I am offering an American Canoe Association (ACA) Level 1 -2 Skills Assessment Saturday August 1 from 9:30 to 4:00 pm. Course will be held at the Smithsonian Enviornmental Research Center (SERC) in Edgewater, MD.
This is an opportunity to gauge your skills and knowledge and have your level of kayaking skills on record with the American Canoe Association.
Cost with your own kayak is $80 plus $5 launch fee donation. You must be an ACA member to have your assessment recorded, minimum 6 month membership.
I also offer Level 3 Assessments but because conditions for L3 are different, I do not mix that with L1-2.
Please contact me for more information. Anicca
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SKILLS ASSESSMENT. Skills Assessment courses are designed to evaluate a participant’s skills, knowledge and ability. This includes the ability to paddle effectively and efficiently, perform rescue techniques specific to that skill level, and demonstrate the technical knowledge needed to paddle safely in the expected conditions. Skills assessments are normally a one-day course, however assessments can be performed over multiple days.
Successful completion of an assessment course provides the participant with the opportunity to receive documentation of having achieved a certain level of paddling ability. This documentation remains on file with the American Canoe Association indefinitely.
Assessment courses provide you the opportunity to understand your level of proficiency and where you might need improvement. You may want to complete an assessment course simply for your own personal satisfaction. In addition, after successful course completion you will have documentation you might want to show an employer or outfitter. If you are an outfitter or you operate a camp, assessments provide you objective documentation of staff capabilities, sometimes required by insurers or government entities.
We offer skills assessments at Levels 1 - 3. The basic differences among these levels is described below. Please contact us for more information. 301.873.2410 or paddle@kayakinstructionandtours.com
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LEVEL ONE. Level 1 kayakers paddle within a half mile of shore in lakes or coves. Waves are less than one foot and wind is not greater than 10 knots. The definitive rescue technique is the capacity to paddle self and kayak 50 feet to shore. Level 1 kayakers need to understand basic information about equipment, hypo/hyperthermia, trip planning and group awareness. See full description on the American Canoe Association website.
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LEVEL TWO. Level 2 kayakers paddle in protected water near shore with winds up to 10 knots and current up to one knot. They are able to prevent capsizing with both a low and high brace. Kayakers at this level are able to wet exit while wearing a sprayskirt and can do deep water re-entries, including a paddlefloat self rescue. Level 2 kayakers are starting to stretch their wings and have completed at least one one-day paddle of 5 nautical miles or more.
While not required to pass the assessment, Level 2 paddlers are starting to work on sculling draw strokes, bow rescues, edging and boat tilt. See full description on the American Canoe Assocation website.
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LEVEL THREE. Level 3 kayakers are out there... They can paddle in 10 to 15 knot winds, 1 to 2 foot seas, and/or 1 to 2 foot breaking waves. In fact, at least two of these conditions must be present in order to complete the Level Three assessment. In addition to the skills of Level 1 and 2 paddlers, Level 3 kayakers are knowledgable about basic navigation and on-water signals. Level 3 paddlers can confidently tow other paddlers, demonstrate a variety of self rescue techniques, including rolling, and have completed at least three day trips of at least 8 nautical miles each.
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