Improver Courses
The Improver Courses will take you into bumpier water and cover more distance than on the Introductory Course.
Included are instruction, insurance and use of kayak, paddle, wetsuit, buoyancy aid, spraydeck and cag.
The ratios of instructor/assistant to student will be no more than 4:1.
Location
We paddle from Bulloch Harbour unless otherwise shown. Dalkey has a great variety of water conditions and we can pick and choose what best suits our needs. Bray is more exposed but the Head has interesting cliffscapes and a big bird colony in the spring and summer. Wicklow also has interesting cliffscapes but the strong tides only allow us to go on certain dates.
Schedule
| April 2012 |
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| Date |
Time |
Specifics |
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| Sat 28th |
10-1pm |
Surf |
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| May |
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June |
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| Date |
Time |
Specifics |
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Date |
Time |
Specifics |
| Sun 6th |
2 - 5pm |
Distance |
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2nd-4th |
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Expedition Inishkeas |
| Wed 9th |
7-9:30pm |
Wicklow |
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Wed 6th |
7:30-9pm |
Landings |
| Sat 12th |
2 - 5pm |
Bray |
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Sat 9th |
2 - 5pm |
Navigation |
| Sat 19th |
2 - 5pm |
Incident Mgt |
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Sat 16th |
2 - 5pm |
Wicklow |
| Wed 23rd |
7-9:30pm |
Boat handling |
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Wed 20th |
7:30-9pm |
Trip planning |
| Sat 26th |
2-5pm |
Towing |
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Sat 23rd |
2 - 5pm |
Leadership |
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Sat 30th |
2 - 5pm |
Strokes |
Photo on right
Jim Monaghan giving a good demonstration of how to turn a kayak on a wave. Bow and stern out of the water, good strong sweep stroke.
Skill specifics
During spring, summer and autumn, each session will condentrate on developing your skills in a particular area.
During the winter months, we'll meet each challenge as it comes and enjoy getting out! If there's anything in particular you want to look at, just say so.
Sessions
Boat handling will help you develop positive control, both around rocks and in bumpier water.
Incident management will increase your awareness of what can go wrong and how to do various rescues.
Trip planning will improve your ability to understand weather and tides and how they affect you.
Navigation will develop your skills with map and compass and help you identify exactly where you are.
Leadership will improve your awareness of how groups are managed and the problems that can arise.
Strokes will make sure you do basic strokes perfectly and expand your repertoire.
Distance will help you paddle faster and further with less effort.
Towing and gear will show you how some simple equipment can help the group.
Landings will show you how to land ondifficult shores. You'll go through landing on rocks, how to swim in and out, assisted landings & surf landings.
All instructors are qualified to at least Irish Canoe Union Level 3 standard or equivalent.
"DL" means the session is run from the Deep Blue base in Dun Laoghaire Harbour.
Booking conditions
You need to pay in advance
You can change or cancel your booking anytime up to 24 hours before the class.
If a session is cancelled due to weather, you can reschedule.
Cancellation within 24 hours forfeits the fee.
Cost
One session - €50
Three sessions - €135. You don't have to give us dates but they must be taken within 9 months of booking.
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