The following are classes and events that are already on our calendar. If you don't see what you are looking for, please contact us, and we will add an event that fits your schedule and interests. Sea Kayaking Instruction, around Bar Harbor, Mount Desert, Stonington, Acadia and beyond. ACA and BCU certified instructors.
This three-day IDW followed by 2 day ICE focuses on the skills and process to deliver intentional learner-centered and learning-focused sessions in advanced open water environments.
This course is offered by Synaptic Sport and Todd Johnstone-Wright.
Click on course title for details.
A day of instruction for paddlers comfortable with maneuvering in calm water, who are interested in expanding their skills in moving water. We will work on the fundamental maneuvers for sea kayaking in current, including eddy turns and ferrying, and refine and apply strokes such as rudders and sweeps to execute those maneuvers with grace. This course is useful as an intro to currents, or as a chance for those with previous currents training to improve finesse and understanding in a moderate current environment. We’ll also have the opportunity to refine bracing and rescues in calm water, as well as adapting those skills to be useful in moving water.
For details, click on the course title.
Great things happen when sea kayakers take to the river for whitewater training. We’ve had an awesome time introducing many of you to the river in the past few years, and we're looking forward to more. This year we’ll again offer our course on the famed Penobscot River, giving us access to reliable flows and beautiful riverside camping, and allowing for a wider range of challenges. We’ll build skills for understanding whitewater, moving boats with finesse, and making confident moves in whitewater rivers.
This course is appropriate for competent sea kayakers with no river experience, and for newer whitewater boaters looking to expand their abilities and safety. Click on course title for more details.
This is a great place to start! During an easy-paced day on calm, warmer water, we’ll work with students to lay a foundation of paddling skills. Topics will be customized to student’s individual needs, and include equipment selection, strokes, maneuvering, bracing (avoiding capsize), rescues (recovering from capsize) and safety planning.
This is day one of our “Foundations” series of sea kayaking classes, providing a great progression towards becoming a competent coastal sea kayaker.Click on course title for details.
Enjoy an up-close introduction to the spectacular islands and coastlines of Frenchman Bay while refining your kayaking skills. This day of coastal skills training will be offered in the context of a journey, and help you expand your flatwater paddling skills into a coastal kayaking environment.
This is day two of our “Foundations” series of sea kayaking classes, providing a great progression towards becoming a competent coastal sea kayaker. Click on the course title for details.
Spend two days with Nate Hanson focused on Sea Kayak Play in Rock and Current environments.
This course is focussed on the fun - making more of your rough-water play in sea kayaks, with more finesse and less stress. Click on Course Title for details
“Yikes, that landing looks tricky!” “Hey, where’d their boat go?” “Sasha, was that hole there before lunch?”
This two day course is geared towards better understanding the environment, and having more intentional adventures. Our philosophy of preparedness is that you only know what a solution will look like if you have actually practiced it in challenging, realistic conditions. In this scenario-based course you’ll build and explore your risk-assessment and safety-planning toolkit, so that we can avoid catastrophe whenever possible; and we’ll go make a bunch of mayhem to practice sorting out the messes that the ocean sometimes throws your way. Click on Course Title for details
That dynamic strip of real-estate where the land and sea mix it up is full of opportunities for improving boat control, and having a good time. The cliffs, caves, slots, and countless variety of rock features surrounding Maine’s glacially-carved islands provide the perfect venues to refine these skills. As with all of Nate’s kayak coaching, our path to greater ease and success in challenging environments will be through a combination of understanding how to move in concert with the environment and refining our techniques to maintain efficiency and safety. For details, click on the course title.
Todd Wright (Synaptic Sport) and Nate Hanson are taking you back to the end of the earth (err . . . the end of Maine anyways), for a versatile skills and leadership training event. With awesome venues such as Cobscook Reversing Falls, Quoddy Head, and the Bold Coast in easy reach, how could it not be a great time?! Click on Course title for more details
2025 Details Comimg Soon!
Join Nate Hanson, Josh Hall, and we Todd Johnstone-Wright for a weekend of sheltered water through advanced open-water development. We aim to have fun playing in a dynamic and aesthetically striking environment, developing performance, building community, and breaking down barriers to paddlesport in small groups of eight paddlers with professional coaching. Click course title for details.
L4 Open Water Sea Kayak Instructor Certification is offered for existing L3 Coastal Kayak instructors who are prepared to expand their teaching skills into more advanced environments, and provide more effective and differentiated instruction in authentic paddling environments. Click on course title for details
2025 Registration Now Open!
Join Nate Hanson, Josh Hall, Todd Johnstone-Wright and Randi Kruger for a weekend of sheltered water through advanced open-water development. We aim to have fun playing in a dynamic and aesthetically striking environment, developing performance, building community, and breaking down barriers to paddlesport in small groups of eight paddlers with professional coaching. Click course title for details.
Train to become an ACA-certified kayak instructor. This 4-day format combines instructor training with instructor certification. Hosted by The Kayak Foundation
Click on course title for complete description.
This day brings all your foundational skills together into the context of a journey to the islands off Mount Desert Island - after all, isn’t that the point of becoming a skilled sea kayaker!? This day will build on prior instruction on strokes and rescues. We’ll start by learning a bit about trip-planning and some basic navigation, and then set out to put everything into practice on our journey to the islands.
Three days of comprehensive skills development for competent ocean paddlers who are looking for new challenges. Each day we will choose a venue based on conditions, to make the most of the learning opportunities that surround Mount Desert Island. Paddling environments will likely include reversing falls, coastal tide-races and rock gardens. Click on course title for more details.
This 5-day combined Training and Certification Exam for aspiring Level 3 Coastal Kayaking Instructors is provided by Nate Hanson (ACA L5 Instructor, L4 Instructor Trainer) of Pinniped Kayak, and hosted by Portland Paddle. Training to become an ACA-Certified Coastal Kayaking Instructor is an excellent way to formalize your own kayaking skills and gain the tools to more effectively share the sport with other paddlers. In this certification workshop we will explore a variety of approaches that go beyond simply teaching, to instead actively support and promote learning in our students. Click on course title for details.
In conjunction with SMSKN, Nate Hanson of Pinniped Kayak will host international coach, Simon of Online Line Sea Kayaking (OSK), from Cornwall, UK. (Yes, it is THAT Simon.)
Nate and Simon will work with paddlers to expand their skills, understanding, and safety in challenging environments. This course is appropriate for sea kayakers who are comfortable with self- and assisted-rescues, and have some experience paddling in bumpy water.Click on Course Title for details
This Course is Full (to be added to a waitlist, email SMSKN)
SMSKN and Pinniped Kayak are pleased to host a renowned sea kayak coach for two days of training on the coast of Maine. We’ll work with paddlers to expand their skills, understanding and safety in challenging environments. Click on Course Title for details
This Instructor Development Workshop (IDW) for aspiring Level 3 Coastal Kayaking Instructors is provided by Nate Hanson (ACA L5 Instructor, L4 Instructor Trainer) of Pinniped Kayak, and hosted by Portland Paddle. Training to become an ACA-Certified Coastal Kayaking Instructor is an excellent way to formalize your own kayaking skills and gain the tools to more effectively share the sport with other paddlers. Click on course title for details.
Join Nate Hanson (ACA L4 IT, L5 Instructor) to assess and improve your teaching abilities in an authentic instructor assessment. Click on course title for more information.
A day of instruction for paddlers comfortable with basic strokes and maneuvers, who are interested in basic rock gardening - paddling amongst the many fun obstacles created by the rocky Maine coastline. For details, click on the course title.
A day of instruction for paddlers comfortable with maneuvering in calm water, who are interested in expanding their skills in moving water. We will work on the fundamental maneuvers for sea kayaking in current, including eddy turns and ferrying, and refine and apply strokes such as rudders and sweeps to execute those maneuvers with grace. This course is useful as an intro for those new to currents, or as a chance for those with previous currents training to improve finesse and understanding in a less boisterous environment. Click on course title for more details.
Training to become an ACA-Certified Coastal Kayaking Instructor is an excellent way to formalize your own kayaking skills and gain the tools for effectively sharing kayaking with other paddlers. Nate Hanson (ACA L5 Advanced Open Water Instructor, L3 Instructor Trainer, L3 River Kayak Instructor) is offering an ACA L3 Instructor Development Workshop (IDW) at Pinniped Kayak. Candidates will leave with refined personal skills, an improved arsenal of instructional tools, and a personalized action plan to prepare for an Instructor Certification Exam (ICE) (e.g. Jul 16th-17th). Click on course title for more details.
Our popular Whitewater for Sea Kayakers series is an opportunity to open your mind and expand your paddling skills. This whitewater skills development will help you adapt your existing skills to the river environment and to whitewater boats. Appropriate both for skilled sea kayakers getting their first taste of WW paddling, and for existing WW paddlers looking to increase their understanding and proficiency on the river. Click course title for full details.
SMSKN and Pinniped Kayak are pleased to host renowned sea kayak coach Simon Osborn of Online Sea Kayaking for two days of training on the coast of Maine. Simon, assisted by Nate Hanson, will work with paddlers to expand their skills, understanding and safety in challenging environments. This course is appropriate for sea kayakers who are comfortable with self- and assisted-rescues, and have some experience paddling in bumpy water.
$385 per person (SMSKN Member rate $270)
Register by emailing SMSKN (Prior to June 1st, Registration is restricted to SMSKN members)
This 4-day Level 4 Instructor Certification Workshop is provided by Nate Hanson (ACA L5 Instructor, L4 Instructor Trainer) of Pinniped Kayak, and hosted by Portland Paddle. L4 Open Water Sea Kayak Instructor Certification is offered for existing L3 Coastal Kayak instructors who are prepared to expand their teaching skills into more advanced environments, and provide more effective and differentiated instruction in authentic paddling environments. Click on course title for details
Nate is looking forward to returning to the Great Lakes Sea Kayak Symposium, thanks to the support of P&H Sea Kayaks!
For more information and to register, check out the Great Lakes Sea Kayak Symposium online.
See you all at the symposium!
Basic navigation is an essential skill for kayakers anywhere, but particularly on the Maine coast, where indistinct spruce-covered islands are innumerable, and the fog visits regularly. This one-day course will introduce navigational concepts and tools on land, and then progress to applying those skills from the seat of your kayak, as we take to the water in a target-rich navigation environment.
This is day three of our “Foundations” series of sea kayaking classes, providing a great progression towards becoming a competent coastal sea kayaker. Click on the course title for details.
This course is fully enrolled. Cancelations are not uncommon, so if you would like to be added to the waitlist, please register and precede the course name with “Waitlist …”. That dynamic strip of real-estate where the land and sea mix it up is full of opportunities for improving boat control, and having a good time. The cliffs, caves, slots, and countless variety of rock features surrounding Maine’s glacially-carved islands provide the perfect venues to refine these skills. As with all of Nate’s kayak coaching, our path to greater ease and success in challenging environments will be through a combination of understanding how to move in concert with the environment and refining our techniques to maintain efficiency and safety. For details, click on the course title.
Pinniped Kayak is happy to be hosting The Power of Water for a week of fun and skills development along the coastline of Downeast Maine and Mount Desert Island.
The Power of Water provides outstanding paddling instruction and worldwide adventures, based in Lansing, MI.
Come test paddle P&H Sea Kayaks and Pyranha Whitewater Kayaks at the Ellsworth Outdoor Recreation Fair, at Ellsworth Harbor Park. Food trucks! Interactive Activities!
Come paddle various models of the P&H/Pyranha line-up to see what suits you best, or just come try paddling a kayak for the first time in your life. All are welcome. No charge.
ACA River Kayak Instructor Certification Workshop with Todd Wright of Synaptic Sport.
Contact Synaptic Sport for details.
Want to schedule a custom course for your group of paddling companions? Nate is happy to schedule a course just for your paddling pod (calendar allowing). It’s great to be invited into a group of friends, and work with them on their collective and individual goals, and help these communities of practice to be more effective and safer when tackling the paddling challenges that they’re attracted to.
Join Nate Hanson (ACA L4 IT, L5 Instructor) to assess and improve your teaching abilities in an authentic instructor assessment. Click on course title for more information.
L4 Open Water Sea Kayak Instructor Certification is offered for existing L3 Coastal Kayak instructors who are prepared to expand their teaching skills into more advanced environments, and provide more effective and differentiated instruction in authentic paddling environments. Click on course title for details
Join Nate Hanson, Josh Hall, Todd Johnstone-Wright, and other talented ACA Instructors and British Canoeing Coaches for a weekend of sheltered water through advanced open-water development. We aim to have fun playing in a dynamic and aesthetic environment, developing performance, building community, and breaking down barriers to paddlesport in small groups of eight paddlers. Click course title for details.
Training to become an ACA-Certified Coastal Kayaking Instructor is an excellent way to formalize your own kayaking skills and gain the tools for effectively sharing kayaking with other paddlers. Nate Hanson (ACA L5 Advanced Open Water Instructor, L3 Instructor Trainer, L3 River Kayak Instructor) is offering an ACA L3 Instructor Development Workshop (IDW) at Pinniped Kayak. Candidates will leave with refined personal skills, an improved arsenal of instructional tools, and a personalized action plan to prepare for an Instructor Certification Exam (ICE) (e.g. Aug 10-11th). Click on course title for more details.
Reprising last season’s most popular course, Todd Wright (Synaptic Sport) and Nate Hanson are taking you back to the end of the earth (err . . . the end of Maine anyways), for a versatile skills and leadership training event. With awesome venues such as Cobscook Reversing Falls, Quoddy Head, and the Bold Coast within reach, how could it not be a great time?! Click on Course title for more details
Members of the North Shore Paddlers Network, a kayaking club from Massachusetts, will be joining Nate Hanson of Pinniped Kayak for another day of exciting kayak instruction at Sullivan Falls. Non-members will be accepted if there is space available, so please let us know if you are interested.
During this 4-day sea kayak journey, we'll work together to refine the skills required for multi-day kayak touring in an exposed coastal environment. At the intersection of significant tidal flows from the inland bays and the powerful Bay of Fundy to the northeast, this area presents amazing beauty but also considerable challenges, and the goals of our trip will be to develop the skills required to safely plan and execute journeys to such remote and exposed destinations. Click on course title for complete details.
