Fairbanks Paddlers will sponsor a two-day paddling skills and safety class in June. The course will focus on refining or developing skills necessary to safely and efficiently enjoy your time on the water. This class will be open to participants with packrafts, river-specific kayaks, inflatable kayaks, solo canoes, and SUP’s. The class will be limited to 10 participants plus instructors. Participants need to be age 18 or older.
Dates: June 7-8, 2025
Course Description:
This 2-day skill development and safety course is designed to refine or develop skills necessary to safely and efficiently enjoy your time on the water. This training is open to all types of paddlecraft, and instruction will be both differentiated and individualized to meet personal goals. Utilizing both flatwater and Class 1 – 2 environments, this course is ideal for any boater seeking to develop foundational skills or improve upon pre-existing skillsets prior to boating more consequential water.
Course content includes the following:
- Appropriate equipment and gear
- River types and classes
- How to locate information about local rivers
- How to choose an appropriate river
- Introduction to hydrology
- Safety and rescue techniques
- Strokes and maneuvers
Instructor:
Sam Stone will be the lead instructor for the class. Sam is the Assistant Coordinator of Outdoor Adventures at UAF. Sam is a highly experienced whitewater and ocean paddler. His certifications include the following: American Canoe Assoication L4 Swiftwater Instructor, American Canoe Association L4 Sea Kayak Instructor, American Canoe Association L5 Whitewater Kayak Instructor, Wilderness First Responder, Alaska Avalanche School Rec 1
If there are more than five participants, Sam will bring on an assistant instructor to facilitate the training.
Venue: Lake and class I-II river features – Specific locations TBD
Required Equipment: Drysuit, PFD, paddle, helmet, appropriate paddlecraft, and any safety equipment you generally bring on the water. Also, bring water and food to sustain yourself on the water.
Cost: The course fee is $300 for Fairbanks Paddlers members, $400 per course for non-members. ( New members can join before registering at fairbankspaddlers.org/join)
Additional costs – Participants will need to either be American Canoe Association (ACA) members ($40 per year), or join ACA with an event membership ($10 per 2-day class). Rental gear is extra. Participants may need to drive to the venue or share transportation costs with others. Depending on the selected venues, there may be day-use parking fees.
Scholarships: Fairbanks Paddlers is offering up to ten stipends of $150 for club members from interior Alaska who complete paddling skills and safety courses in the summer of 2025. These scholarships can be applied to expenses for courses offered by other providers, as well as for this course. Participants may apply for the scholarships here: fairbankspaddlers.org/news/paddling-scholarships/
Cancellations: Cancellations before May 23 will receive a refund of the course fee less processing fees (approximately 3%). Cancellations after May 23 will be considered on an individual basis. If the space can be filled before the class starts, a full refund ( less processing fees ) may be issued. If the space is not filled, a partial refund will be issued ( 50% or more at board discretion).
