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Menu
  • Home
  • Courses
    • FULL COURSE LIST
      • Foundation Skills
      • Core Skills
      • Advanced Skills
      • Safety and Rescue
      • Leadership: Guides & Trip Leaders
      • British Canoeing
      • Private Coaching
    • FIND BY DATE
  • Getting Ready
    • Directions
    • PDF Liability Waiver
  • About
    • Our Story
    • Coaches
  • Resources
    • Weather & Navigation
    • Paddling Links
    • Explore Anacortes
  • Call: 360.376.5388

Leadership Training for Guides and Trip Leaders

(1-5 days) $400 Per Day Per Coach - Ratio 1:6 and 2:8 (can adjust if needed)

We offer customizable staff training sessions for groups of guides who have been hired to work in the San Juan Islands and beyond. Body Boat Blade has been running training programs for several kayak tour companies for over 16 years. We work closely with the owners and managers as we plan our trainings, keeping in mind that each organization operates a slightly different program and has specialized needs. We are sensitive to the different company cultures and so we avoid any sort of dogmatic approach to Best Practices. What we teach is strictly on-water skills and risk management, we know that you will have your own way to teach them the soft-skills that makes each company unique.

The goal of these trainings is to provide novice and veteran guides a meaningful learning experience that focuses on the specific skills that will help them to safely conduct tours. We provide a base level of personal kayaking skills and boat maneuvering, group management, trip planning, on and off water risk assessments, calling for help and liaising with the coast guard, and safety and rescue skills. We will provide a personalized, objective assessment for each participant on which skills they should focus on as they prepare to lead your customers on the water.

The feedback that we receive from the guides every year after completing the training is consistent. They tell us that one of the best results from the course is to alert them to their own personal shortcomings that they were previously unaware of. This raises their alertness and their ability to make accurate risk assessments on any given day. It also tends to inspire them to work on skills more in their free time, making them better leaders and more likely to return to the company for successive seasons.

We know that each tour outfitter teaches many of the same concepts that we will be covering. The advantage of running a formalized training session is that these concepts will be introduced from an objective third-party and therefore will reinforce what the employer has already said.

Let us help you to design a class that works for your seasonal staff.

 

Training By Day

Class Length: 1-5 DAYS
Location: Your Facility

Our coaching team will come to your facility to provide your desired number of days of training. Each day we will cover the skills necessary for your guides to safely conduct your tours. The ideal is a minimum of 2-3 days of intensive skills training. This maximizes the amount of learning that can be done, and ensures there is enough time for guides to contextualize the necessary skills and ask clarifying questions of their coaches.

Overnight Guide Training 3-Day

Class Length: 3-Days
Location: Anacortes, Fidalgo Island, WA 98221

This method has been preferred by the guides themselves, and has proven to develop a deeper understanding of skills, a more reliable comprehension of the ocean environment, and increased team cohesion. Being immersed in the environment, having time to reflect on each day while hanging out on a beach in the islands, and staying engaged in that training environment for a full 3 days allows guides the space and time to absorb information, engage in peer reflection, contextualize skills in the appropriate environment, and maximize their learning overall.

On top of providing skills training, we can also cover overnight guiding skills including meal preparation, campsite selection, fire starting, “rules and regulations” for respecting wildlife and the land, multi-day planning, navigation, and long term guest care. 

Jump to Course Info

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
Check our schedule >

View all the available classes during any time period.

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  • 2009 Skyline Way Anacortes, WA 98221
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