Advanced Courses

Looking to take your paddling to another level? Paddling in rougher conditions such as waves, surf, current or wind are all dependent on your ability to edge your kayak. Touring kayaks, when upright, track well and are quite fast. However, if you tilt them on their edge their footprint totally changes. Instead of a long narrow boat, you have a short boat with lots of rocker and the ability to turn on a dime, remain stable in surf, and easily cross current. You will learn to use your lower body to control the kayak the way it was intended. You will also learn how to recover from a capsize by incorporating high and low braces – another essential element in paddling in rougher conditions. If you have a group of 3 or more, give us a call and we’ll try to get a course on the schedule for you. Otherwise we usually do this as a private lesson.

• Prerequisite: None but this course is taught in touring kayaks
• Duration with 3 or more participants: 2 hours
• Price with 3 or more participants: $75 per person
• Reservations required. Call 302.539.7999 or email [email protected]

You know the strokes but you want to take them to the next level. In this class, you’ll refine what you already know so that you’ll be able to paddle efficiently in stronger winds and choppier conditions. This class will also begin to prepare you for the challenges you’d find paddling in open water, current, and the ocean. If you have a group of 3 or more, give us a call and we’ll try to get a course on the schedule for you. Otherwise we usually do this as a private lesson.

• Duration with 3 or more participants: 3-4 hours
• Price with 3 or more participants: $100 per person
• Prerequisite: Essentials of Coastal Kayaking; Bracing and Edging (recommended)
• Reservations required. Call 302.539.7999 or email [email protected]

This course takes the skills you’ve learned in Coastal Kayaking Essential Skills, Bracing and Edging, and Advanced Strokes with Video Analysis and moves them into more challenging conditions including current, surf, and swells. We will also include:marine hazards, navigation, towing, reading a nautical chart, rules of the road and many more. This class is usually done as a private lesson. Please call 302.539.7999 or email [email protected] for availability.

• Prerequisite: the above mentioned courses or similar taught by certified kayak instructors
• Duration: 7-8 hours
• Reservations required. Call 302.539.7999

Not only is learning to surf your sea kayak a blast, it is a great way to improve your paddling skills. We will cover the basics of reading the surf zone, paddling out, catching waves, controlling the kayak on the wave and many other topics. Bracing skills solid self-rescues are essential and a roll is recommended. This class is usually done as a private lesson. Please call 302.539.7999 or email [email protected] for availability.

• Prerequisite: Bracing and Edging course
• Duration: 3 – 4 hours
• Reservations required. Call 302.539.7999

This is a really fun course for those interested in learning how to paddle in current. Paddling in current is a blast and can be almost like a theme park ride. With over 20 years of paddling in this area our instructors will take you to places that are perfect for your ability. Once most students see how much fun current is, they become hooked. If you have a group of 3 or more, give us a call and we’ll try to get a course on the schedule for you. Otherwise we usually do this as a private lesson.

• Prerequisite: Depends on session. Call for more info
• Duration: 3-4 hours
• Price with 3 or more participants: $120
• Reservations required. Call 302.539.7999.

This is a full day assessment where we will assess your paddling, safety & rescue skills along with your technical knowledge to see if it is commensurate with the ACA standards. Our coastal location is perfectly situated to take advantage of numerous venues making it very rare for us to not get the conditions we need to satisfy all of the assessment criteria. Although this is primarily an assessment we will also be offering some instructional advise. Becoming a level 3 assessed paddler is now a requirement for taking the Level 3 instructor certification. This class is usually done as a private lesson. Please call 302.539.7999 or email [email protected] for availability.

• Prerequisite: Level 3 Basic Strokes and Rescues and Stroke Refinement or comparable
• Duration: 7-8 hours
• Reservations Required. Please Call 302.539.7999

This is a full day assessment where we will assess your paddling, safety & rescue skills along with your technical knowledge to see if it is commensurate with the ACA standards. Our coastal location is perfectly situated to take advantage of numerous venues making it very rare for us to not get the conditions we need to satisfy all of the assessment criteria. Although this is primarily an assessment we will also be offering some instructional advise. Becoming a level 4 assessed paddler is now a requirement for taking the Level 4 instructor certification. This class is usually done as a private lesson. Please call 302.539.7999 or email [email protected] for availability.

• Prerequisite: Level 3 Skills Assessment or comparable
• Duration: 7-8 hours
• Price: $175
• Reservations Required. Please Call 302.539.7999

This is a one day workshop where we will fine-tune your paddling & rescue skills to prepare you for the Level 4 assessment. We will focus on the ACA L4 checklist and emphasize the areas that the individual students feel they need the most work. This class is usually done as a private lesson. Please call 302.539.7999 or email [email protected] for availability.

• Prerequisite: Level 3 Assessment or comparable skills
• Duration: 7-8 hours

This is a great course for any paddlers with strong paddling and rescue skills. A solid roll is necessary. A great course for those that like adrenaline or are thinking of going for a 5-star or Level 5 award. We will practice in standing waves, overfalls and all sorts of fun dynamic conditions. This is taught by our head instructor with over 20 years paddling the surf and current in the surrounding area – some of the best conditions on the east coast!

• Duration: 3-4 hours
• Price: $250 – additional $150 for second person
• Reservations required. Call 302.539.7999

This course is designed to help intermediate paddlers perfect their strokes and is great preparation for open water skills. Rather than just performing the strokes we will fine-tune them so that they are fluid, efficient and effective. We will emphasize the use of the entire body to propel and maneuver the kayak. Through the use of videotape analysis we will give you a clear idea of how your stroke is doing and where you may be able to improve. The strokes covered will include: Forward, reverse, sweeps, static, sculling and hanging draws, bow & stern rudder, braces, low & high brace turns. This class is usually done as a private lesson. Please call 302.539.7999 or email [email protected] for availability.

• Prerequisite: Previous stroke instruction given by certified kayak instructor
• Duration: 6-8 hours
• Reservations required. Call 302.539.7999