| We are offering two
levels of Trip Leader Courses - One is a new ACA Trip Leader
Assessment course that is taught by an ACA Instructor Trainer
and it involves a multitude of subjects designed for people
leading day trips in touring kayaks with skirts. This
course includes a written exam. Students passing the
on-water and written portions will receive an ACA assessment.
This class includes a lot of great information. So whether
you're planning to lead trips, or if you simply enjoy paddling a
sea kayak, you will gain many new skills and knowledge. The
second course is a scaled down version of the previous course
but is designed for people planning on leading trips in
sheltered waters on sit-on-top kayaks. This is a Coastal Kayak
course and is one day in length. There is no assessment for this
course but you will receive a certificate from Coastal Kayak
stating that you have successfully taken the course. This course
is geared towards the conditions and issues on the back waters
of the Delmarva Peninsula.
Trip Leader Assessment Course is
a full two-day course covering trip leading, safety education,
and rescue. This course is not a paddling course.
For that reason it is important that all participants have taken
a Basic Coastal Kayak course prior to taking this Trip Leader
Assessment course. Some topics that we will be covering include:
- Trip planning on protected waters
- Developing float plans as well as contingency plans for
health, boat, & equipment problems
- Developing a pre-trip briefing
- Planning for and reading the weather
- Identifying hazards
- Assessing and managing risk
- Determining group and personal equipment needs
- Determining how to lead and communicate with groups as
well as on water group management
- Self and assisted rescues
- Towing of sick, tired or incapacitated paddlers
- Using and choosing signaling devices
- Reading a nautical chart and planning a course
- Learning about the marine environment including tides,
current, waves etc..
Trip Leader Basics Course (sit-on-top
kayaks) This is a one day course that covers many of
the safety issues as the previous course but will be geared
towards shorter trips. This course will include:
- Basic kayak strokes ( a stroke course is strongly
recommended)
- Route choosing
- Identifying of local hazards
- Group management
- Sit-on-top rescues
- Towing
- Emergency procedures
- Communication & group control
- Reading the weather and dealing with dangerous
conditions
- Risk assessment
- Kayak loading and securing to trailers
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Trip
Leader
