Intermediate Sea Kayaking Course

This course has no scheduled activities.

Candidates must have completed the Basic Sea Kayak Course or been granted Basic Sea Kayak Equivalency.  Applicants will receive a "logbook" that they must complete and have signed by instructors/leaders throughout the process of completion.  Applicants are responsible for maintaining their own logbook.  Applicants must be approved to graduate by the sponsoring committee (Tacoma Sea Kayaking).  Sponsoring committees must be satisfied that candidates have completed the course requirements.  For the Tacoma branch to award this badge, the Tacoma Sea Kayak Committee must know the participant personally and have had enough experience paddling with the participant in SK IV/V conditions to feel that they have a reasonable paddling proficiency at an Intermediate Sea Kayak level.  This may require going on several paddles where conditions exist (ie, wind, current, surf) before they are deemed “proficient.”

The content of the Intermediate Sea Kayak Course includes training, competency demonstration, requires equipment ownership, and a volunteer commitment as follows:

Timeline to Complete Requirements

The following courses and competencies must be completed within a five year timespan.  Classes or trips previously completed within the last two years qualify, as long as you can locate a leader with personal knowledge to validate your successful completion. 

Adjustment in the Program; Once the participant has signed up, they won’t be held to future standards.

Course Content:

The content of the Intermediate Sea Kayak Course shall include full-day training or equivalent experience in SK IV/V conditions on the following topics:

• Kayaking in Wind and Waves
• Kayaking in Tidal Currents at Deception Pass or similar area with at least 4 kt current
• Kayaking in a Coastal Surf Zone with at least 3 foot surf
• Kayaking in a Coastal Rock Garden
• Sea Kayaking Incident Management
• Sea Kayaking Navigation (in any SK conditions)

All training must be performed as Mountaineers events, and be trackable by the Mountaineers Activities page.

Competency Demonstration

To graduate, Intermediate Sea Kayak Course students must demonstrate competence in the course content.  Specifically, while completing the course activities the student must:

• Demonstrate, in conditions of wind waves or currents, that you can get back into your kayak in under one minute using a t-rescue AND rescue someone else in under one minute using a t-rescue.
• Exhibit comfort and control performing strokes, maneuvers, self- and assisted rescues in 15 kt of sustained wind and at least 2 ft of waves.
• Exhibit comfort and control performing strokes and maneuvers under tidal current conditions at Deception pass or a similar area, of at least 4 kt, including crossing eddy-lines, ferry-gliding, and ferrying across a channel.  Demonstrate comfort and control while eddy hopping up-current.
• Demonstrate comfort and control while launching and landing in a minimum of 3 foot surf.
• Explain the elements and purpose of courteous surf zone conduct and safety, and behave accordingly.
• In a rock garden zone (intertidal zone) with wave sets and surge, demonstrate the proper timing and technique to be able to safely navigate from safe zone to safe zone as well as perform self, assisted, and team rescues.
• Demonstrate VHF radio skills, including knowledge of regulations and the ability to communicate in scenarios such as the summoning of marine assistance and the coordination of safe passage through areas of vessel traffic such as shipping lanes.  
• Demonstrate the ability to identify aids to navigation and landmarks, and navigate in a variety of conditions and settings, such as through complex waterways, long open crossings, and shipping lanes.
• Be able to maintain the equivalent of a 3 kt average pace for a minimum of a 12 nm trip.
•   Go on at least four Mountaineer day paddles of at least  12 nm.
• Complete a minimum of three  SK IV or V Mountaineer trips in a variety of conditions (ie, current, surf, etc.) and locations.  These can also count as your 12 nm trips, if they are at least 12 nm long.
• Demonstrate that you have a reliable kayak roll (ie, 90% successful) in conditions such as wind waves, current or surf.
• Demonstrate the ability to effectively tow another paddler in a variety of conditions including dynamic water.  

Equipment Requirements

The candidate must carry the following equipment in addition to the Mountaineers Sea Kayaking Ten Essentials:

• First aid kit appropriate for trip conditions
• Emergency shelter or covering
• Waterproof light
• Signaling devices appropriate to the situation
• VHF radio
• Towing system appropriate to the expected conditions
• Spare paddle adequately secured to the deck as appropriate to the conditions

Volunteer Requirements

Help teach in any of the Mountaineer branches’ Sea Kayak classes/clinics/courses for a combined total of at least 40 hours.

Instructors/Leaders sign off:

Qualified Tacoma Sea Kayak leaders (or other leaders who have been approved by the individual branches) must sign off on each step of this logbook. You can see which leaders have been approved to sign your logbook by looking at their badges and noting an Intermediate Kayak Course (IKC) badge.  Any activity requiring "comfort and control" must be signed off by an instructor or leader with an Intermediate Sea Kayaker Badge from any chapter.  Activities, such as trips over 12 nm may be signed off by any trip leader from any chapter.

Related Club Policies and Standards

None at this time

Comparable Standards

• American Canoe Association Level 4 Skills Assessment
• British Canoe Union Level 4* Skills Assessment
• ACA Guidelines for Safe Coastal Kayaking
• ACA Coastal (Sea) Kayak Curriculum

You must register for this course to see course materials.