Paddle Canada National Coastal Canoeing Program

Program Overview

The Coastal Canoeing Program is designed to provide a solid foundation of knowledge and skill for safe and efficient tandem coastal canoeing in a variety of environments. This ranges from paddling in sheltered waters with calm conditions to paddling moderately exposed coastlines in moderate sea conditions including an overnight trip. The program recognises that strokes, manoeuvres and much of the theory in the Lake Tandem Program is highly transferable to canoeing in a coastal environment. Solid canoe handling skills are essential for safe coastal paddling. As such, the Coastal Canoeing program has as a prerequisite to its levels, the same level Paddle Canada Lake Tandem certification. The Coastal Canoeing Program does not attempt to “re-teach” the skills and theory of the Lake program but only to review those elements in the context of Coastal Canoeing.

The program also recognizes that salinity of water is not a determinant of the environment necessary to provide an adequate classroom for the acquisition of skills and theory for safe and enjoyable coastal canoeing. Small bodies of water do provide suitable environments for Introduction to Coastal Canoeing but not for the Intermediate Coastal Program. Environments in and around the Great Lakes and other large bodies of fresh water such as Lake Winnipeg provide suitable environments for the Intermediate Coastal Canoeing course. However, Advanced Coastal Canoeing courses must be run in ocean environments with tidal action to provide “real world” experience at the advanced level. Instructors running Introductory and Intermediate programs in environments without appreciable tidal action are required to include the outcomes surrounding basic tidal theory, marine forecasting and the use of nautical charts for navigation at these introductory and intermediate levels without overstepping the relevancy and practicality of the participant’s typical environment.

This is a recreational coastal canoeing program and therefore reflects typical locations for recreational paddling on the ocean in a canoe. It does not deal with the rounding of significant headlands or paddling long stretches of exposed coastline with no landing opportunities. The program does not consider those locations as “typical” recreational coastal canoeing locations.

The items chosen for inclusion in this program are designed to highlight the different environmental considerations and the increased severity of hazards present in a coastal environment as compared to a lake environment. The program develops the participant’s ability to gather information about hazards in a particular area and develop good judgment in the selection of locations and paddling routes in coastal environments. Additional skills in the Coastal Canoeing Program not found in the Lake Tandem Program include navigation with nautical charts, marine forecasting, tide and current interpretation, entering and exiting eddies, front ferries and surf launches and landings.

Instructors can and are encouraged to utilize more time than the required minimum to assist the participant in achieving the outcomes of each level.

Coastal environments typically have more severe wind, waves, and swell in addition to colder water temperatures and more difficult landing areas than those found in lake environments.

Instructors must utilize their professional judgment in the selection of appropriate locations and conditions for Coastal Canoeing Programs and alter the program when conditions dictate.

Key Policies for New Instructors

New instructors should take note of these key polices before running your first course or clinic. All instructors must make themselves familiar with our complete list of policies as well.

Assessment Guidelines for Skill Courses Learn how to apply the pass, weak, or fail evaluation system on skills courses including the use of conditional passes.
Course Administration Policies Learn about the various policies and requirements related to course registration and reporting.
Code of Conduct for Instructors and Volunteers Learn about the code of conduct, developed to foster a safe, inclusive, and healthy paddling environments for all course participants and instructors.
First Aid Certification Requirements and Standards Learn about the first aid certification requirements that all Paddle Canada Instructors must meet and keep up-to-date.

Intoxicants Policy Learn about your responsibilities related to Paddle Canada's Intoxicants Policy.
Paddle Canada Accident Policies Learn about your responsibilities in the event of an accident on a Paddle Canada course.
Policies and Definitions Pertaining to Course Roles Learn about the various course roles on in skills, instructor and instructor trainer courses.

Recent Program Changes

See a complete list of recent changes to the program.

Program Development Process

The process for the development of this program included the review of our program and discussions with our Coastal Canoeing members.

Future Program Development

This is a living program; always getting refined and updated. The Canoe Program Committee welcomes any suggestions by the Paddle Canada Coastal Canoeing members. Please contact us with your ideas or comments.

Acknowledgements

The Paddle Canada Coastal Canoeing Program is the product of significant commitment by Coastal Canoeing enthusiasts from across Canada. It was developed through the dedicated efforts of several individuals interested in the development of a national Coastal Canoeing program. To those individuals, Paddle Canada extends a sincere “Thank you”.

Paddle Canada National Coastal Canoeing Program

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