The course is held annually and free to the public, and held at the USCG recreational facility and using the base swimming pool in April and/or May, just prior to the summer paddling season.  Following the course students will be able to demonstrate basic skills of safe kayak launch, wet exit, assisted rescue, and self rescue.

Some form of this training has been offered by a group of volunteers since 2005 and has provided training to over 300 individuals since then.  ITN began supporting this effort in 2008.  Due to the growth rate of sea kayaking in Kodiak combined with high transiency due to Coast Guard and other government jobs, these classes have remained full year after year.  As two experienced volunteers attend each pool session, practical sessions typically have a 5-1 student to teacher ratio to ensure practical skills are learned, practiced and reinforced.

This clinic targets paddlers, a group who accounts for over 25% of annual boating deaths, of which 3/4 can be attributed to non-use of a PFD.  According to the Alaska Marine Safety Education Association (AMSEA), capsizing and falls overboard together are the primary cause of boating fatalities in Alaska. There are limited training opportunities and few certifications available for this boating demographic, particularly in Alaska.  Kayaks have among the lowest initial stability of all popular watercraft. 

This clinic consists 3 hours of practical exercises in a swimming pool.  The warm water of the pool provides a good training environment for wet exits, self rescue, and  assisted rescue,  all of which are mandatory skills for kayaking in Alaska and rarely practiced in cold ocean water because they require full immersion. The training is appropriate for families novices, young adults, and children, and training is geared toward the first-time paddler.   Although kayaking has experienced rapid local growth in the last decade, this is often the only safety training opportunity offered in Kodiak all year and for many, the only exposure to safe boating practice they ever receive. 

By request, ITN can provide this instruction at other times and locations such as villages on Kodiak island.  In addition to rescue techniques, ITN can provide skills training equivalent to American Canoe Association (ACA) Level 1 guidelines (attached).  For higher level sea kayak instruction and skill development we ITN recommends the Alaska Kayak School based in Homer, Alaska with courses offered in Kodiak every few years.