Two Day Introduction to Sea Kayaking Clinic with Karen Knight & Bob Foote

This two day clinic is geared towards those currently paddling on lakes/ponds and are looking to venture out on open ocean for 1st time. It is open to both NSPN members and non-members.

The first day will be on flat water – either a pond, lake or protected coastal environment – and will cover:

• Basic strokes for boat control

• Dressing for paddling and what equipment to bring

• Rescues

• Basic towing

• Scenarios

The second day will start in a protected coastal environment that has access to the open ocean. The class will incorporate an easy tour along with:

• Practice of J-leans, maneuvers and review strokes from prior day

• Understanding waves, winds, tides and their effect on the coastal kayaker and strategies to deal with them

• Group management on the water

• Rules of the nautical road

• Basic navigation

• Rescue practice and group scenarios – Part II

• Towing practice

Location: The clinic will be located on the North Shore of MA. Exact location TBD.

Fee: $225 for NSPN members; $250 for non-members

Instructor Profiles:

Karen Knight has been described as a “ballerina on the water.” Whether she is canoeing down the Grand Canyon, kayaking along the coast of Maine or dancing on the water with her Freestyle canoe, this former Interpretive Freestyle Canoe Champion is renowned for her paddling grace and precision. She’s an American Canoe Association Instructor Trainer in Kayaking (whitewater and sea) and Freestyle Canoeing, a Whitewater Canoe and Kayak Instructor and has ACA endorsements in Traditional Kayaking (Greenland) and Adaptive Paddling.

A versatile paddler and innovative instructor, Karen is recognized for her ability to teach and motivate students of all ages, levels and abilities. With a meticulous eye for detail and stroke nuances, students can’t help but leave her class a better paddler than when they came in.

In the year 2000, Paddler Magazine named Bob Foote one of the “Paddler’s of the Century” in recognition of his expertise and contributions to paddling. A highly sought-after instructor, he is considered one of the most versatile boaters and paddling instructors in the country today.

An Instructor Trainer and instructor in coastal kayaking, whitewater kayaking, whitewater canoeing and flat-water canoeing for the American Canoe Association, Bob is the whole package - someone who can not only do, but also teach. Whether it’s in canoeing or kayaking, beginner to advance, he has the ability to demonstrate and break down the most complex skills and information into parts and steps that are easy for students to understand and follow.

Bob has several first open canoe descents to his credit, including being one of the first to open boat down the Grand Canyon. In addition, he designs boats for Dagger, Navarro, Bell, and Esquif.

To Register:

Send an email to the class facilitator, Paula, at [email protected]. Include your ACA # (if member), boat description, emergency contact name and phone number.

Paula will tell you where to mail your check and will keep the registration list and a waiting list. Paula will only hold your slot when she receives your check made out to NSPN. If you cannot attend you will receive a refund only if your slot can be filled from the waiting list. If the class is oversubscribed Paula will ask if you want to be placed on the waiting list.

All NSPN-sponsored commercial events are run on a “pass-through-the-cost-basis.” NSPN may include a very small markup over actual costs to cover incidental expenses and support club activities that benefit the membership as a whole. These classes are still priced well below what commercial outfitters charge for comparable activities. The club does not subsidize activities that benefit only the participants in classes with limited enrollment. Therefore, in the highly unlikely event that the class is canceled due to extreme weather, there will be no refunds. Lightning will obviously keep us off the water, but much can be learned from these talented teachers on shore.