All courses are taught by a Paddle Canada certified
instructor.
For additional course details or for customized courses,
contact the instructor; course dates are tentative.
All courses are tailored to the participants' needs, within
the national standards set out by Paddle Canada (formerly
Canadian Recreational Canoeing Association/CRCA).
Each course has a small number of students offering a high
ratio of instructors to students. Most courses require a minimum of 4
students for instructional and safety purposes. However personal
instruction courses are available for a very reasonable fee.
An overview of the various Paddle Canada levels and clinics
can be found below under the heading Course
Descriptions. To register for a course, please download the course
forms from the links provided below under the heading Course Forms, fill them out, sign them
and submit with payment, at least 1 week prior to the course.
In this section you will find course and workshop
descriptions, prerequisites and fees.
All courses described below are taught by instructors who
are certified to and follow the national standards set out by Paddle Canada.
The instructors also offer workshops and clinics in both
flat water and moving water canoeing skills. Clinics and workshops are
not official courses and come with no certification but do provide an
opportunity to learn new skills or to sharpen existing skills.
Paddle Canada courses build on each other. To take higher
level courses participants must have, or show that they have, all of
the skills that are found in the lower level courses. If you have not
attained certification in a Paddle Canada level but you feel you have
the appropriate skills the instructor of the course may request that
you be assessed prior to the course.
Entry into the course is at the instructor's discretion.
Assessments can be done by the instructor at a mutually agreeable time
and cost.
The minimum deposit for any course is $25.00 per person and
must be paid directly to the instructor. Deposits are not
refundable unless the course is cancelled by the instructor.
Times listed here are the minimum required time by Paddle
Canada. Some courses may take longer or be resheduled due to weather
and other environmental and personal conditions. If you are interested in one of these courses
the time committment is the total of the two courses and the price will
be double unless noted below. Students interested in these courses
should realize that these courses are usually physically quite
demanding. These prices include all discounts.
The Paddle Canada waiver forms should be fully completed and
sent to the instructor before the course and may be downloaded
under the Course Forms heading of
this page.
Course
Progression and Description from Paddle Canada website
INTRODUCTORY
CANOE COURSES
Note: Courses are taught with a
variety of canoes (ultralight kevlar to heavier Royalex canoes),
paddles (bentshaft, ottertails, squareblades, etc.), Personal Flotation Devices and rescue
equipment so that the student can learn the advantages of the many
differences and is even able to learn to lift canoes without injury.
Beware of various internet web pages that promote inappropriate and
dangerous canoe lifting techniques and portaging methods.
Introductory Tandem - No
previous experience required.
This course covers all aspects of canoeing for a beginner or novice
paddler to encourage safe and proficient paddling and portaging.
Duration: 8 Hours
Cost: $75.00 for each person
Introductory Solo - For those who have tried solo paddling and
wish to hone their skills
Prerequisite: FW C or Introductory Tandem or equivalent
Duration: 6 Hours
Cost: $55.00 for each person
WORKSHOPS AND CLINICS
Customized programs done at the request of a group or
organization.
Paddle Canada Waiver
(to be signed prior to course)
Paddle Canada Waiver for students
under 18 years of age
(to be signed prior to course)
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CANOE INSTRUCTOR
D Kurt
courses@wilds.mb.ca
NOTE: D Kurt teaches Wilds courses in North Winnipeg or in other
locations as negotiated. Certification: Introductory and Intermediate Instructor Trainer,
and Moving Water Level 1A
D Kurt has been teaching Paddle Canada canoe courses
(canoeing courses) in Manitoba since 1995. D Kurt learned canoe and
instruction skills since 1986 from many distinguished paddlers
such as Becky Mason, Paul Mason (children of the legendary canoeist
Bill Mason), Mark Molina (American Canoeing Association), as well as
many expert Paddle Canada (CRCA) certified canoe instructor trainers
such as Glenn Buckmaster, Dean McLeod, Doug Gifford, Jarem Sawatsky,
Peter Dowd, Brian Johnston and Steven Fletcher. D Kurt served on the
Paddle Canada (formerly CRCA) National Program Development Committee to
implement the current Paddle Canada Canoeing Program and has been
trained in instructing paddlers with disabilities. In addition to
instructing hundreds of beginner and intermediate canoeists D Kurt
also assisted instructing Moving Water courses for over 10 years and
has led hundreds of flat water and white water canoe camping trips for
the YM/YWCA Canoe Camping Club (Ottawa), Paddle Manitoba (formerly
Manitoba Recreational Canoeing Association), Nature Manitoba (formerly
Manitoba Naturalists Society) as well as private groups averaging 1000
tripping km per year. D Kurt has paddled in most Canadian provinces, and
in US and Australian waterways. D Kurt served 13 years on the board and
executive of Paddle Manitoba (formerly Manitoba Recreational Canoeing
Association) since 1988 as
President, Past-President, Vice-President, Secretary, Newsletter
Editor, Instruction Chair and as Social Convenor.
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COURSE LINKS
Equipment Rental Contacts
Wave Track
Mountain Equipment Co-op
(MEC)
Other Paddling Connections
Paddle Canada
Nature Manitoba
formerly Manitoba Naturalists Society
Paddle Manitoba
Northern Soul
Wav Paddling
Wilderness Spirit
Adventures
Manitoba Whitewater
Club
Up The Creek
Outfitters Inc.
Links of Interest
Wilds of Manitoba - Canoeing
Information Handout (PDF)
Wilds of Manitoba
- Safe Paddling
Wilds of
Manitoba - Related Links
Environment
Canada - Waterflow
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