Foundation Skills – Sea Kayak

Foundation skills - Sea Kayak. Starting with a strong foundation in your kayak skills is essential to progressing quickly and mastering the "art" of sea kayaking. If you are new to kayaking, then you might want to consider spending a good deal of time developing these base techniques before trying to advance too quickly. It will pay off handsomely in the long run, we promise! Experienced kayakers with weak foundations often encounter problems achieving their goals. Most importantly, they risk injury as they paddle in more demanding environments. All of our beginner sea kayak classes develop good body awareness, balance, and understanding of how your boat and paddle interact with the water. A solid base of sea kayaking skills will make you a more effective and efficient paddler which will increase your fun and enjoyment of kayaking. Even advanced kayakers can benefit from participating in these kayak classes. Join us!

Sea Kayak Foundations - Intro

Class Length: 1-Day

Location: Bowman Bay, Anacortes, WA

Fee $ 225

A fantastic place to start learning how to kayak. If you are starting to develop an interest in sea kayaking, but you still aren’t sure if it is the right fit, then this easy “taster” kayak class is a great place to start. We will introduce you to the fundamentals of kayaking and help you to develop a better idea of where you want to take yourself. Over the course of the day we will cover basic entry and exits (including wet exiting, if you desire) as well as some paddle strokes to get you started.

It is important to note that if you are more than just casually interested in learning how to kayak then we highly recommend signing up for a more in-depth 2-day introductory class. It is hard to internalize your new-found skills after just one day. This kayak class is super fun and takes place in the gorgeous surroundings of Fidalgo Island, and stays in calm water.

Highlights

Foundation courses develop good body awareness, balance, and understanding of how the boat and paddle interact with the water. A solid base of skills will make you a more efficient paddler. The goal for this course is to promote efficient, effective, and ergonomic kayaking for long term paddler development.

Wet Exits
Self Rescue Techniques
Effective Assisted Rescues
Towing
Basic Kayak Strokes
Efficient Launching and Landing Strategies

Sea Kayak Foundations - Level 1

Class Length: 2-Day

Location: Bowman Bay, Anacortes, WA

Fee $ 399

This sea kayaking class is the starting place for beginners or for experienced paddlers who desire some coaching to help build a solid foundation for their existing skills. You will learn current sea kayaking techniques in capsize recoveries, body-boat-blade awareness, strokes for steering, going straight, sideways, staying upright, and bracing. Using the foundational concepts of paddlesports we will use a body-centric approach to help you efficiently maneuver your boat, using your paddle to complement each skill.

Highlights

Anatomy of Your Boat and Equipment. All you need to know.
Wet Exits
Self Rescue Techniques
Effective Assisted Rescues
Towing
Basic Kayak Strokes
Efficient Launching and Landing Strategies

Tides and Currents - Introduction

Class Length: 1-Day

Location: Anacortes, WA

Fee $ 225

If you plan to kayak on the sea, then you need to know how to deal with the effects of the daily tides and currents. The San Juan Islands provide the perfect classroom for people who wish to enrich their paddling experience safely explore the coastal environment. If you have never paddled on swift moving water before, this is the course for you. You will be introduced to the moving water environment. You will take the flatwater kayaking skills that you have worked on and apply them to moving water. Your coaches will introduce new concepts that will enable you to effectively enter and exit tidal streams and cope with other features that moving water creates. Self-rescue techniques and assisted-rescue techniques will be introduced throughout the day. After taking this course you will have a foundation to build on your rough water skills which will make your kayaking more enjoyable when you are out on your own.

Our “Deception Pass Clinic” and “Navigations & Tidal Planning” courses are natural progressions, and more in-depth versions of this course. You do not need to take this course before those courses.

Highlights

Paddling in moving water requires a deeper awareness of the environment and the tools to plan properly. Develop your paddling skills in a dynamic environment while increasing your knowledge of the sea.

Develop a base understanding of how tides operate
How are currents created
Effective paddle strokes for moving water
Rescue techniques in moving water

Prerequisites:

Know how to and be comfortable wet exiting your kayak. Foundations Intro or Level 1

Kayak Rolling and Bracing

Class Length: 1-Day

Fee $ 225

You’ve never had more fun falling out of your kayak! For paddlers at any level capsize recoveries such as kayak rolling and effective bracing are among the most sought-after skills in paddle sports. Many of the mechanics of rolling and bracing are the same. At Body Boat Blade we’ve developed an effective progression to get students to learn and be successful at these highly desired kayaking skills. In this kayak class, we will spend time developing a solid understanding of what your body needs to do in order to recover from an off-balanced position whether it is a slight or a complete capsize. We will help you develop solid kayak rolling foundations for successful practice.

For coaches who teach these kayak skills, this is a great class to expand your “toolbox” in helping individuals work through problems learning these skills.

Highlights

Rolling is all about muscle memory. Developing your body awareness and breaking down the mechanics of a roll is where we will begin this course.

Different types of rolls and their effectiveness
Which roll works best for you
Exercises to develop muscle memory

Prerequisites:

Know how to and be comfortable wet exiting your kayak.

Whitewater Foundations

Class Length: 2-Day

Fee $ 399

Most whitewater kayakers enter the sport by simply following friends down a river and picking up skills through the “school of hard knocks”. This approach often works out just fine but it can also lead to harrowing incidents and a good deal of psychological distress. With the aid of an expert coach kayakers progress quickly, learning how to read the river for the best lines, applying the proper techniques to each situation, and expanding their ability to become a competent member of a group.

Highlights

Wet Exits
Self Rescue Techniques
Effective Assisted Rescues
The “Four Fundamentals of Paddlesports (Posture, Power Transfer, Connectivity, Kinesthetic Awareness or “feel”)
Basic Whitewater Strokes
Efficient Launching and Landing Strategies

Prerequisites:

You must have your own whitewater kayak and paddle

How To Register

The first step to register for a class with Body Boat Blade is to select an available date from the Class Schedule and complete your online reservation. A few of our courses are not on the schedule. For these courses please contact us to discuss your needs and objectives for a personalized course of study.

Next, as part of the onboarding process for all courses, each participant fills out a questionnaire about past kayak experience and general health. We find this extra step helps ensure you get the greatest benefit from your time with us and that you have found the right class to grow your kayaking skills.

BBB coaches review each application. We will get in touch with you to confirm that your application has been successfully reviewed or to clarify any questions that may arise. Once you receive your confirmation, your next step will be found in Getting Ready

Not sure if a class is right for you? For all of our guests, we want to be sure you have the best experience possible and meet all of your goals. We can help you find a class that matches your skill level and paddling goals, answer all of your questions, talk about class/trip prerequisites and requirements, and get you signed up. Just get in touch!

What To Expect

You can expect a low student to instructor ratio that is appropriate to your class, a lot of one-on-one time with instructors, and coaching that matches your learning style.

Full Day courses will last approximately 6-8hrs, depending on the needs of the group and prevailing conditions.

If you do not have your own gear then we have rental packages available. Call us for details.

Schedule Info

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View all the available classes during any time period.