Accelerated Fundamentals

If you are ready to immerse in instruction but don’t know where to begin, we recommend our Fundamentals. We will be building your understanding, practice and retention of solid, committed, repeatable and effective skills. These on-water instructional days will give you a solid base from which to expand. You may register for one or two days. Suitable for most paddlers without prior formal training.

Accelerated Fundamentals – Day 1: BLADE, BODY, BOAT (The Three B’s)

This full day course provides beginning and novice kayakers with a foundation in the “Three B’s” – connecting your Blade through your Body to your Boat. By day’s end you should be paddling more like an intermediate paddler, able to transfer the forces from your paddle to obtain results in your boat. We will cover basic strokes, wet exits, assisted rescues, kayak and equipment options and design, their fit and use, and overall safety practices for paddling on the sea’s protected waters.

We’ll work on strokes for propulsion, maneuvering, support and recovery, and introduce the strokes to increase control of our bow, along with edging and leaning. We’ll work on linking strokes in light conditions while paddling in, down, and across (on the beam) wind, waves and quartering seas. And we’ll practice assisted rescues as well as basic self-rescues for those who are ready.

Accelerated Fundamentals – Day 2: PRACTICAL NAVIGATION, SEAMANSHIP & ROUTE SELECTION (The Fourth B: the Brain)

Building upon Fundamentals 1, Day 2 emphasizes the “Fourth B” (the Brain), making wise decisions on the sea. Our seamanship involves gathering, evaluating, and applying our equipment, paddling and environmental variables. We’ll develop a plan for the day by layering in the weather and sea states, tides and currents, wind and anticipated wave shapes, safety zones and exposure areas. We want you to begin thinking like the Captain of your ship as we plan, prepare and then go paddle and expand our experiences.

Our day journey will likely take us out of the harbor to develop observation and understanding of sea states, waves, and tidal flows. We aim to layer in the ‘experience’ cornerstone necessary for you to choose the conditions you and your group are comfortable paddling in. You will develop a working outline for on-water decision-making in ‘light to moderate’ sea conditions, and you’ll experience paddling in or near breaking waves. Seamanship essentially is the route a Captain makes after summing up skills, environment and equipment; it encompasses navigation, rescues, strokes in conditions, trip planning, communications, rules of the road, island ethics and the environmental factors.

Courses include use of MIKCo’s expedition grade sea-kayaks, all kayaking gear, rescue and safety equipment, paddling clothing (wetsuits and jackets), and study materials. MIKCo provides lunches on all of our courses.

Cost for each day is $175; or $335 for both days.