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Seminar
Sea Kayak & Canoe Seminar Course Descriptions

All courses are lectures and classroom-based demonstrations. There are no on-water courses. Courses and schedule subject to change.

Yoga for Yakers: No Pretzels
Instructor: Kathleen Grimbly
Learn how simple yoga practices accessible for most people can support your paddling enjoyment and effectiveness, prevent injuries, and enhance your relationship to the beautiful places and people with which you paddle.  Come ready to participate and have fun.  Leave with practices for home, tent, beach and boat, ready to have more fun.  Bring a mat and/or blanket if you can.

Yoga Therapy for Pain & Injury Prevention
Instructor: Kathleen Grimbly

If pain is limiting your paddling ability or enjoyment, or you would like to offset the imbalances created by paddling related activities, this is for you. Learn simple practices you can do at home and paddling without special equipment which can relieve chronic pain. Sure you can keep taking that Ibuprofen.  Or you can listen to what your body is saying to you.

Northwest Marine Weather
Instructor: Jeff Renner

King 5 Meteorologist Jeff Renner shows boaters how to anticipate and prepare for all kinds of weather. Learn how the region's geography influences the weather, and how to read clouds, wind, waves.

Tides & Currents
Instructor: Andree Hurley

Description coming soon

Sound to Sea
Instructor: Steve Weileman
Highlights some of beautiful paddling spots from the lower south sound out to Cape Flattery and down the coast

Building Good Karma to Get the Most from Your Local Paddle Shop
Instructor: Bill Walker

Ever wonder how your friendly paddle shop stays in business to sell you that $5 length of deck line you need, when you and your paddling buddies buy all your other gear on line? Spend an hour in a lively discussion about positive give-and-take between paddlers and the local independent retail shops that exist to serve them. Let's take the talk way beyond "buy local, it's good for the economy" and see why it's good for YOU. See how we can all strengthen our paddling community when we foster the energy and enthusiasm that comes from making the local boat shop OUR favorite place to be, and share your opinions with shop owners about what they need to do to make that happen.

A Kayak Guides Tips, Tricks & Tours
Instructor: Jason "Kiwi" Goldstein
Get the inside scoop on useful equipment, packing tips, night navigation,and custom charts. Plus, ideas for sharing your adventure on the web, capturing video your trip, and paddling Washington's North Cascades & Olympic National Parks.

Planning a Group Trip
Instructor: Wayne Horodowich
Description coming soon

The Ins and Outs of the Surf Zone
Instructor: Wayne Horodowich
Going through the surf zone is a necessary part of most sea kayaking. However, for many people it produces anxiety and for good reason. Before entering the surf zone there are many questions that should be asked and answered. The presentation will focus on the techniques, strategies and information one should have to make the surf zone a comfortable and even an enjoyable experience. You will also learn a technique that can be practiced in clam water that will help you in the surf zone.

Capsize Recoveries & Rescues - Which ones are best for you?
Instructor: Wayne Horodowich

Every sea kayaking book has at least one chapter devoted to rescues. Which method should you use in which situation? What is the difference between a capsize recovery and a rescue? How do you get help in an emergency? At the end of the presentation you will have the necessary information to answer these questions for yourself and how to best spend your practice time in the water.

Your Boat, Body and the Blade
Instructor: Wayne Horodowich
Paddling a kayak is more than just taking strokes with your paddle. Kayaking is a true marriage of your body, boat and blade. All three must be working together during all aspects of kayaking. We will discuss body position and movements, boat positions and movements, and closely view how to properly use and manipulate your paddle to get the results you want when kayaking. The class is done in the lecture room so you can see what is happening under the water and inside the kayak when we look at your body, boat and blade working together.

The Science of Kayaking
Instructor: Tim Mattson
Science helps you see the world around you in a deeper, more nuanced way. By reducing kayaking to its basic elements, we gain a better understanding of kayaking and demystify kayaking dogma. And we can do this without complicated mathematics using concepts anyone can understand. This is particularly valuable in a coastal environment where the mechanics of paddling meets wave physics and smashes up against geology. It is this dynamic world we will illuminate by bringing science and kayaking together.

Greenland Style Paddling - A Journey to the Roots of Kayaking
Instructor: Tim Mattson
To the people of Greenland, paddling meant hunting which meant eating. Consequently, they had to paddle ... even in gale force winds and rough seas ... and hence they became some of the finest paddlers in history. In this presentation, we will explore Greenland-style paddling and how it can help you become a better paddler.

Lift, Carry, and Load Your Kayak
Instructor: Annette Dong

A hands on class to teach smaller statured boaters how to better use body mechanics to lift and carry their kayaks. We will cover the various types of racks, rollers, loaders, etc. that are on the market. However the emphasis will be on how to make the physical part of it more efficient by using slings, physics, and leverage. All or part of this class will be out of doors so dress appropriately for February in Seattle.

Sea Kayaking the San Juan Islands
Instructor: Ken Campbell

Washington's San Juan Islands are well known as a sea kayaker's paradise. The rugged coastlines and the jewel-like islands set in beautiful azure waters, along with the rich variety of wildlife, attract paddlers from around the world. Ken Campbell, kayak guide and author of the newly-released A Sea Kayaker's Guide to the San Juan Islands, is your host for this slide presentation that showcases some of the best places to visit in the San Juans. The images and stories will entertain as well as provide information about the details that will make your island adventure more enjoyable.

Sea Kayaking: Getting Started
Instructor: Ken Campbell
Intended as an overview for novice paddlers, or for those who are just curious about what it takes to start kayaking safely and with confidence. This presentation goes past the different types of kayak and gives participants a good understanding of other essential pieces of paddling gear. Bring your questions - kayaking skills will also be discussed, and by the end of the presentation, participants will not only have gained a familiarity with the equipment involved in sea kayaking, but also with some of the ways it is used properly. A great introduction to an exciting lifetime sport!

Kayak & Canoe Camping Without A Trace
Instructor: Sarah Krueger
Whether you are just considering an overnight trip, or you are a seasoned camper who wants to refine your skills, this course will offer ideas, techniques, and simple tools to make your experience more pleasant. The course will emphasize low-impact camping: the high art of recreating without leaving a trace. Topics will include how to prepare for your camping trip, best practices for managing waste, low-impact campfires and campfire alternatives, strategies for avoiding creature-conflicts, and more.

Alone, Boatless or a Commando Kayaker? Guide to the Best Urban Paddles
Instructors: Dubside & Barb Sherrill

Interested in reducing your carbon footprint and paddling locally? Barb
Sherrill will guide you to scenic one hour and day trips close to home. If you have never heard of Commando Kayaking come to this presentation. Dubside will explain how you can go kayaking with a folding kayak without needing a vehicle.

Paddling In the Wind
Instructor: George Gronseth

Wind is the wild card that can change an "easy" paddle to a difficult one. Learn techniques to help you paddle in winds coming at you from all quadrants.

Becoming a More Powerful Kayaker with Applications for Activities of Daily Living
Instructor: Dan Henderson

Kayaking involves the application of power to propel the boat forward.  There are many factors that contribute to developing power, not just big muscles.  In this discussion, Dan Henderson, President of Cascade Canoe & Kayak Centers, Inc. in Renton, will discuss principals that contribute to a powerful stroke.  Dan will also outline ways you can incorporate these factors into your paddling so that you can explore new destinations, have less fatigue and paddle further.  These concepts have direct application to activities of daily living, especially as we age.  Dan is a Masters Candidate in Exercise Science at Western Washington University, with a focus on kayak forward stroke biomechanics, and co-author of the International Canoe Federation Coaching Manual - the world and Olympic canoe & kayak governing body.


Efficient Kayak Forward Stroke
Instructor: Dan Henderson
What really makes a kayak go forward?  What's the story on high and low angle?  How can I paddle and not get so tired?  I want to explore new areas that are farther away.  How can I sustain my paddling for longer periods of time? Do my shoulders always have to hurt when I paddle?  How do I hold my paddle so my wrist doesn’t hurt?  How can I keep up with my buddies without killing myself?  These questions and more will be addressed in the presentation, “Efficient Kayak Forward stroke,” By Dan Henderson, President of Cascade Canoe & Kayak Centers, Inc. in Renton, WA.

Dressing for Paddlesports: The Dilemma
Instructor: Karl Kohegan

Karl will provide discussion of paddling apparel from Baja to Alaska, a close look at fabrics, designs, and features of various clothing systems,comparison of wet suits vs. dry suitsd, coated nylon vs. waterproof breathables, one-piece vs. two-piece suits, and more. Karl has been kayaking since 1985, has been an ACA certified coastal kayaking instructor, actively involved in the development and testing of paddling garments and is the northwest rep for Kokatat water sports apparel.

Kayaking the Upper Columbia and Inland Northwest
Instructor: Pat Welle
Water in the desert?!  Absolutely, and beautiful as well.  Discover hidden ribbons of blue amongst high cliffs, islands of bird and wildlife, and challenges of long stretches of wilderness.  Paddling Hanford Reach (the last free-flowing stretch of the Columbia), the quiet Yakima Delta, or 100 miles of the Upper Missouri River – all offer interesting, and often unusual sights and sounds (or absolute quiet!).  Learn about these places through maps, charts and slides – then think about warm-weather paddling from March through October.

Kayak, Camera and Sea: Photo Tips in the Skinny (Boat)
Instructor: Gary Luhm

All those Sea Kayaker and Canoe&Kayak magazine covers aren’t just lucky shots. Most required planning, and many needed on-the-spot field decisions to turn the ordinary into a jewel. Join on-the-water pro shooter Gary Luhm as he paddles in with a digital camera, with topics like keeping camera gear dry, getting the money shot and Gary’s top ten composition tips. Plus, what's with this histogram thingy? An all new digital presentation.

Tides & Currents
Instructor: Tim Walsh
One is a laundry detergent and the other is a small berry… this short, hands on class will take participants through the process of calculating tides and currents and will discuss the merits of understanding the impact of these forces on paddling trips. Prerequisite: Chart Reading

Chart Reading 101
Instructor: Tim Walsh
This workshop is intended to de-mystify some of those funny little marks that you see on navigation charts. The interactive discussion will highlight details that are most important to kayakers and point out information that may not be as relevant. It is highly recommended that this class be a prerequisite to Tides and Currents.

Weekend Trips on Washington's Water Trails
Instructor: Sarah Krueger
You could spend a lifetime exploring the network of water trails in Washington State. This presentation will highlight one and two-night trips to destinations on the Cascadia Marine Trail, Northwest Discovery Water Trail, and Willapa Bay Trail. Learn where to launch and how to prepare for your weekend getaway.

What Paddle is Best for Me?
Instructor: Andy Bridge
Learn about paddle design and materials and which paddle is most suited for you, your boat, and your budget.

Conditioning for Paddlers
Instructor:
Suzy Cornell
This class will provide an overview of exercises that will be useful to the paddler by helping to improve overall strength, core strength, balance and flexibilty involving the muscle groups that are key to an efficient paddle stroke. There will be opportunity for a hands on experience of some of the exercises as time allows, and a handout will be provided with a description of the exercises shown. A yoga mat or towel is recommended.

Risk Assessment
Instructor: Matt Ross
Risk management is a vital part of every paddler's toolbox whether you are paddling a couple of hours or on a multi-day expedition. This seminar takes a complex process and places into a simple tool that will help every paddler, guaranteed! This assessment "model" will increase your awareness of potential risks involved on any given paddling day - it is only this awareness that allows you to manage the risk accordingly.

Packing Your Kayak
Instructor: Matt Ross
Packing your kayak is an essential skill for any trip or expedition. This seminar aims to provide a framework or system for packing kayaks and can be adapted to all paddling environments and any length of journey. Whether you're an "expert" or just starting out, you will gain plenty of insight to pack for your next trip/expedition or you will leave with some great ideas on how to explain to someone else how to get "all your gear" into their kayak.

Repair of Fiberglass and Plastic Kayaks
Instructor: Dik Lang
Cosmetic and structural repair of plastic and fiberglass. We will discuss polyethylene repairs as well as glass/Kevlar/carbon repairs to boat and paddles. The class will cover use of epoxy vs. polyester resins, cosmetic gel coat repair through structural repair of hull and deck cracks and holes. Emergency repairs of holes and rudder problems.



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