Advanced Sea Kayak Award (Personal Performance) Training and Assessment

As an Advanced Sea Kayaker, you will have extensive experience of paddling on the sea. Your experience will include paddling a wide variety of sea conditions with winds over force 4 and/or tides over 2 Knots, using sea kayaks in tidal or non-tidal environments, where you may make open crossings in excess of 2Nm, as well as travelling along the coastline.

What you will Learn 

You will learn all the necessary sea-kayak skills that are required to make good decisions during an advanced se-kayak journey.

It will look at the relationship between the Wind,waves and Tidal flow and how the speed and direction of tidal flow combined with wind can have a profound effect on the water surface.

Landing and launching in a variety of challenging conditions and the use of VHF and GPS in relation to safe travel and effective communication.

The skills involved with maintaining course, the use of buoyage and location fixing on an open crossing.

Travelling in poor visibility and darkness using time / distance, map watch and compass.

Dealing with emergencies, and limited landing areas, rolling in rough conditions, self-rescue and emergency repairs.

The use of different types of towlines / anchors and their pro’s and cons.

Boat control; including techniques for maintaining and changing direction using environment , edge and paddle angle , modifying forward paddle stroke to cater for environmental conditions. Reading the water and timing to help manoeuvring.

The use of positioning and CLAP principles, communication strategies.

Environmental impact issues, other users, wildlife and how we can minimize our negative impact. 

The training and assessment course will take place across two days, focusing on the following key areas:

Boat handling skills such as:

• Efficient forward paddling
• Turning
• Bracing and balancing
• Rolling

Safety and rescue such as:

• Dealing with a swimmer – i.e. including self-rescue and boat carries
• Throwline use and towing
• Personal safety equipment

If you are intending to be assessed for this award, please read carefully the British Canoeing syllabus before booking a place. You’ll be expected to provide evidence of previous paddling experience and have all personal safety equipment for the duration of the course. See the British Canoeing guidance notes for this kit list.

Is this course for me?

An ability to roll confidently and competent boat handling skills in a variety of conditions is required to get the most from what can be a demanding learning environment.A desire to develop personal skills sets in the challenging conditions required by the award.

• White Water Safety and Rescue Training

What Equipment do I need to bring? 

At this level it is expected that attendees will probably be active sea-kayakers and will chose to use the equipment that they are most familiar and comfortable with, however it gives candidates and opportunity to try bits that they might not have , e.g .GPS, VHF , other boats designs, EPRB’s, different towing systems to their own. 

Clothing and personal effects that will allow the candidate to remain comfortable and safe in all conditions associated with operating in advanced conditions, and with submersion on several occasions throughout the duration of the course .

The course fee includes full use of the centre equipment, in course transport, coaching, and packed lunch on both days.

• The course fee does not include accommodation, but does include packed lunch on both days
• If you require catered accommodation, the cost will be an additional £56.50.  This includes accommodation on Saturday night, evening meal on Saturday and breakfast on Sunday morning. There is also a short instructional session on Saturday evening.

Course accommodation (when restrictions permit!) will be in shared twin ensuite rooms. If you would prefer not to share a room, single occupancy may be available for an additional charge.