fbpx
header-img

Ocean Skills

kr-woodshole-300h

This full-day trip is the foundation for your ocean paddling skills! We will extend what we learned in Introduction to Kayaking by covering more boat-maneuvering skills (especially utilizing edging to make our boats turn faster), bracing skills, and rescue skills (including self-rescues and Eskimo rescues).

Since we are venturing onto the ocean for the first time as sea kayakers, we will also discuss such ocean-specific issues as basic navigation, rules of the road, flares and signalling, and VHF radio usage. And finally, we will teach you skills to deal with the sea kayaker’s biggest adversary: wind.

We’ll also get to do plenty of paddling between our instructional sessions. The trip is held at a number of locations, including Gloucester, Marblehead, and Cohasset, and the location of your trip will be decided by the guide depending on weather and tide.

This trip is designed for those who have taken our Introduction to Kayaking or an Introductory Trip, or have the equivalent experience. Paddlers should be able to perform assisted rescues and paddle five miles over the course of the day.

Follow up with our Rough-Water Skills Trips.

Our Ocean Skills series is a critical part of our
Recommended Progression for Aspiring Sea Kayakers.
Ocean Skills Full-Day Trip meets at the Newton Historic Boathouse and travels by van to the destination. We plan to return to Newton approximately 9 hours after the trip departs. $139 includes full-day trip with expert guiding (max. 5:1 student:instructor ratio) using your own boat. $155 with a composite or plastic sea kayak (model depends on availability). Pre-Requisites & Requirements: Before signing up, you must have:
  • Formal introductory instruction, like our Introduction to Kayaking, Introductory Trip, or equivalent.
  • Previous practice of a wet exit, where you flipped a kayak, removed the sprayskirt, and exited the kayak while underwater.
  • Previous practice of an assisted rescue, where you wet-exited the kayak in deep water and were rescued by another kayaker.
  • Ability to paddle 5 miles in an outing.

view schedule/book now

Charles River Canoe & Kayak Operates in Cooperation with... Discover Newton Parks Logo Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Logo Canal District Kendall Square Logo City of Somerville, Massachusetts
X