American Canoe Association (ACA) Coastal Kayaking Skills Course outlines: skills that must be taught at Levels 1–5.
Level 1: Introduction to Kayaking
Source: Level 1: Introduction to Kayaking Skills Course (IPC; revised 28 Oct 2025)
| Focus | Short course: safety, fun, and entry-level skills. Spray skirts do not apply. |
|---|---|
| Venue | Flat water; sheltered from wind, waves, and outside boat traffic; within swimming distance of shore |
| Current / time / ratio | Under 0.5 knots; typically 4–8 hours; 5:1 (or 10:2) |
Strokes
- The outline does not name forward, sweep, or other strokes. Use an appropriate, effective paddle to complete the maneuvers below.
- Grip: correct orientation and grip
Maneuvers
- Controlled entry from shore and leaving the beach
- Go straight for 15–20 boat lengths
- Stop within two boat lengths
- Reverse 3–4 boat lengths
- Spin 180° left and right in place
- Move abeam 10 feet (3 m) to each side
- Figure-8 around marks 3–4 boat lengths apart
- Turn 90° left and right while moving
- Controlled landing and exit
Rescue
- T-RETHROG (Talk, Reach, Throw, Row, Go); priority: people, kayak, paddle, gear
- Identify and demonstrate suitable rescue equipment
- Swimming and wading risks; conserving energy
- Calm exit after capsize (no spray skirt)
- Paddle recovery, boat recovery, towing a swimmer
- Re-entry: stern entry, heel hook, rescue sling, paddle float
- Bumping / bulldozing; kayak towing
- Boat-over-boat, boat-to-boat, scoop
- Unresponsive paddler; shore, bailing, and pump emptying
Knowledge and judgment
- EEC and code of conduct; always wear a PFD; Leave No Trace
- Weather and environmental hazards, navigation hazards, judgment and group management, float plan
- Gear terms and care; cold-water shock / hypothermia / hyperthermia and 1-10-1; hydration
- Paddle and whistle signals; inland navigation rules; body–boat–blade; secure the boat before leaving it
| New at this level | All entry-level. Spray skirts are explicitly out; grab-loop and hip spray-skirt releases are not taught. |
|---|---|
| Prerequisites | EEC and code of conduct; no prior training required |
| Next courses | None listed. Wrap-up stresses first aid, CPR, and more practice. |
Level 2: Essentials of Kayak Touring
Source: Level 2: Essentials of Kayak Touring Skills Course (Coastal Kayaking Committee; revised 1 May 2024)
| Focus | Lakes, protected calm seas, and other flat-water touring. With or without a spray skirt; items marked * are not required for skirtless boats. Bulkheads are not required; flotation that prevents sinking is. |
|---|---|
| Venue | Constant landing access; within 0.5 nm of shore |
| Wind / waves / current | Under 10 knots; under 1 ft (0.3 m); under 1 knot |
| Time / ratio | Typically 4–8 hours; 5:1 (or 10:2) |
Strokes
- Forward
- Back (stopping)
- Draw (in-water and out-of-water recovery, including sculling draw)
- Sweep forward and reverse
- Stern rudder
- Low brace; low brace turn
- Stroke parts: catch, propulsion, recovery, control, correction (this course covers power and turning)
Maneuvers
- Paddle roughly straight; spins; stopping; moving abeam
- Carrying, car-topping, launching and landing, three-point entry, posture and balance, spray skirt*
Rescue
- Wet exit* two ways: grab loop and hip release of the spray skirt
- Self-rescue; emptying the boat; RETHROG
- Demonstrate / participate: T-rescue
- Deep-water re-entry (assisted and solo; sling, scoop, paddle float*)
- Cross-kayak PFD grab
- Unresponsive paddler (Hand of God, righting the boat)
- Help a tired swimmer; tow or bulldoze a capsized boat
Knowledge and judgment
- Wind, waves, weather, water; personal and group gear
- Tides, air and water temperature, traffic, access; a filed float plan
- PFD / boat / paddle types; cold-water shock and hypothermia; dehydration and hyperthermia
- Hazards (wind, waves, current, rock, bridges, dams, strainers, traffic); formation, signals, emergencies
| New vs Level 1 | Named strokes (sweep, draw, stern rudder, low brace and low brace turn); two wet-exit skirt releases*; T-rescue must be demonstrated and joined; paddle-float / scoop deep-water re-entry*; float plan and tides enter personal prep. High brace, independent edging, and rolling are not on this course stroke / maneuver list. |
|---|---|
| Prerequisites | EEC and code of conduct; the outline still says no prior training |
| Next courses | L2 Skills Assessment; L2 Trip Leader Training and Assessment; Level 3: Coastal Kayaking Skills Course |
Level 3: Coastal Kayaking
Two skills courses at this level (sit-on-top courses are not included). Both share the same venue window.
3A · Basic Strokes & Rescues
Source: Level 3: Coastal Kayaking Basic Strokes & Rescues Skills Course (revised 1 May 2024)
| Venue | Lakes or nearshore, possibly light wind and chop; constant landing access; within 1.5 nm of shore |
|---|---|
| Wind / waves / surf / current | 10–15 knots; 1–2 ft (0.3–0.6 m); 1–2 ft; 1–2 knots |
| Gear | Fore and aft flotation; spray skirt, paddle float, pump |
Strokes
- Sweep (forward / reverse / pivot in place)
- Forward; reverse and stopping; draw
- High and low braces (hip snap / edging / lower-body control)
- On shore: grip, control hand, torso rotation, paddler’s box
Maneuvers
- Rafting up; boat fit, foot braces, spray skirt
- Hip wiggle, edging
- Wet exit must be taught two ways; dry-land wet exit
Rescue
- T-rescue (demonstrate and practice)
- Paddle float and other self-rescues
- Towing: contact tow, in-line tow; stirrup if needed
- Bonus (not a required main item): re-entry and roll with paddle float
Knowledge and judgment
- Weather, charts, tides and currents (if applicable), signals
- Lead / sweep formation, emergencies, boat traffic, personal limits
| New vs Level 2 | High brace; edging as a basic skill; coastal window and tide/weather; T-rescue plus paddle float as the deep-water core; contact tow and in-line tow |
|---|---|
| Prereq / next | Does not require completing Level 2. Next: L3 Strokes and Maneuvers Refinement; L3 Skills Assessment |
3B · Stroke & Maneuvers Refinement
Source: Level 3: Coastal Kayaking Stroke & Maneuvers Refinement Skills Course. Efficiency, fluidity, and control; may be repeated at different levels. Same venue as 3A.
Strokes (refinement)
- Forward: extension, paddler’s box, foot-peg drive, short stroke, relatively high shaft angle
- Sweep: watch the blade / look through the turn in waves, edge to shorten waterline
- Reverse: two setups for propulsion, maneuvering, and emergency stops
- Beam draw (in-water recovery); sculling draw
- Sculling for support (high-brace position, power face down)
- Low brace (back-face “depth charge”, hip snap); high brace (power-face slap, hip snap)
Maneuvers (refinement)
- Low and high brace turn
- Bow rudder
- Stationary draw / hanging draw / side slip
- Stern rudder refinement
- On shore: pressurized bow and free stern, shaft angles, edging to unlock the trailing keel, wind
Rescue
- This course is stroke and maneuver refinement; personal prep still lists both wet exits
- No separate Deep Water Rescues section
Knowledge and judgment
- Video feedback: identify stroke parts and link them smoothly
| New vs 3A | Bow rudder; stationary / hanging draw; sculling for support; high/low brace-turn breakdown; stern-rudder refinement; video analysis |
|---|---|
| Next courses | Level 4: Open Water Coastal Kayaking, Surf Kayak, Tidal Skills, or Rough Water |
Level 4: Open Water Coastal Kayaking
4A · Open Water Skills
Source: Level 4: Open Water Coastal Kayaking Skills Course
| Venue | Open water; constant landing access; within 2 nm of shore; at least one of the following applies |
|---|---|
| Wind / waves / surf / current | 15–20 knots; 3–5 ft (0.9–1.5 m); 3–4 ft (0.9–1.2 m); 2–4 knots |
Strokes
- Forward-stroke refinement: torso rotation, power phase forward, top hand not slamming the deck
- Side-slip: sculling draw first, then static draw
Maneuvers
- Uses of edging: turning, course correction, balance, bracing, rolling, wind and waves, surfing
- Edging progression (hold a side edge, sweep with edge, large circles and straight-line correction)
Rescue
- Open-water assisted rescue and self-rescue
- Towing: one-on-one, push tow
- Both wet exits must already be in place
Knowledge and judgment
- Compass safe heading in low visibility; chart position
- Bow angle for collision avoidance; open-water course correction and ranges
| New at this level | L4 open-water window; compass / chart position; bow angle; open-water towing refinement; static-draw side-slip |
|---|---|
| Prerequisites | EEC; L3 Basic Strokes & Rescues or equivalent |
| Next courses | L5 Surf Zone; L5 Rough Water Maneuvering & Towing |
4B · Tides & Currents
Source: Level 4: Open Water Coastal Kayaking Tidal Currents Skills Course
| Venue | 2–4 knot current with large eddies in tidal race; wind not over 20 knots; landing within 2 nm |
|---|---|
| Gear | Helmet recommended for rescues in current; thigh braces optional but recommended |
Strokes
- On a ferry, use sweep and stern draws to set the angle
- Stern rudder when surfing tidal current
Maneuvers
- Downstream / ferrying across; ranges to hold heading
- Peel-out, sweep to turn downstream, eddy turn back in
- Ferry; keep speed and forward momentum across the eddy line, edge to the inside (downstream) of the turn
- If conditions allow: surfing a tidal race (edge toward the wave / downstream)
Rescue
- Prepare for unplanned capsize; coaches do most rescues
- If students practice in waves, leave space; the coach must be able to help at any time
Knowledge and judgment
- All-day tide and current plan; local current features
- Go with the flow, use eddies against the current along shore, vector a ferry angle
| Prerequisites | EEC; L3 Basic and L4 Open Water, or equivalent |
|---|---|
| Next courses | L5 Surf Zone; L5 Rough Water Maneuvering & Towing |
4C · Surf Zone
Source: Level 4: Open Water Coastal Kayaking Surf Zone Skills Course
| Venue | Beach surf averaging 3–4 ft (0.9–1.2 m), ideally spilling; wind not over 20 knots; landing within 2 nm |
|---|---|
| Gear | Sea kayak, whitewater boat, or sit-on-top (all with flotation); helmet |
Strokes
- Brace and edge (shown on shore); paddle low and flat, elbows in to protect the shoulder
Maneuvers
- Upper/lower body separation; broach / side-surf with edge plus brace
- Launching out: catch a window, paddle hard through the wave
- Landing: ride the crest through the impact zone, or broach after the ride
- Hold position in the soup, side-surf both ways, ride small waves
Rescue
- Swim in surf (duck dive, body surf)
- Collision avoidance; swimmer stays on the seaward side of the boat
Knowledge and judgment
- Surf-zone etiquette and hazards; landing signals
- Soup / impact / windows
- Wave types dumping / plunging / spilling; beach slope, tide, and wind
- Outline evaluation: read sets and timing; soup-zone maneuvers; use boat tilt in a broach; controlled launch and landing
| Prerequisites | EEC; L3 Basic and L4 Open Water, or equivalent |
|---|---|
| Next courses | L4 Tidal Currents; L4 Skills Assessment; L5 Rough Water Maneuvering, Towing and Rescues |
Level 5: Advanced Open Water Coastal Kayaking
5A · Rock Gardens & Sea Caves
Source: Level 5: Advanced Open Water Coastal Kayaking Rock Gardening & Sea Caves
| Venue | Must not exceed the venue limit for the instructor’s certification level. Rock gardens need deep water and a safe zone; sea caves must refill, with no hazardous tunnels or underwater obstacles |
|---|---|
| Gear | Whitewater or sea kayak, sit-in or sit-on-top; helmet |
Strokes
- Review side slip, low brace turn, bow rudder
- Pour-over: accelerate to match surge speed; whitewater boof or sea-kayak low / high brace position
Maneuvers
- Rock-garden transitions: safe / transition / danger; hide behind a big rock, wait; move through slots on the lull
- Bow toward incoming surge; Outside drill
- Caves: watch several sets before entering; reverse in unless the cave is huge and will not close out
Rescue
- Rewrite existing rescues for rock gardens / caves
- Swim the boat to a safe zone, then self-rescue; paddle-tow the boat while swimming
- Bow / stern toggle tow of person and boat; bow / stern carry if there is no boat; javelin (push) a boat
- Contact tow; short towline; release after hooking if you capsize; throw-bag trade-offs; emergency landing
- Scenarios: dislocated shoulder, unconscious swimmer, damaged boat (Cleopatra’s needle), cave rescue
Knowledge and judgment
- CLAP; Outside call; do not put hands on the rock
- Read surge, stay outside the aerated zone, angle and margin
| New at this level | Reading surge and pour-overs; sea-cave procedure; Outside call; garden-adapted tows and scenario rescue |
|---|---|
| Prerequisites | EEC; coastal skills at the matching level (including bracing); a reliable roll or self-rescue. No succeeding courses listed |
5B · Rough Water Maneuvering & Towing
Source: Level 5: Advanced Open Water Coastal Kayaking Rough Water Maneuvering Towing and Rescue
| Venue | Open water, constant landing access, and at least one of: surf ≥ 3 ft (1 m); current ≥ 4 knots; wind ≥ 15 knots; waves ≥ 3 ft. Keep watching wind, swell, current direction, and surf type |
|---|---|
| Note | Do not attempt assisted rescues in shore break |
Strokes
- Stationary sweep (look through the turn, edge, drive the pegs)
- Turn on a wave crest
- Upwind turn: sweep plus edge to increase weathercocking, bow draws, static brace turns
- Downwind turn: edge to free the bow, stern rudder, reverse, skeg to help lee cocking
- Wind-wave / swell surfing: when to accelerate, correction strokes, stern rudder
Maneuvers
- Launch / land in small surf (order, spacing, wave choice, ride the crest or the face)
- If conditions allow: tidal race (eddy line, surf a stopper, calculate ferry angle)
Rescue
- Tows: single / in-line / contact / rafted; rescue while towing; release from a tow
- Bow rescue of a swimmer; rear-deck rescue; bow rescue and paddle-shaft rescue; roll in waves and current
- Self-rescue: re-enter and roll (± paddle float), rear-deck paddle float, cowboy / scramble
- Assisted: T-rescue with rear deck / crab / swimmer re-entry at the bow
- Loaded-boat options: assisted T, hull-down over T, re-enter and pump, curl (flooded-compartment recovery)
- Suggested practice; the coach chooses by time and safety
Knowledge and judgment
- Trip and risk (wind, waves, tide, current, group gear); formation and communication
| Prerequisites | EEC; an open-water course already completed, with all strokes, maneuvers, and skills solid in open water; a reliable roll and active self-rescue |
|---|
5C · Advanced Surf Zone
Source: Level 5: Advanced Open Water Coastal Kayaking Surf Zone Skills Course
| Venue | Lead instructor picks the surf beach by learning value and risk (wind, swell, current; spilling vs dumping; sand vs rock) |
|---|---|
| Gear | Whitewater / surf boats fit better; sea kayak or sit-on-top is usable; helmet |
Strokes
- Review stern rudder for direction
- Side-surf and brace in the soup; stern rudder on small waves
Maneuvers
- Review launch, land, side-surf (boat tilt)
- Catch a wave, ride the pocket, broach
- Catch bigger waves on the outside
- Bottom turn; cutback toward the break
Rescue
- Collision avoidance: the person closest to the break owns that wave; others give way
- Swimmer stays on the seaward side of the boat; paddle low to protect the shoulder
Knowledge and judgment
- Where to catch a wave, how to stay in the pocket
| New vs L4 Surf | Wave choice and pocket; bottom turn; cutback |
|---|---|
| Prerequisites | EEC; ACA Coastal Kayak Surf Zone course, bracing skills, reliable roll |
Skill × level matrix
“—” means that level’s skills course does not list the item. Level 3 uses the higher of Basic + Refinement. Levels 4 and 5 use the higher requirement across that level’s skills courses. Level 1 maneuvers without a named stroke are marked “maneuver”. Sit-on-top courses are not included.
| Skill | L1 | L2 | L3 | L4 | L5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forward stroke | maneuver | practice | refine | refine | master (rough water) |
| Reverse / back / stopping | maneuver | practice | refine | — | practice (downwind turn, Outside) |
| Sweep (fwd/rev) | — | practice | refine | refine (with edging) | master (rough water / rock garden) |
| Draw / sculling draw | maneuver (abeam) | practice | refine | refine (static / side-slip) | practice (bow draw, side slip) |
| Stern rudder | — | practice | refine | practice (tidal surfing) | master (rough water / advanced surf) |
| Bow rudder | — | — | refine | — | practice (rock-garden control) |
| Low brace / low brace turn | — | practice | refine | practice (surf brace) | master |
| High brace / high brace turn | — | — | refine | practice (surf) | master (pour-over brace) |
| Sculling for support | — | — | refine | — | — |
| Edging | — | — | practice | refine | master |
| Spins / pivot / figure-8 | practice | practice | practice | — | practice (Outside spin) |
| Moving abeam / side-slip | practice | practice | refine | refine | practice |
| Launch / land (flat or dock) | practice | practice | practice | — | — |
| Launch / land in surf | — | — | — | practice | refine |
| Ferry / eddy / peel-out | — | — | — | practice | practice (optional tide) |
| Surf / side surf / broach | — | — | — | introduce + practice | master (pocket, cutback) |
| Rock garden / pour-over / sea cave | — | — | — | — | introduce + practice |
| Wet exit (calm exit, no skirt) | practice | — | — | — | — |
| Wet exit (two skirt releases) | — | practice* | practice | practice | practice |
| T-rescue | introduce (boat-over-boat etc.) | practice | practice | practice (open water) | master (loaded variants) |
| Paddle-float / self re-entry | introduce | practice* | practice | practice | master (several self-rescues) |
| Towing (incl. contact / in-line) | introduce | practice | practice | refine | master (rough water / rock garden) |
| Unresponsive paddler | introduce | practice | — | — | practice (scenarios) |
| Roll | — | — | bonus intro | discuss (bracing and rolling) | master (reliable roll is a prereq; done in waves and current) |
| Chart / compass / ranges | introduce (inland rules, signals) | introduce | introduce | practice | practice (trip plan) |
| Tides & currents knowledge | — | introduce (assess conditions) | introduce (if applicable) | practice | practice |
| Weather / wind / waves / LNT | practice | practice | practice | practice | practice |
| Leave No Trace / conduct / PFD | practice | practice | — | — | — |
*Level 2: items marked * are not required for boats without a spray skirt.
Sources (Skills Course text)
- Level 1: Introduction to Kayaking Skills Course. Original
- Level 2: Essentials of Kayak Touring Skills Course. Original
- Level 2: Essentials of Sit-On-Top Kayak Touring — not included here. Link
- Level 3: Coastal Kayaking Basic Strokes & Rescues. Original
- Level 3: Coastal Kayaking Stroke & Maneuvers Refinement. Original
- Level 3: Sit-On-Top Coastal Kayaking — not included here. Link
- Level 4: Open Water Skills. Original
- Level 4: Tides & Currents. Original
- Level 4: Surf Zone. Original
- Level 5: Rock Gardens & Sea Caves. Original
- Level 5: Rough Water Maneuvering & Towing. Original
- Level 5: Advanced Surf Zone. Original
Excerpted from ACA Skills Course outlines. Copyright American Canoe Association.