Outdoor Skills

Kayaking & Canoeing

Paddle With Confidence From Your First Day on the Water

12 lessons4 modules9h 0m durationbeginner level

Instructor: StretchLearn Faculty

About this course

This course walks you through every foundational skill a new paddler needs: choosing the right boat and paddle, executing efficient forward and sweep strokes, bracing against capsize, performing a wet exit and self-rescue, and reading moving water up to Class II. Lessons draw on American Canoe Association (ACA) and British Canoe Union (BCU) standards so the techniques are transferable and correct. By the final module you will be able to plan, load, and execute a solo day trip safely.

Curriculum

Module 1: Boats, Paddles, and Getting On the Water3 lessons

Choosing Your Hull: Kayak vs Canoe, Sit-in vs Sit-on-TopPreview45m
Safety Gear, Fit, and the Pre-Launch Checklist🔒45m
Launching, Landing, and Sitting Position🔒45m

Module 2: Core Strokes and Boat Control3 lessons

The Forward Stroke — Power, Rotation, and Efficiency🔒45m
Sweep Strokes, Draw Strokes, and Reverse🔒45m
Low Brace and Edging — Preventing Capsizes🔒45m

Module 3: Wet Exit, Self-Rescue, and Assisted Rescue3 lessons

The Wet Exit — Exiting a Capsized Kayak Calmly🔒45m
Solo Self-Rescue — Paddle Float and Cowboy Re-entry🔒45m
Assisted Rescue — the T-Rescue🔒45m

Module 4: River Reading, Trip Planning, and Transport3 lessons

Reading Moving Water — Eddies, Waves, and Hydraulics🔒45m
Day-Trip Planning — Float Plan, Water Level, and Weather🔒45m
Loading, Transporting, and Storing Your Boat🔒45m