ACA River Canoeing Course Outlines
The following course outlines are sample courses that can be taught by instructors at the appropriate level. ACA Instructors are certified to teach the body of knowledge included in the Course Outline and Instructor Criteria of the certification(s) held.
SmartStart Paddler Orientation: Level 1 This one-hour course will expose participants to basic safety and paddling skills. This curriculum is used in combination with the SmartStart for Paddler Presentation and Lesson Plan.
QuickStart Your Canoe: Level 1 is a brief, three-hour introduction to paddling a canoe. Students are presented with basic information on boat control, paddling apparel, potential hazards and simple rescues. An entry level of paddling skills is presented and practiced, allowing students to safely and effectively maneuver on flat-water. While designed as stand-alone courses, the interested paddler can progress to more advanced levels of instruction, progressing to the Introduction or Essential levels of courses. These subsequent courses offer greater paddling skill development through additional guided, on-water practice time.
Introduction to Canoeing: Level 1 is a six-hour course focusing on the basic canoe skills for the solo and/or tandem canoeist. Students are presented with basic information on boat control, paddling apparel, potential hazards and simple rescues. An entry level of paddling skills is presented and practiced, allowing students to safely and effectively maneuver on flat-water. If a paddler decides to move above the Introductory level, the successive courses are divided into two categories: Touring Canoe & River Canoe.
Flatwater Canoe Safety and Rescue introduces essential flatwater safety practices and rescue techniques that can be performed with a minimum of equipment, in the first few minutes of an emergency.
Essentials of River Canoeing: Level 2 A one day course that adds to the knowledge and skills of Level 1 by introducing the maneuvers needed to paddle on moving water rivers. The course includes learning to catch large eddies, perform simple ferries, recognize and avoid hazards, perform rescues and respond to emergencies on moving water rivers. Taught on flat water to gentle moving rivers, with mild currents were flat water rescues apply.
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. ( outline / checklist / exam )
River Canoe Skills Assessment
