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Essential Sea Kayak Skills

Clinic

Essential Sea Kayak Skills - Lake Washington: Concrete Beach

This session is a GREENLAND PADDLE session. No prior Greenland paddle experience is required and loaner paddles will be available to borrow during the session. Focus will be on the fundamental techniques to get the most out of a greenland style paddle, progressing to more advanced strokes as time and class interests allow. The balance, bracing and moving sideways clinic on the next day, Jan 26, will be suitable for Greenland style paddles as well as euro paddles, and would be a good progression from this clinic. This series includes clinics on six topics to teach skills that every paddler should have - forward stroke, directional control, bracing/balancing/moving sideways, rescues & towing, paddling in currents, and kayaking with a Greenland paddle.

Contacts

Joel Guay
Joel Guay
Primary Leader
  • Sea Kayak II/III
  • Moderate

Meet at Concrete Beach in Magnuson Park, at the Sail Sand Point launch area. Be geared up and ready to begin the clinic by 9 a.m. This is a 3-hour clinic.

Bring your greenland style paddle if you have one; if not there will be an assortment to borrow from.  

We don't plan on going far but do anticipate the water will be cold.  Immersion gear required, hood and gloves recommended.  We will be close to the parking area so no need to carry much in the kayak. 

Basic competence in these essential kayak skills will boost your confidence to paddle competently on a variety of trips. Each clinic will focus on one area of skills. You can take a clinic on all topics or as many as you feel you need, but please DO NOT sign up for more than one clinic on the same topic so more people can participate. These are introductory clinics, but all levels are welcome. You must be a Basic Sea Kayak student or graduate, or have club equivalency status. 

Further details from the instructor(s) will be added before registration opens.

2025 Essential Skills clinics:

Greenland paddle - Jan 25

Balance, bracing, and moving sideways - Jan 26 and Mar 30 (please only sign up for one clinic on this topic)

Rescues and towing - Feb 1 and Mar 2 (please only sign up for one clinic on this topic)

Currents (intro to currents 2 kts and less) - Feb 8

Forward stroke - Feb 15 

Directional control (sweeps, edging, and rudder strokes) - Feb 22

Route/Place

Lake Washington

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Required Equipment

Required Equipment

Sea kayak essentials

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