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http://www.kayakacademy.com/

Mainly interested in learning to roll, have a weak roll right now that i learned on my own, bracing, rescues, proper paddle strokes. And a greenland paddle is on my to buy list. Thinking of doing private lessons and having a vacation at the same time.
 
Someone on this list should have first hand experience with the Kayak Academy. The outfit is well established.

Another outfit to consider, which also has a good reputation, is Body, Boat, Blade:
http://www.bodyboatblade.com/
It is on Orcas Island which is really a gem. Orcas has various ocean exposures, but also a lake which Body, Boat, Blade can use should the weather so dictate. Orcas is accessed via the Anacortes ferry.
 
If you don't own a greenland paddle, then I would suggest that Dubside is overkill.
Either BBB or KayakAcademy can help you with the basics.
 
If you're interested in a recognized certification path, BBB is a BCU (British Canoe Union) shop. Another common route is the ACA (American Canoe Association). I do not know if the Kayak Academy is on some similar path, or just is its own entity - good argument for that too.

Further, these formal bodies typically offer an 'assessment' option so you can leap into their classification system without starting at ground zero.
 
drahcir said:
If you're interested in a recognized certification path, BBB is a BCU (British Canoe Union) shop.
Click to expand...
Just FYI:
I talked to Leon Somme at BodyBoatBlade about the BCU certification process, and he explained that it is different from the PaddleCanada (or American equivalent ACA?) process.
With the BCU curriculum, you work with a trainer/coach to develop your skills and then go to a different BCU instructor for assessment. This is different from PaddleCanada courses where you take the course and are assessed by the same person(s).

The point of Leon's conversation with me was that the BBB courses do not lead to BCU paperwork at the end of the course in most circumstances. However you should check with Leon or Shawna Franklin at BBB to make sure I understood this correctly.
 
newfie in Alberta said:
Mainly interested in learning to roll, have a weak roll right now that i learned on my own, bracing, rescues, proper paddle strokes. And a greenland paddle is on my to buy list. Thinking of doing private lessons and having a vacation at the same time.
Click to expand...

Kayak Academy has a very good reputation, and I'm looking for an excuse to get down to Seattle and take some lessons there. Accommodation nearby to the KA lake instruction site is plentiful and reasonably priced, and Seattle has some interesting 'tourist-y' things to do.

My wife and I have taken a couple of courses at BodyBoatBlade and they are excellent.
About Orcas Is. - it is a pleasant place and there are hiking possiblilites (and campsites if you are on a budget) in the state park there. Accommodation is fairly expensive, and crowded in the summer so you need to plan ahead. Aside from hiking, there is not a great deal 'to do' on Orcas (from my point of view), which might be an issue if you have a travelling companion who is not taking the paddling course.

You couldn't go wrong with either choice, IMO.

PS- If you are interested in Greenland paddle use - forgeddaboutit at BBB!
 
I took their five day training camp a few years ago. George Gronseth was the instructor. I thought it was a very good course. George is a good instructor and is passionate about sea kayaking. Lake Sammamish is a good place to learn and I enjoyed staying in Issaquah. The equipment that they use for the course was first rate. Actually I went out and bought the same boat.

Barry
 
If you're interested in learning to roll using a GP. take a look at the qajaqusa website. There are several Greenland symposiums around the USA that have several good rolling instructors at their events.

As for Kayak Academy, Dubside is one of their instructors, but it depends on the time of year. George is a very good instructor and I don't regret the money I spent on any of the classes I took from him.

If you're coming to the Seattle area, I'd also suggest you look up Rogue Wave Adventures. Bob Burnett is a very good instructor.

If you can plan to be in the area the weekend of June 14-17, 2013, take a look at the South Sound Traditional Inuit Kayak Symposium website. There are many good rolling instructors at this qajaq USA sponsored event, although this is geared to people learning to roll their kayaks using a GP.
 
After a couple of years of frustrating failure, multiple 'Instructors' (both professional and well-meaning co-paddlers), I went to Dubside and he taught me a roll in 1 hour!

I know George at Kayak Academy...I rank him extremely high in all kayak related instruction.
I don't know Leone/Shawna at BBB...but have heard great things about them.

If you want to throw another lesson/holiday option into the mix, and you can wait until August...Cheri Perry and Turner Wilson will be on the West Coast (Vancouver Island) in August.
See their itinerary here:
http://www.kayakways.net/itinerary/

Good Luck
 
I would be inclined to try and get on a course with Nigel Foster as another alternative. His Washington coast courses are not cheap but then none of the better coaches come cheap. I think Nigel books through Portland Kayaks. Rob Avery is another great humble teacher who knows his stuff. I'm hoping to do some upgrade training with James here on Vancouver Island but I want one on one if I get a Greenland stick. BBB can be a bit dogmatic but you get to learn some really good strokes with a Euro blade and other real word skills not just a standard list of obligated basics.
 
Doug_Lloyd said:
BBB can be a bit dogmatic but you get to learn some really good strokes with a Euro blade and other real word skills not just a standard list of obligated basics.
Click to expand...

Not my experience, though they do have strong opinions that they make clear. I showed up to one of their courses with a Mariner and a GP, yet they were still nice to me :wink:

I've signed up for their rolling course in June, which is designed for both students and coaches (a good thing, considering that many of us are both).

To the OP: Cheri and Turner in Comox in August sounds like a good opportunity for you. If you haven't seen their This Is The Roll DVD, you should check it out.

Cheers,
Andrew
 
AM said:
Doug_Lloyd said:
BBB can be a bit dogmatic but you get to learn some really good strokes with a Euro blade and other real word skills not just a standard list of obligated basics.
Click to expand...

Not my experience, though they do have strong opinions that they make clear. I showed up to one of their courses with a Mariner and a GP, yet they were still nice to me :wink:

I've signed up for their rolling course in June, which is designed for both students and coaches (a good thing, considering that many of us are both).

To the OP: Cheri and Turner in Comox in August sounds like a good opportunity for you. If you haven't seen their This Is The Roll DVD, you should check it out.

Cheers,
Andrew
Click to expand...

That's good to hear about BBB and the GP inclusion. GP sticks were popular here on the coast a long time ago and I remember how rude a famous British coach treated paddlers who followed silly traditions of them ancient meat eaters!

The August course sounds a bit expensive for my taste but I tend to be cheap. However, my joints cry out for a GP! Or is that cry out in pain when I use my Euro paddles?
 
Doug_Lloyd said:
However, my joints cry out for a GP! Or is that cry out in pain when I use my Euro paddles?
Click to expand...

I hear ya! And it's not just us old dudes who feel that way. My 14 year-old son told me he was feeling some strain in his shoulder when doing a C2C roll with a euro blade. We looked at some video of him, saw that he was raising his head/muscling his roll, so we watched This Is The Roll together and he switched to a Greenland layback with a GP. He was amazed at the difference in feeling.
 
AM said:
Doug_Lloyd said:
However, my joints cry out for a GP! Or is that cry out in pain when I use my Euro paddles?
Click to expand...

I hear ya! And it's not just us old dudes who feel that way. My 14 year-old son told me he was feeling some strain in his shoulder when doing a C2C roll with a euro blade. We looked at some video of him, saw that he was raising his head/muscling his roll, so we watched This Is The Roll together and he switched to a Greenland layback with a GP. He was amazed at the difference in feeling.
Click to expand...

I go out in a lot of very high wind and that is where the Euro takes a cumulative toll. For long distance touring in more reasonable seas the amount of tiredness that a GP relives may be significant. It is hard to give up a Euro paddle after 30 years but I may have to. I just had spinal fusion and fixation and know not what the future holds for me. I am up posed to I've up a lot of twisting lest my L3 L2 fail next after the L4L5 fusion.
 
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