American Canoe & Kayak Association (ACA)

The ACA is the governing body for paddlesports in the United States; there are many, many different facets and specialties, including whitewater, ocean/coastal, racing, canoeing, rafting… they also pride themselves on being very inclusive.

There are other programs in the US, and each have their positives and negatives. Here at Liquid Sky we focus on instructing; we’ve found that the ACA supports that aspect quite well.

So, let’s unpack this…

I’m going to attempt to unpack the criteria for levels of skill, instruction, etc used by the ACA, from a Coastal Kayaking point of view:

Conditions:
Level 1: winds calm, water protected from waves, boat traffic, and current. Essentially, you’re within an easy, gentle swim to shore if you capsize – no more than 25-50 feet. Usually found on ponds and small lakes.
Level 2: winds up to 10 mph, waves up to 1′, current up to 1 mph, some motorized boat traffic, minor navigation issues (like channel crossings), no more than 1/2 mile from shore. Usually found on larger lakes and protected coastal water (marinas, for example).
Level 3: winds up to 15 mph, waves up to 2′, current up to 2 mph, navigation issues, motorized boat traffic, up to one mile from shore. At level three, you also are introduced to landing/launching in surf and playing around in current. Your skillset increases exponentially, as the basic skills learned in Levels 1 and 2 unlock new potential.
Level 4: winds up to 20 mph, waves between 3-5′, current up to 4 mph; significant navigation issues and motorized boat traffic; up to two miles from shore. At level four, you also are introduced to surfing, and start to play around with rocky coastlines and in tiderace-style conditions. Everything is bigger, and happens faster.
Level 5: there is no effective limit on level 5; it’s more up to the wisdom of the paddler at this point. There are guidelines for Instructors, but only the best of the best qualify for this level.

Paddler Skills vs Instructor Skills, and beyond:
Paddlers are simply that – they paddle, in various conditions as mentioned above. They can be brand new, or quite skilled, or anywhere in between.

Instructors are certified at the various levels above; that means an Instructor Trainer (IT) or Instructor Trainer Educator (ITE) for the ACA has certified them as being capable of teaching in those conditions. Personal skills as well as teaching ability are tested.

Instructor Trainers are certified to instruct and certify Instructors at the various levels above; only an ITE can certify an IT. Personal skills and teaching ability are in the top 10%.

Instructor Trainer Educators are certified to instruct and certify ITs. ITEs are created by mysterious chants and secret rites under a new moon, and can only be certified by seven other ITEs after they perform their initiation duties.**

**No, not really – but it makes a good story… and they really are magical to watch on the water.