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Courses
Festival
Weekend 1-hour Classes
23-24 October
A fun and affordable place to start! Free land-based classes,
free demonstrations.
For just $100 pesos (about $8USD), take a class on the water or
go paddling with the family or enter the games and races. Sign
up for these on the beach at the day of the event.
Introduction to Paddling
25 October
A full day beginner's course all about fun, learning, and safety.
Try out different kinds of boats. Learn to get in & out, to
balance, and to steer.
$80USD including kayak. For packages with lodging, and breakfast,
click here.
Basic Course
25-27 October
Designed for people with at least a couple days experienced who
are serious about learning to kayak, this course ensures that
basic kayak skills have been well learned, and continues to refine
the skills of boat handling and seamanship. Basic Course includes
a 1-star certification.
Extend this course into a 5 day program by adding the 2-star training.
$340USD For packages with kayak rental, lodging, and breakfast,
click here.
2-star Training
28-29 October
Following the Basic Course, this focused training refines boat
control in calm water for comprehensive ownership of skills. Using
edging to turn, bracing for support, moving sideways, pivoting,
efficient forward stroke, maneuvering in reverse.
$240USD For packages with kayak rental, lodging, and breakfast,
click here.
Rolls and Rescues
25 October
Rolling a kayak upright is the ultimate self-rescue. It's a confidence
builder and a safety skill for rough water paddling. It's also
fun! There are many ways to roll, and your talented coaches work
patiently with you. Learn how to help other people back into a
capsized kayak, and other options for getting yourself back in
from deep water. Note: learning to roll often takes more than
one session, depending on how comfortable you are in the water,
how fit, and how easily you learn physical skills. If this is
your first class, it is a great foundation!
$110USD For packages with kayak rental, lodging, and breakfast,
click here.
Sea Paddler Training
25-29 October
An intensive course for paddlers wishing to become skilled in
a sea environment. A good foundation of boat handling and basic
rescue skills is required before taking this course. Practice
maneuvering in wind and waves. Navigate with a chart and compass.
Refine the forward stroke with video footage to be able to cover
more miles. The skills taught and practiced on this course prepare
paddlers for the BCU 3-star, but the test is separate.
$600USD For packages
with kayak rental, lodging, and breakfast, click here.
Foundation Safety & Rescue Training
25 and 31 October
FSRT is BCU course taken any time before 4-star training, and
also required for coaching courses. FSRT is a risk management
and rescue course that helps prepare paddlers for leadership positions
and coaching. FSRT is about rescue skills, and much more. It is
about preventing situations that need rescues. It is a prerequisite
for the BCU Coach 1 course and 4-star Sea Leader. After a successful
completion of the FSRT, a certificate will be mailed to you from
the BCU North America headquarters, for a processing fee of $25.
(Spanish & English)
$140USD For packages with kayak rental, lodging,
and breakfast, click here.
2* Assessment 30 October
For description, see "2 Star" under "Certification"
$140USD. For packages with kayak rental, lodging, and breakfast,
click here.
3* Sea Assessment 30 October
For description, see "3* Star Sea" under
"Certification"
$140USD. For packages with kayak rental, lodging, and breakfast,
click here.
4* Sea Training, Assessment, or Trip
2-7 November
For description, see "4* Sea Leader" under
"Certification"
$750 USD. For packages with kayak rental, lodging, and meals,
click here.
Coastal Navigation
31 October
Planning prevents incidents, and this navigation course is considered
part of the BCU's safety curriculum. There are no prerequisites
for this classroom course, everyone is welcome, and no boat is
necessary. It is a prerequisite for 4* Sea Leader training or
assessment. For specific course content, please refer to tidal
planning syllabus.
$140USD For packages with kayak rental, lodging, and
breakfast, click here.
BCU Coach 1 Training and Certification
26-29 October
$600USD For packages with kayak rental, lodging, and breakfast,
click here.
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About
the BCU
British Canoe Union
"Helping and Inspiring people to go canoeing"
Set up in 1936 to send a team to the Berlin Olympics, the British
Canoe Union (BCU) is the organization for canoeing and kayaking
in the UK. Since 1936, the BCU has grown considerably, and the
range of its training has expanded to include recreational kayaking,
such as sea kayaking.
In the Americas, BCU North America, adheres directly to BCU standards
and is a subgroup of the organization. Other countries have chosen
to adapt the widely respected program to their own country's needs.
These include Holland, Canada, New Zealand, and more.
The way the BCU training works is a cycle. Coaching and practice
repeat until the next level of skill is mastered, then the assessment
is taken. Passing or not passing an assessment indicates how proficient
the paddler's skills are compared to an international standard.
In addition, an assessment provides detailed feedback on the strengths
of the paddler, weaknesses, and specific action points for becoming
a better paddler.
Instructors are called coaches in the BCU to reflect a student-oriented
approach and the continued development of skills.
BCU North America website
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Certification
There is a progression of 5 awards for kayaking
skills. They are called proficiency awards, personal performance
awards, or star awards. The first 2 are generic, in any kind of
paddle-powered boat. The last 3 are specific to a discipline,
such as a sea kayak or a river kayak. The top 2 are also leadership
awards. The certification for coaches is separate, but requires
a foundation of the star awards.
Assessment is a checkup on your skills in calm
water, involving various challenges or exercises. Upon completion,
participants receive feedback on their strengths and on what can
use improvement. Assessment is a test. Awards are given only after
the test is passed. We recommend starting with training before
assessment.
Official BCU certificates are sent from the BCU
North America office in NY after the course. The paper certificate
costs between $10 and $25, depending on the course. Please bring
the cash to the course if you are taking a test and want the paper
certificate. Dollars or pesos.
1 Star
is an introduction, When
the paddler can independently enter the kayak, exit it, capsize,
and steer generally in the desired direction, it is time for the
assessment. Focus at this level is on fun. Depending on the aptitude
of the learning paddler, training and practice may take from 1
to 3 days before assessment is appropriate. The introduction can
take place in any paddle-powered boat.
Link
to Performance awards
2 Star
focuses on cause and effect using the paddle, the boat,
and the body. Training ideally happens in different kinds of boats
such as a kayak and a canoe, or a sit-on-top. Before assessment,
the paddler should have mastery over a variety of maneuvers and
capsize prevention. Imagine wearing your kayak like you wear your
shoes; they go where you want without having to think about how
you made that happen. Skills include edging the boat to turn,
ability to paddle a course with only one paddle blade on one side
of the boat, and ability to paddle a course backwards, edging
the boat and using angles of the blade effectively. For price
packages with kayak rental, lodging, and meals, click here.
Link
to Performance awards
3 Star Sea Kayak
takes those well-mastered skills into dynamic environments--wind,
waves, current. Efficient techniques for using the environment
can save a lot of energy. Study is done in a single sea kayak,
and includes not only paddling technique, but study of the sea.
Three-star focuses on basic navigation with nautical chart and
compass, as well as strategies for minimizing risk. The roll is
required at this level. The BCU 3-star Sea assessment entails
taking a journey in dynamic water. The standard is high. Boat
handling must be precise and efficient in challenging conditions.
Candidates should also bring a log book showing their paddling
experience. This award is proof that you can comfortably handle
wind to 15knots and seas to 1 meter, including maneuvering and
performing quick rescues. Three-star Sea award is a prerequisite
for more challenging trips worldwide, including some of Sea Kayak
Baja Mexico's exciting expeditions. For price packages with kayak
rental, lodging, and meals, click here.
Link
to Performance awards
4 Star Sea Kayak Leader
is an award for guides who have developed extensive kayaking skills
plus the experience to lead a group of kayakers in moderately
exposed areas, such as the islands in the Loreto National Marine
Park. Non-guides who want a high level of personal kayaking skill
also learn a lot from the challenge of taking the 4-star training
or assessment.
A 4* Sea Kayak Leader course and an assessment are being offered
November 2-7 as part of a trip. Participants may register for
either the course or the assessment. Participants must have passed
the 3* Sea test to take the official training, and must have taken
the official training to take the test, but may take the trip
if they have appropriate experience and course director approval.
For price packages with kayak rental, lodging, and meals, click
here.
Link
to 4* Leader award
5 Star Sea Kayak Leader
is the highest
award for guides whose personal kayaking skill, experience, and
judgment enables them to take experienced kayakers anywhere in
the world.
Link
to 5* Leader award
Level 1 Coach
is
the entry point for people wanting to teach in the BCU system.
The Foundation Safety & Rescue Training course is a prerequisite.
A 2* Award is recommended, but may be taken later. This 4-day
program is an excellent course on coaching any sport. In the UK,
coaching is a highly respected profession, and the skills of teaching
physical activity can be applied to any sport, once the coach
demonstrates competence in that activity.
How do people learn? How can I maintain a safe and fun learning
environment? What are my student's goals? How can I present the
skills so that this group of children or adults or young professionals
can best acquire them? Am I positioned so that the students can
see and hear me? What can I learn from watching them do an exercise?
How can I help this student achieve his or her goals?
According to the BCU pre-course information, "The BCU Certificate
in Coaching Paddlesport develops your ability to plan, deliver
and review, safe, ethical, and effective paddlesport sessions.
On the course you will develop ‘how to coach’ skills
alongside technical understanding ‘what to coach’ specifically
relating to the skills beginners require. The course will cover
how to:
- prepare coaching activities, taking into account participants’
needs and motives
- establish a safe working environment
- deliver prepared activities
- establish working relationships with participants and others
- prepare participants’ for the coaching activities
- conclude the activities
- evaluate the effectiveness of coaching activities
- evaluate the effectiveness of personal coaching practice
- manage effective rescues
Coach 1 certification allows a coach to run basic
training sessions. With a Coach 1 certification, the BCU coach
may also work with other coaches on more advanced courses, provided
that their personal kayaking skills are sufficient.
The Coach 1 course includes a certification. There
is no separate test later. If the candidate (the person taking
this course) does not already have a BCU Foundation Safety &
Rescue certification, they must take this course on October 25.
For price packages with kayak rental, lodging, and meals, click
here.
Pre
course info from the BCU UK website
more
Pre course info from the North American site
Course
Guide an in-depth look at the Coach 1 course.
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