Downeast Sea Kayaking Symposium, Bar Harbor, Maine

	(207) 669-2338 info@carpediemkayaking.com

Full Day Courses

Tidal Currents
With the state’s second largest set of reversing rapids in our backyard, we have the perfect training ground for learning to handle sea kayaks in tidal currents. This is the course for you if you’re training to go tackle the big tide races in Europe, preparing for BCU 5-Star someday, or simply want to push your envelope and have some fun.
Duration: Full day
Experience Required: "Old" BCU 3-Star or equivalent training and experience.

Rock and Ledges
A full-day of playing in the rocks! Pure joy. You’ll soon get the full measure of your boat handling skills. Not for those trying to keep their kayaks scratch-free.
Duration: Full day
Experience Required: "Old" BCU 3-Star or equivalent training and experience.

Getting Started/BCU 1 Star
Brand new? Never kayaked? Great! This is the course for you and the emphasis is on fun. Learn about kayaks, wet exits, getting in and out, and the basics of moving them on calm flat water.
Duration: Full day
Experience Required: None.

Introduction to Open Water
Want to venture out onto the sea, but aren't interested in formal "ACA" or "BCU" courses? This is your chance. Move safely from inland waters to the sea with this informal, but comprehensive offering.
Duration: Full day
Experience Required: "Old" BCU 3 star or equivalent experience.

Navigation Fundamentals
Learn the basics of using a chart, compass and ranges in a morning classroom session, the take it on the water in the afternoon.
Duration: Full day
Experience Required: Basic boat handling skills.

Navigation Challenge
You’ve got the skills, now put them to the test with this on-water scavenger hunt. We’ll set the goals, and you navigate meet them. You’ll have instructors on hand for help and safety, but expect them to throw in a twist or two. With any kind of luck (and skill) we'll be home in time for dinner.
Duration: Full day
Experience Required: "Old" BCU 4 star or equivalent experience.

Tips and Tricks for Long-time Paddlers
Been paddling awhile, but have no or minimal professional instruction? This is the class for you. Come work with a leading coach to put some polish on your paddling, make your strokes more efficient and maybe pick up some rescues or techniques that are new to you. This is the perfect class to help you get the most out of your time on the water.
Duration: Full day
Experience Required: A controlled (panic-free) wet exit and have paddled for "awhile".

Open Water Skills Tune-up
A one-day refresher for those who've already taken at least one open water training or assessment ("Old" BCU 4-star (Sea) or "New" BCU 3-star (Sea) or equivalent training). This is continuing education in bumpy water. Ideal for those prepping for assessment.
Duration: Full day
Experience Required: at least one Old 4-star (sea) or New 3-star (sea) training or assessment or equivalent experience).

Beyond the Basics/Skills Refinement on Flat Water
Refine and build on your basic skills on flat water. Learn better edge control and tighter turning strokes, work on recovery strokes and practice cool rescues. This class can help you get the most out of paddling on inland waters, and help lay a foundation for paddling on the sea.
Duration: Full day
Experience Required: None. BCU 2-Star Training, or equivalent experience recommended.

Rockin', Rollin' & Rescues
A full day class focused on rescue techniques -- from rolling and other self rescues to assisted rescues and braces.
Duration: Full day
Experience Required: None.

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Half-day Courses

Introduction to Kayaking
The perfect introduction to kayaking in a morning or afternoon, with an emphasis on safety and basic boat handling skills.
Duration: 3 hours
Experience Required: None.

Rolling
We love to roll! Whether it be with "Euro" blades , Greenland paddles, or hands only. Rolling is the best of all self-rescue techniques, and on a hot summer's day there's nothing better than a little "rotary cooling." Whether you're a beginner, or an experienced kayaker with an urge to expand your repertoire, this class is for you. You'll have plenty of time to practice
Duration: 3 hours
Experience Required: A controlled (panic-free) wet exit.

Safety & Rescues
Learn how to safely handle a capsize, get yourself back into your kayak, and help others who capsize. We can't recommend this course highly enough. And if we ran the kayaking world (alas, we don't!), it would be required training for anyone who ventures onto the water in kayaks. And best of all, it's fun!!
Duration: 3 hours
Experience Required: None

Boat Repair
Pushed the envelope a bit much in Rock & Ledges? Left some gel coat – or a bit more – behind? Put a hole in the boat when you got surfed (or surfed into?) Learn how to fix it by working on your own boat under the guidance of master craftsman Thomas Rackley from North Carolina!
Duration: 1/2 day
Experience Required: None.

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3rd Annual Downeast Sea Kayaking Symposium - Course Descriptions

Schedule of Events

If you’re not sure about which classes to take or want to talk about choosing classes to get the most out of the symposium, call Mark or Mel at (207) 669-2338. We look forward to hearing from you.

Choose from a wide selection of Full Day Courses including BCU Courses or from our Half Day offerings.

BCU offerings - this is an exciting year of change with BCU North America. We're offering a full range of "new" BCU star trainings and assessments.

New This Year!

    * Incident Management
* Sea Kayaking Survival
    * Getting Started/BCU 1-star
    * Introduction to Open Water
    * Open Water Skills Tune-up
    * Boat Repair
    * Navigation Challenge
    * Beyond Basics/Skills Refinement
    * Tips & Tricks for Long-time Paddlers

Body Boat Blade
Leon Somme and Shawna Franklin's signature course. Two of the top coaches in the world deliver their thoughts on fundamental concepts of paddling
Duration: Full day
Experience Required: A controlled (panic-free) wet exit.

Paddling with Power and Finesse
Join Carpe Diem's, Mark Schoon, for a day of exploring how to improve your kayaking by bringing both of these elements into balance.
Duration: Full day
Experience Required: "Old" BCU 3 star recommended.

Incident Management
Learn how deal with real issues that crop up on expeditions in dynamic conditions from someone who’s been there. This is Jeff Allen’s signature course. Jeff’s circumnavigated the Japanese islands of Honshu, Kyushu, Hokkaido and Shikoku, a distance over 6500 kilometers; was a part of the first British team to circumnavigate the remote Antarctic island of South Georgia and in 2008 is paddling the entire coast of Norway as part of a two-year circumnavigation of Scandinavia with Mark Schoon.
Duration: Full day
Experience Required: "Old" BCU 4-star (sea) or equivalent experience.

Sea Kayaking Survival
What happens when a rescue situation becomes more than simply assisting someone or yourself back into the kayak and being towed to safety? What happens when you are suddenly faced with the struggle for survival? A new course developed by Jeff Allen in association with Dave Whiddon, Sea Survival trainer for the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI), will answer these and other important questions. We are proud to be the first place in the US that you can get this training.
Duration: 2 days
Experience Required: "Old" BCU 4-star (sea) or equivalent experience.

British Canoe Union

The British Canoe Union is an internationally recognized governing body for paddlesports, whose courses are becoming increasingly popular in the U.S. The BCU certifies paddlers at specific skill levels. This "star" system is recognized internationally. First, take a training session, then go and practice. When you're ready, take an assessment. For more information about the BCU, go to www.bcuna.com

"New" 2-Star Training
A terrific introduction to paddlesports (kayaking and canoeing) for beginners, this class is basic strokes and rescues on flat water.
Experience Required: None,

"New" 2-Star Assessment
Pass this assessment and you know you're well grounded (or should that be well watered?) in the basics.
Additional Cost: BCU fee if passed
Duration: varies
Experience Required: None, but BCU 2-Star Training recommended.

2-Star Open Canoe Training/Assessment
This is a great class for learning to effectively paddle a canoe. Besides rounding out your paddling skills, it’s terrific fun.
(Note: 2-star Canoe is a new requirement to become a BCU Level 2 coach.)
Duration: Full day
Experience Required: None, but BCU 2-Star Training or ACA Basic canoeing course is recommended.

"New" 3-Star Sea Kayak Training
Take your flatwater skills into bumpy water. You'll practice rescues and maneuvering in current and chop, work on navigation and learn to launch and land through surf. Ready to put the "sea" in your sea kayaking? This is the training you need.
Duration: Two days
Experience Required: "Old" BCU 3-Star or equivalent experience.

"New" 3-Star Sea Kayak Assessment
Pass this assessment and other paddlers will know you to be a competent member of a group at sea in moderate conditions.
Duration: Full day
Experience Required: "Old" BCU 3 Star plus 4-Star Training or equivalent experience.

"New" 4-Star Sea Kayak Leader Training
This award is a leadership award. The training is designed to ..."raise the candidates experience, skill, knowledge and understanding of the moderate tidal water environment in winds not exceeding force 4." You will be working towards being able to lead a group of 4 on short journeys in moderate tidal environments.
Duration: Two days
Experience Required: "Old" BCU 4-Star or equivalent experience.

"New" 4-Star Sea Kayak Leader Assessment
This is the new BCU Leadersip award and is ideal for those who will be leading people out onto the sea in our coastal environment. This will be ideal for club leaders, guides, or anyone who finds themselves in that leadership role. In the guidance notes for assessors, they say, "...The 4* is a leadership award and not a coaching award. It is not suitable for introducing beginners to the sport."
Duration: Two days
Experience Required: "Old" BCU 4-Star or equivalent experience.

BCU (Inland) Training
Peter Casson teaches this class in whitewater boats. It'll be great training on one of Maine's top tidal races--Sullivan Falls. Come out and try a different type of paddling excitement.
Duration: full day
Experience Required: A controlled (panic-free) wet exit and should be comfortable in class II rapids. Previous training with the BCU or ACA recommended.

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