River Canoe: Skills Courses
Essentials of Canoeing: Level 2 - A one day course* that adds to the knowledge and skills of Level 1 and includes strokes for going backwards, side slips, tight turns, braces, and heeling. There is more emphasis on stroke and paddle mechanics than in the previous courses. Besides corrective forward strokes, traveling backwards under control, there are more in depth rescues, how to travel safely, winds and waves management. The participant is assuming a significant commitment to the sport. Taught on flat water to gentle moving rivers, with mild currents. Venue is such as that flat water rescues and skills could be used.
River Canoeing: Level 3 - A one day course*, for the participant who has taken the Level 2 - Essentials to Canoeing Course, and wants to apply those skills to moving water (up to and including Class I). Participants may paddle a recreational canoe or WW canoe in the sitting or kneeling position. The focus is on learning about river features and hazards, how to handle capsizes on the river, more advanced rescues, how to do eddy turns and ferries, how to scout, keys to good judgment, clothing and much more.
Whitewater Canoeing: Level 4 - A one day course*, for the paddler who has taken the Level 3 - Moving Water Canoe Course and wishes to apply those skills to white water rivers up to and including Class II. Participants learn to do tighter eddy turns, stronger ferries and go into more depth on river reading and skills, rescues, in a whitewater environment. The participants will more than likely be paddling WW canoes with thigh straps and the focus will be on "play" or "working" the river versus just going from point A to point B. There is a heavy focus safety and rescue and well as doing much more technical and tighter turns and greater precision of maneuvers and strokes.
Advanced Whitewater Canoeing: Level 5 - A one day course* that prepares participants that have acquired the skills of the Level-4 White Water Canoe Course to advance to Class III+ white water. There is a large emphasis on safety and hazards, as well as fine tuning technique in rougher water and more advance paddling techniques.
River Canoe Assessments:
River Canoe Day-Trip Leading Assessment is intended to provide the minimum skills and training necessary for an adult leader possessing basic paddling skills to lead a trip for participants with beginner level paddling skills. The emphasis of this course is trip leading, safety education and rescue, not paddling instruction. The content is relevant for clubs, camps, scouts and other entities providing trips. This is an Assessment Course with a written Examination. Those desiring certification to teach canoeing should get ACA Instructor Certifications.
River Canoe Skills Assessment
Become an ACA Instructor
ACA River Canoeing Instructor Certifications are awarded in either solo or tandem at five levels:
Level 1: Introduction to Canoeing (not discipline specific)
Level 2: Essentials of River Canoeing
Level 3: River Canoeing
Level 4: Whitewater Canoeing
Level 5: Advanced Whitewater Canoeing
Each level requires a more advanced understanding of:
safety awareness
general technical knowledge
paddling skills
teaching skills
Each level requires:
Completion of a course of instruction at the same skill level or higher
Successful completion of an Instructor Development Workshop (IDW)
Successful completion of an Instructor Certification Exam (ICE)
The purpose of the IDW is to help instructor candidates learn how to effectively teach safety and canoeing skills.
The purpose of the ICE is to evaluate the candidate in each of the above areas.
(For more information on IDWs and ICEs see "Instructor Criteria" and contact the Instructor Trainer / Educator of the course you are considering)
River Canoe Instructor Endorsements
Canoe Rolling - A 1 to 4 hour course, designed to teach the participant how to safely roll an open canoe. The participant will be given a great deal of one on one time and guided through the steps of rolling an open canoe. There are no prerequisites, but the canoes must be outfitted with air bags, foot braces and thigh straps.
Adaptive Paddling
Adaptive Paddling Information
Other Links
Additional Resources
Instructor Resources
