Resources

Our club hosts official club (ACA sanctioned) events, including trips and skills clinics, and common adventure trips. You can find more information about trips in our Forums and our Events Calendar.

Navigate the Resources Menu

The Resources Menu Tabs contains links to several collections of content:

  • How to Paddle/Getting Started: These materials include lots of info to get started, including a glossary of paddling terminology, buying a kayak, and how to tie down your boat.
  • Safety: Safety is an important value and priority of our club! Life jackets are required at all times on or near the water, and we don’t allow the use of alcohol, cannabis, or other substances while paddling at our events. We also host an archive of articles related to safety such as safety guidelines for our outings, how to dress or cold weather, and a story about a near miss on an icy cold Mississippi River.
  • Our Favorite Trips: These posts capture some of our favorite trips and places to paddle around town and beyond.
  • Trip Leader Resources: We keep a library of resources on the website to help make leading a trip easier. You don’t have to be the lead boat to be organize a trip you want to go on or serve as trip leader! Paddled with us before? Why not try leading a trip? These resources will help you get going.
  • Common Adventure Model: Read more here on our page about the Common Adventure Model we use in our club, adopted from resources originally developed by Ron Watters.

Other Resources

Minimum (Basic) Required Gear

  • PFD (Personal Flotation Device), also called a lifejacket – All must wear one when on the water (Club Requirement)(Those 13 years and younger are required to wear a PFD when on the water – Federal Law)
  • Whistle – should be “pealess” (no internal moving parts) so it will work when wet. (Coast Guard Requirement)
  • And, of course, a kayak, canoe, or SUP, and paddle. (Duh)

PFD

Parts of a Kayak and Kayak Paddles

Greenland paddles

The Kayak Paddle (Euro paddles)

Loading, transporting your kayak or SUP (Stand Up Paddleboard)

Knots

Stand Up Paddle-boarding specific instructional videos

Sit-On-Top specific instructional videos

Kayaking instructional videos

Sit-In-Kayak Fitting

Getting in and out of your kayak

Basic Kayak paddle strokes

Other kayaking techniques/strokes

Towing (This could be necessary when a paddler becomes injured or tired)

Kayaking in current

Kayaking in rough water

Self Rescues

Assisted Rescues

Paddling Gear

Sprayskirts

Wetsuits and Drysuits (also see Cold Water Safety below)

Rolling (Eskimo rolls)

Dry land rolling exercises

Safety on the water

Cold Water Safety

Misc Kayak stuff

Kayak Camping

Kayak Materials:

Plastic or Composites

Inflatable Kayaks

Foldable Kayaks

Wood Kits: (These are composite boats made of marine plywood or cedar strips and then covered with fiberglass and epoxy. They are light, strong, and should be treated like a fiberglass, Kevlar, or carbon fiber craft. And, if you build one then you know how to repair it!)

Other References

Common Adventure Model: Read more here on our page about the Common Adventure Model we use in our club, adopted from resources originally developed by Ron Watters.

How to Become an ACA certified instructor:

How to become an ACA certified instructorDownload

Upcoming Events

View Calendar
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