college students, while during the summer leading wilderness-based trips with Outward Bound and other organizations. Greg requires instructor candidates to not just teach paddling, but more importantly, to teach students. This requires more than good kayaking skills. It requires candidates to become true educators & leaders.

RECOMMENDED FOR ENTERING THE COASTAL KAYAK INSTRUCTOR PROGRAM

Most candidates begin with the Instructor Development Workshop. Following is a list of suggested minimum attributes for entering
the certification process.

1. Ability to effectively use the paddle; forward & reverse strokes, forward and reverse sweeps, draw and sculling draw, high and low braces.
2. Have experience with basic rescue techniques; T-rescue, Side-by-Side, Rafted-T, and Paddle Float. Also have working knowledge of other rescues; Scramble, Reentry and Roll with Paddle Float, Reentry and Roll, All-In, and Scoop.
3. Ability to perform a reliable kayak roll. (for coastal level & above)
4. Developing knowledge of; safety issues and hazards of coastal kayaking, basic chart reading and compass use, weather conditions important to the kayaker, hypothermia prevention and treatment, signaling devices and safety equipment, boat traffic & rules of the road, kayak design and equipment, kayak towing technique.
5. Developing ability to paddle comfortably with grace and style, and to perform rescues efficiently, in calm water.
6. Demonstrate leadership and group management skills, experience and judgment necessary to be a safe, effective instructor.

If you are unsure of your ability we suggest taking a coastal kayak specific advanced skills course or assessment course with an ACA
instructor or instructor trainer.

PRE-REQUISITES FOR COASTAL KAYAK INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATION

In rare cases, advanced level coastal kayakers with extensive teaching experience and ACA administrative knowledge can submit a written request to enroll directly into the Certification Examination. This request must be directed to the lead Instructor Trainer well before the ICE with the understanding that the instructor candidate is responsible for all material covered in the Instructor Development Workshop. Otherwise, the Instructor Certification Exam can be taken if the candidate meets the following pre-requisites:

• You have successfully completed an ACA Instructor Development Workshop or the equivalent. (BCU coach training, etc)
• For certification at the Coastal Kayak Instructor level, (level 3) you must be able to perform all items suggested for entering the instructor program as listed above. This is not a comprehensive list though it does highlight a few of the major points of the assessment.

Candidates are judged on their paddling, group management, safety, teaching ability as well as general paddlesport knowledge. (i.e. depth & breath & prior experience) In order to pass a given level, ALL criteria for that level must be met. (see resources below for criteria) If you are lacking in one of these areas you may be certified at a lower level until you have demonstrated improvment in the areas needed. This policy insures that instructors are well-rounded and able to meet the requirements of a diverse student population. Candidates who complete the IDW will sometimes put off taking the ICE for up to a year depending upon personal skill development needs shown through the IDW process.

PRICING POLICY & REGISTRATION

TUITION:
IDW -$285 – 3 days
ICE -$190 – 2 days
Update/Upgrade $95 – 2 days (you must already have current certification)

TEXTS: The ACA instructors manual is $25, ($15 for CD coming soon) payable with course registration. You must have this manual with you at course start, but you may purchase it directly through the ACA website if you want to receive it sooner.
MEMBERSHIP: The ACA requires all candidates to be active members, which is $40 for an annual membership. Register online now and retrieve your member number. Once you have passed the exam you must join the ACA SEIC (Safety, Education and Instruction Committee) which is $25 for an annual membership and allows you to register the ACA courses you teach and have insurance for your students. You will need to give your member number to your trainer who will send it in with the paperwork post exam.
REFUNDS: Registration amount for either or both IDW/ICE is fully refundable prior to 30 days before the course, 50% refundable (price minus deposit) up to 15 days prior to course and non-refundable thereafter. Texts are non-refundable as they will be purchased for you when you register.
EQUIPMENT: You must bring your own boat and equipment. A drysuit or thick farmer-john style wetsuit is necessary.
LODGING: I will send you information on lodging upon registration. There are several inexpensive options for camping as well, including Nehalem Bay State Park.

To reserve your spot I must receive at least 50% deposit plus $25 for your manual (unless you already own one). I will then send you
your course packet. Please contact me with any other questions you may have.

To register: send your information & payment to;
Greg Weiss
ACA Instructor Workshops
P.O. Box 133
Cornucopia WI 54827
(715) 209-6496
greg (at) nativeways.com (let me know if you’d like to be on the mailing list for kayak instructor workshops)

HELPFUL RESOURCES

Course Specific Information
Instructor criteria – level 1 introduction to kayak (pdf)
Instructor criteria – level 2 essentials of kayak (pdf)
Instructor criteria – levels 3-5 coastal kayak (pdf)

Lesson Plan Example Outline (pdf) To help plan your lessons.
Equipment list for courses (pdf)

April 24th to May 1st, we are offering a kayak-building workshop in conjunction with the Buckeye Primitive Skills Gathering in Forestville, CA. It’s a gorgeous place, on tribal land, and we’ll have the chance to talk about kayaks, native culture, and then take the boats out for a spin in real water.

Building a kayak in your 11/2008 Portland workshop was one of the best creative experiences of my life, so I encourage others to enroll. This is a project that could change your life. -Val Stricklin

Build what you will love to paddle. Register now and come home with a completed 17′ sea kayak and Greenland Paddle, made with your bare hands in the tradition of the northern pacific rim people. Tuition and materials are $1300 per boat.

Register and find out more »

So that this hard-won experience would not vanish, I submitted an article to the Bulletin of Primitive Technology, and it now graces the cover of the Fall 2008 Transportation issue. If you haven’t read the Bulletin, you may want to become a member of the Society of Primitive Technology!

The full article is available on our website here as well.

Read the Full Article »

With our new focus centered around the coastal region and kayaks, we’ve changed our name. As Seawolf Kayak & Native Lifeways Center, we hope to bring together the elements of community healing, native lifeways (including primitive skills), and the kayak. In 2010, we have returned to Portland, OR. We will also be searching for a permanent home near Puget Sound or the Willamette Valley. It is my hope that Seawolf Kayak will carry us from an island of hope to a re-imagined landscape of small communities and peaceful lives.