Sea kayak Instructor Qualifications

Level 5 Sea Kayak Instructor

Scope of Leadership

• This qualification will provide the outdoor recreation sector with individuals who are able to operate independently and provide instruction and leadership for participants during specific outdoor activity. The emphasis of this qualification is on developing participants’ competence through safe, sequenced, learning experiences in dynamic outdoor environments.
• Graduates of this qualification are able to work independently and contribute to the daily operation of, and work under, a Safety Management System (SMS).
• Graduates of the Sea Kayaking strand will be able to instruct participants in the skills required for positive, educational and safe sea kayaking multi-day experiences through effective planning, delivery and evaluation.

Learning Outcomes

1. Apply knowledge of personal safety in sea kayaking
2. Use appropriate equipment and systems in sea kayaking
3. Select and use appropriate emergency equipment when responding to an emergency in sea kayaking
4. Demonstrate environmental responsibility and kaitiakitanga including respect for tikanga and Kawa of local iwi and hapū when sea kayaking
5. Apply an organisation’s safety management system while leading sea kayaking activities
6. Instruct participants in the skills required for safe educational sea kayaking experiences
7. Manage a group to safely experience sea kayaking
8. Evaluate sea kayaking leadership and review the planned program

Topics Include

• Inspecting and explaining equipment used for sea kayak activities
• Personal skills 
• Safe entry and exit in waves
• Emergency equipment used for non-routine situations and rescues
• Responding to non-routine situations
• Responding to emergencies and rescuing participants
• Pre activity tasks and checks
• Procedures and management techniques for preparing to lead sea kayak activities
• Preparing and checking equipment and a location
• Instructing participants to use sea kayak equipment
• Safety roles for instructors and participants
• Instruct participants to safely use sea kayak equipment
• Facilitation, communication and teaching techniques
• Monitoring and managing needs of participants and participant behaviour
• Cultural awareness
• Minimum impact principles for sea kayak activities

Qualification Delivery

Self-directed online learning

Teacher-directed online learning

Teacher-directed in-person training

Assessment Tasks

Prepare a plan to lead a group.

Demonstrate leadership skills

Demonstrate personal skills

Review and evaluate leadership

Prerequisites

The following outlines hours and experience that must be completed for the qualification to be awarded. We recommend participants start with all of these conditions met. You will need to provide a plan that clearly shows how you will demonstrate these conditions before the final date of the qualification.

At least 50 days sea kayaking experience in a variety of locations and conditions. This will include at least:

• 20 days personal experience and
• 20 days of instructing experience
• 10 days must involve multi-day trips.
• 5 days can include theory sessions e.g. trip planning, weather, navigation, nutrition.

− Instruction experience can be as an assistant instructor or co- instructor.

− A day is considered to be at least 4 hours on water. Shorter sessions can be accumulated to make a day.

− The length of sea kayaking trips should allow for an individual to experience and respond to a range of conditions such as tidal flows, semi - diurnal and/or diurnal tides, chop, waves, clapotis, or complete calm.

Environmental conditions should meet the following parameters:

− Instruct sea kayaking trips in coastal sea kayak water with easy and readily available landings.

− Wind, surf, swell, tidal current, exposed coastline, maritime traffic other water users all have the potential to compromise the safety and purpose of the activity and require management. Programmes should be guided by the following parameters for environmental conditions:

• wind up to 20 knots, or
• surf up to 1.0 metres, or
• swell of up to 1.5 metres, or
• tidal current of up to 4 knots.

Candidates are required to hold a Maritime VHF Radio Operators Certificate and Coastguard Boating Education - Day Skippers Certificate prior to assessment for this qualification.