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    • FULL COURSE LIST
      • Foundation Skills
      • Core Skills
      • Pool Classes – Kayak Rolling and Bracing
      • Advanced Skills
      • Kayak Safety and Rescue
      • Leadership: Guides & Trip Leaders
      • British Canoeing – Kayaking Certifications
      • Private Sea Kayak Coaching
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    • Our Story
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Menu
  • Home
  • Courses
    • FULL COURSE LIST
      • Foundation Skills
      • Core Skills
      • Pool Classes – Kayak Rolling and Bracing
      • Advanced Skills
      • Kayak Safety and Rescue
      • Leadership: Guides & Trip Leaders
      • British Canoeing – Kayaking Certifications
      • Private Sea Kayak Coaching
    • FIND BY DATE
  • About
    • Our Story
    • Coaches
  • Resources
    • Directions
    • PDF Liability Waiver
    • Weather & Navigation
    • Paddling Links
    • Explore Anacortes
  • BBB News
  • Email BBB

Courses

We offer classes dealing with fundamental boat handling skills, ocean currents, surf, coastal expeditions, white-water, guide training and coach education. These are fun programs held in some of the best learning environments in the Pacific Northwest!

Body Boat Blade Courses

Foundation Skills

Great for beginners and Improvers alike! Starting with a strong foundation in your kayak skills will allow you to progress quickly and master the “art” of kayaking. Experienced paddlers with weak foundations often encounter problems achieving goals and risk injury as they paddle in more demanding environments. Our beginner kayak classes 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 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!

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Core Skills

Learning what it takes to be effective, efficient, and easy on the body; these series of fun kayaking classes are the core to your understanding and knowledge as a paddler. Studying technique through the relationship between the body, boat, and blade, and then applying this knowledge to the environment is our goal. This series of classes will also help to further your understanding of camping from a kayak and help prepare you for planning your future kayak expeditions by developing a method of assessing risk, navigation, and trip planning.
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Private Coaching

Body Boat Blade is committed to the highest level of private coaching. We will work with you to accomplish your paddling goals, whether it is beginning skills, rescues, rolling, gaining confidence in rough water, British Canoeing certification, or help with planning a trip. Working with one of our coaches 1-on-1 or in a semi-private session is a sure way to accelerate your learning curve and maximize your time on the water!
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Guide / Leadership Training

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.
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Safety and Rescue

A successful kayak rescue could be the difference between life and death. Learn simple kayak rescue skills that work anywhere – from calm water bays to dynamic water environments. These series of Safety and Rescue classes help you to develop a large “tool box” of practical rescue skills that can be used when you need them most. Gain the skill and confidence to preform a rescue and how to manage an incident before it gets out of hand. Take a rescue class each year as a refresher. Although the content is serious, the class is fun!

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Advanced Skills

Starting with a solid foundation and understanding of core kayaking skills, these additional classes are designed to expand your horizon, and to deepen your knowledge and experience as a paddler. Playing in tidal races, navigating at night, learning “twenty seven” different ways to roll your kayak and learning how to lead a group will all enhance and strengthen your abilities and your confidence as a paddler of any craft. These classes include the core knowledge for becoming an effective leader on the sea. Knowledge is good, more knowledge is better.
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British Canoeing Awards

British Canoeing is the most recognized and respected paddle sport coaching and awarding system in the world. All of Body Boat Blade’s Coaches are trained and certified with British Canoeing and work within the remits of their awards, if you have taken any class from a Body Boat Blade coach you have already been exposed to British Canoeing. If you are an open minded learner who likes challenges then the British Canoeing awards progression will accelerate your mastery of this great sport.
British Canoeing Awards

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.

COURSES:

  • Foundation Skills
  • Core Skills
  • Pool Classes – Kayak Rolling and Bracing
  • Advanced
  • Safety & Rescue
  • Leadership Training
  • British Canoeing – Kayaking Certifications
  • Private Sea Kayak Coaching
  • Foundation Skills
  • Core Skills
  • Pool Classes – Kayak Rolling and Bracing
  • Advanced
  • Safety & Rescue
  • Leadership Training
  • British Canoeing – Kayaking Certifications
  • Private Sea Kayak Coaching

More Info

  • Classes
  • Schedule
  • Getting Ready
  • Directions
  • Cancellation & Refunds
  • PDF Liability Waiver
  • Privacy Policy

Get in Touch

  • 360.376.5388
  • Contact
  • 2009 Skyline Way Anacortes, WA 98221
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