Saturday-Sunday, July 19 – 20, 2025
Cost: $399 (+ registration fees)
Venue: San Francisco Bay Area, CA (location: Sausalito)
Hosted by: California Watersport Collective
Instructors: Gennifer Gatan (Level 5) and Peter Donohue (Level 4)
The training course emphasizes developing effective leadership and group management skills. The goal is to help prepare sea kayakers intending to lead other kayakers, either recreationally or professionally, in the coastal environment.
This course precedes and is a requirement the formal ACA Level 3 CKTL assessment.
Formal guidance for training course content here:
https://americancanoe.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/L3_Coastal-Kayaking-Trip-Leader-Skills-Course.pdf
Participant skill prerequisites:
– Passing the ACA Level 3 Coastal Kayak Skills* assessment, OR
– Personal kayaking skills vetted at ACA Level 3, with proven kayaking experience at Level 3 conditions.**
Participant prerequisites, if wishing to formally assess for the ACA Level 3 Coastal Kayak Trip Leader certification:
– Current ACA membership,
– Passing the ACA Level 3 Coastal Kayak Skills* assessment.
Over the course of two days, the program follows the ACA’s CKTL guidance to cover modules on trip planning, group management, and leadership. It includes honing technical knowledge (e.g., basic navigation, kayak field repair) and skills (e.g., rescues and recoveries, effective boat handling).
Along with instruction, participants will also receive coaching (as needed) and be challenged with learning and performing specific skills and tasks in authentic Level 3 conditions in the San Francisco Bay.
* ACA Level 3 Coastal Kayak Skills:
https://americancanoe.org/wp-content/uploads/documents/sei-courses/Level_3_Coastal_Kayaking_Skills_Assessment.pdf
** ACA Level 3 Coastal Kayak conditions:
10 – 15 knot winds
1 – 2 foot waves (chop) (0.3 – 0.6 meters)
1 – 2 foot surf (0.3 – 0.6 meters)
1 – 2 knots of current
Gennifer Gatan (Level 5 instructor, Paddle UK Coach and Advanced Sea Leader) heads this program, assisted by Peter Donohue (Level 4 instructor).
Please contact Gennifer Gatan gennifergatan@yahoo.com for program and registration information.
Contact Information Gennifer Gatan
gennifergatan@yahoo.com