Sea Kayak Instructor

Position Announcement: Kayak Instructor

Work at a beautiful waterfront paddling center, work very hard, with a wonderful staff, enjoy great benefits, and have lots of fun.

Part-time, April through September, may be combined with a guide, rental or retail position to reach full time status

Title and general description:

  • Kayak Instructor
  • In a student-focused environment, assist students in learning skills in Get Started Kayaking and Level 1 programs. 

Prerequisites:

  • Cheerful, playful and outgoing (lots of smiles), positive and interested in helping students
  • Empathetic to students’ needs
  • Works well with others, likes to work hard, likes a variety of types of work – some physical, some intellectual, likes to learn new things – inquisitive, explorative
  • Touring kayak skills at an instructor level, ACA and/or BCU certification preferred.  ACA instructor training provided if needed.
  • Analytical – able to understand skill models, assess student skills and devise tactics to guide students learning to more closely approximate models
  • Able to follow Cascade lesson plan
  • Responsible self-starter
  • Likes to work in an outdoor environment
  • Organized
  • Able to follow Cascade company procedures and guidelines
  • Able to plan personal schedule and meet commitments
  • Able to lift 65 pounds
  • Able to safely drive a 15 passenger van, including driving forwards and backwards
  • Able to load touring kayaks on top of a 15 passenger van
  • Current First Aid & CPR, MOFA preferred
  • Washington State Patrol background check required

Description:

  • Get Started Kayaking
    • Meet and greet students
    • Provide course overview
    • Select and adjust kayaks, paddles, skirts and PFDs to match students’ needs
    • Teach parts of the kayak
    • Teach efficient forward stroke, get students started with skill development
    • Teach maneuvering strokes including sweeps and draws
    • Teach assisted rescue, both as rescuer and rescuee
  • Level 1 Instruction
    • Meet and greet students
    • Provide course overview
    • Fit dry suits and explain care
    • Select and adjust kayaks, paddles, skirts and PFDs to match students’ needs
    • Teach parts of the kayak
    • Teach efficient forward stroke, get students started with skill development
    • Teach maneuvering strokes including sweeps and draws, push away, combining strokes, combining strokes with edging
    • Teach assisted rescue, both as rescuer and rescuee
    • Teach edging
 
  • Ensure paperwork is properly completed
  • Listen to customer input and needs and provide information
  • Properly complete end of class report
  • Help keep working areas clean and orderly
  • Communicate with management regarding ways to improve
  • Attend staff meetings
  • Knowledgeable about our programs and pleased to share that information with customers (training provided)
  • Must have fun!

Application

      Send resume and cover letter to itsfun@canoe-kayak.com