Lake Instructor candidates will learn to teach skills including rolling, edging and basic strokes to new paddlers to prepare them for whitewater. Instructors will learn to properly demonstrate intermediate flatwater skills and to detect and correct errors. This course includes a Making Ethical Decisions component to helps instructors identify the legal, ethical, and moral implications within the instructional environment.

Format: The Lake Kayak Instructor program is sometimes offered as a combined program with the Pool Kayak Instructor. However, the Lake Kayak Instructor program can be offered on its own to certify Lake Instructors. The Pool Kayak Instructor program is offered as a 1-day course. The Lake Kayak Instructor program is a 2-day program.

Co-requisites: Pool Kayak Instructor. Must be 16 years of age to be certified.

Course Overview

• NCCP overview
• Equipment
• Risk management
• Teaching methodology
• Site selection and group management
• Environment monitoring, weather and water conditions
• Technical skills; forward & reverse paddling, sweeps, low & high brace, draw, bow draw, flatwater roll
• Common paddling injuries
• Basic rescue techniques for lake environment
• Games and exercises
• Professional issues and administration
  

These two courses are typically run together. Learn the skills needed to introduce intermediate paddlers to class 1-2 whitewater. This course teaches an instructor to identify basic river features and teaching novice-level whitewater skills. Develop leadership skills through learning the fundamentals of group management, logistics coordination, risk management and rescue planning. River Kayak Instructor 2 – Leader 2 is an NCCP course and will prepare you to teach clinics, courses or work at a kayak school.

Format: The leader and instructor courses are normally offered as a combined 4-day course, including evaluation. Each course program can be offered separately as 2.5 day course, including evaluation.

Prerequisites: Able to paddle class 2 whitewater and Lake Kayak Instructor. Must be 16 years of age to achieve “trained” status and 18 years of age to be certified.

Course Overview

• NCCP overview
• Equipment
• Risk management focused and covers the details of trip planning and leading a group down the river on Class I and II water
• Risk management: liability, waivers, standards of care, emergency action planning
• Planning and preparation,
• Paddler screening
• Risk assessment and decision making
• Leadership skills
• River hazards and hydrology
• Group management
• Scouting & communication techniques including river signals
• Demonstration of rescue and paddling skills
• Teaching methodology
• Site selection
• Instructional group management and communication
• Session planning
• Technical skills: basic eddy turns (in and out), boat ferrying, s-turns, surfing, back ferrying, and the moving water roll, common paddling injuries, basic rescue techniques, games and exercises, professional issues and administration
  

This course is designed to further leadership skills by teaching map analysis, planning of remote river runs and safety boating. This course will teach you the knowledge needed to work with more experienced whitewater paddlers and you will be able to teach intermediate and advanced river skills to help participants gain confidence and skill on class 3 whitewater. This course also focuses on the advanced skills needed to be trip leader on class 3 whitewater.

Format: The Leader 3 / Instructor 3 program is normally offered as a combined program. However, the Leader 3 program can be offered on its own to certify river leaders. Each program is offered as a 2-day course, including evaluation, but are offered together as a 3-day course, including evaluation.

Prerequisites: River Kayak Leader 2 or Instructor 2. Able to paddle class 3 whitewater.

Course Overview

• NCCP overview
• Equipment
• Risk management: liability, waivers, standards of care, emergency action planning
• Planning and preparation; remote runs, map analysis, GPS
• Paddler screening
• Risk assessment and decision making
• Advanced leadership skills
• River hazards and hydrology
• Group management, scouting & communication techniques including river signals
• Demonstration of rescue and paddling skills in difficult water
• Risk management
• Teaching methodology
• Site selection
• Session planning
• Technical skills: eddy turns (in and out), boat ferrying, s-turns, jet ferries, surfing, pivots, side surfing and spins
• Common paddling injuries
• Games and exercises
• Professional issues and administration
  

This workshop is for those who want to gain the leadership and safety skills needed to take a group on a river trip. This course aims to promote basic river safety techniques and rescue scenarios while preparing instructors and trip leaders to assume a leadership role in the event of a river emergency. All Swiftwater courses are Canoe Kayak Canada courses in the NCCP Professional Development stream.

Course Overview

• Risk, incidents, and liability
• River dynamics (hydrology)
• River hazards
• Trip safety and planning
• Throw bags
• Wading and swimming
• Tow systems and in-boat rescue techniques
• Knots and anchors
• Tag and snag lines
• Mechanical advantage systems
• Leading rescues and organization of rescues