Description:  Dedicated to Instructors who will teach on water up to and including Class I on the International Scale of River Difficulty. Instructors at this level are authorized to teach the Intro to Canoe course on flatwater, and the Basic River Canoe course in a river environment and to teach students fundamental river paddling skills including boat handling, paddling technique, identifying hazards, river reading and self- rescues in moving water. This course offers ACA Essentials of River Instructor certification.  Participants should have competent moving water (class II) experience.

This five day course teaches instructional methods for flatwater and whitewater paddling. It provides vital experience for those involved with teaching open boating strokes, maneuvering, and safety techniques. Days consist of mastering the paddling skills as well as gaining practice teaching fellow students on the lake and on the river. Participants will need to plan to camp out on Wednesday night near the Nantahala and to provide their own meals for Wednesday night and Thursday. The course offers A.C.A. Whitewater Instructor certification. Prerequisites include and ability to paddle competently on Class 3 whitewater (should be able to catch most eddies on the Nantahala). Participants will need to bring their own boats. This course begins at 7:00pm on Sunday evening (no dinner served on Sunday).

ACA Whitewater Kayak Instructor Workshop

The course follows the same outline for the whitewater open boat instructors course. The course offers A.C.A. Whitewater Instructor certification. Prerequisites include an ability to paddle competently on Class 3 whitewater (should be able to catch most eddies on the Nantahala). Participants will need to bring their own boats. Participants will need to bring their own boats. This course begins at 7:00pm on Sunday evening (no dinner served on Sunday).

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ACA Introduction to Canoe or Kayak Instructor Workshop

Description:  These are two seperate flatwater instructor courses for Instructors who will teach on calm sheltered water in a light wind environment. Instructors are authorized to teach students fundamental skills including identifying hazards, basic concepts in craft handling and self- rescues in calm waters such as lakes or ponds.

Descriptions:  The prerequisites for this course include: current ACA Whitewater Kayak or Canoe Instructor status for at least two years; two reported courses to ACA; and proficiency in executing all strokes, maneuvers, and techniques used in paddling and playing in minimum of class III whitewater.  The course will include concepts of paddling, including body mechanics, boat and blade factors, and mental considerations when paddling in advanced whitewater.  The course will also include water reading exercises, equipment review, paddle drills, and other components developed with the advanced whitewater paddler in mind. This course is held off site at the Ocoee.  Price includes tuition only.

Description:  An intensive thirty-hour course.  One day will be spent in the classroom, followed by two days developing and practicing water rescue skills.  The emphasis is to assure the safety of the rescuers themselves, while instilling skills and knowledge needed for access and extrication of river and flood victims.  Information from this course is applicable to anyone confronted with potential swiftwater rescue.  Topics include an in depth treatment of river and flood dynamics, swiftwater hazards, swimming, boat handling, in water contact rescues, technical rescue systems and scene management.  Students should have a basic swimming ability, be in good physical condition, and prepared for strenuous activity. Students will need a USCG type III or V PFD, a whitewater helmet, wetsuit, booties or tennis shoes.  Cost does not include room and board.  Class will be held in Sylva and on the Tuckaseigee River.

Description:  This workshop is an endorsement for who are currently certified as ACA Instructors.  Participants just finishing an ACA instructor course with this program may also attend.  This course is designed as an addition for whitewater instructors who would like to teach a one day rescue corse to their students.  Topics include:  Rescue philosophy, rope throwing, swimming strategies, boat based rescue, and many other topics that are important to the whitewater paddler.   The price includes tuition only.

Description:  For people who have become somewhat skilled in flatwater and have experience on whitewater paddling. This course is designed to teach the transfer of lake paddling to a river setting.  Topics include basic whitewater safety techniques, river reading, and river-running skills in an experienced based teaching environment.  This course offers A.C.A. Basic River Canoe Instructor certification.  Participants should have competent moving water (class II) experience.  Participants will need to bring their own boats.