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Our Kayaking ClassesCharles River Canoe & Kayak offers a natural progression of kayaking classes designed to expand, enhance, and develop your skills, from the
 If you've never taken formal instruction, start with one of our Introductory Classes. The basic skills learned there are the foundation for all our other classes and trips. Even if you've been paddling for years, the class will open your eyes!
For your children, we offer Kids' Paddling Camps and Classes. They'll start on a quiet lake or river and work up to true ocean exploration. We know that kids learn best when they're having fun, so we teach through games and other activities to ensure that they love it!
Introductory Classes ::
Safety & Rescues ::
Rolling
Ocean Paddling :: Navigation :: Private Instruction ACA Instructor Certification :: Special Paddling Clinics The Basics — Introductory Courses
Introduction to Kayaking (six hours of instruction)
The foundation for your paddling skills. Covers basic strokes and maneuvering, self- and assisted rescues, paddle braces, and more.
Held on the Charles River in Newton and Cambridge/Kendall Square. Introductory Sea Kayaking Trips (full-day trip)
Learn the basics while enjoying the beauty of the Massachusetts coast. Covers basic strokes and maneuvering, self- and assisted rescues, paddle-braces, plus topics specific to kayaking on the ocean. Focuses on skills but includes time for coastal touring.
Quick-Start Your Kayak (two hours of instruction)
A quick primer so you can get out and enjoy flatwater kayaking. Covers basic strokes and maneuvering. Held on the Charles River at our T-accessible Kendall Square location. For a more comprehensive class, take our Intro. to Kayaking.
Introductory Private Lesson (1.5-2 hours of instruction)
Learn the basic paddling strokes and rescues in a one-on-one session with an expert instructor. This class moves at your pace, spending more time when you need it, and covers the topics you want to learn about.
Navigation
Introduction to Navigation (two-hour classroom session)
 Ocean Skills: Navigation (full-day trip)
Practice your navigational skills on the water. We cover nautical charts and compass use, tides and currents, trip planning, and various techniques of navigation, with plenty of hands-on exercises to give you real-world experience.
For Kids & Teens
We offer a range of paddling instruction and activities for kids, including Summer Camps, Kayaking Classes, a Teen Adventure Program, and Birthday Parties.
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Recommended Class Progression
for Aspiring Sea Kayakers Intro. to Kayaking / Intro. Trip → Ocean Prep →
Add Rolling and Sea Kayaking Trips of appropriate difficulty at any time.
Safety and Rescues
Basic Rescue Class (1.5 hours of instruction)
An introduction to the wet exit and basic assisted T-rescue. Your instructor will demonstrate and lead you through your first capsize experience.
Ocean Prep (Kayaking Level 2) (three hours of instruction)
Gain the stability to prevent a capsize and practice what to do in the event of capsize in this three-hour clinic covering bracing, rescues, and re-entries.
The next step for those with some paddling experience who want additional training or practice in capsize prevention and assisted- and self- Rolling (three hours of instruction)
The Eskimo roll is the ultimate rescue: quick and unassisted. Students progress through a series of exercises designed to make rolling as easy as possible. Also great for paddlers looking to improve the reliability of their roll.
Ocean Paddling Skills
Ocean Skills (full-day trip)
Experience real ocean conditions (wind, waves, and current) under the guidance of an expert paddler. This full-day trip covers boat handling, capsize prevention, and rescues in currents and adverse conditions.
Advanced Ocean Skills (full-day trip)
Experience some of the strongest currents in New England during this full-day trip to Woods Hole, where you'll practice and play while improving your boat lean, bracing, and rescues in challenging conditions.
Ocean Skills: Surf Launching & Landing (full-day trip)
The surf zone is often feared by kayakers, but with appropriate skills and practice one can feel at home there. This clinic provides an opportunity to learn and practice launching and landing in waves and surf alongside an expert guide. The capsize-prevention skills you'll learn are invaluable!
Ocean Skills: Playing in Surf (full-day trip)
While the goal of Ocean Skills: Surf Launching & Landing is controlled launchings and landings, Ocean Skills: Advanced Surf is for experienced paddlers who want to ride waves in whitewater/surf kayaks for fun.
Ocean Skills: Rock Gardens (full-day trip)
New England has lots of rocks, so why not use them? We'll teach you the safety skills and maneuvers you need to have fun playing in the rocks. Sea Kayaking Trips (full-day trip)
Gain experience on the water while seeing some of the most spectacular sections of the Massachusetts coast, from Cape Ann to Cape Cod and more. Our guides are instructors, too, and they will help improve your skills during the trip.
Private Instruction
Private Instruction (instruction customized to your taste)
Cover any skills you want, at your pace. We offer one-on-one or group private lessons, always with an expert instructor.
American Canoe Association Courses
ACA Certification is a nationally recognized standard for kayak instructors. The Instructor Development Workshop covers material tested during the Instructor Certification Exam.
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Charles River Canoe & Kayak 2401 Commonwealth Avenue Newton, Massachusetts 02466 (617) 965-5110 |
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