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A guy in a kayak surfing in the ocean.
Photo credit: Richard Alexander

Sea Kayak Level-4 Instructor

Discipline: Sea Kayaking Stream: Instructor Development

The Sea Kayak Level-4 Instructor course provides national certification in the instruction and administration of the Paddle Canada Level-4 Skills course. This award may be achieved only through apprenticeship.


The Sea Kayak Level-4 instructor candidate is a highly experienced Paddle Canada sea kayak instructor and as such, the requirements for knowledge, personal experience and leadership is significant.

The instructor candidate will show confidence with the material and be effective in the overall management of this challenging course. The ability to quickly assess student’s needs, be flexible with changing environmental conditions and the ability to set-up and effectively debrief challenging and extended teaching scenarios on the water are key attributes of the Level-4 Instructor.

The Level-4 Instructor is certified to

  • conduct Paddle Canada Waterfront Kayak, Basic Kayak, Kayak Rolling clinic and Level-1, 2, 3 and 4-skills courses and to certify paddlers at those levels.
Find a School  Search for a Sea Kayak Course  Find a Sea Kayak Instructor
Course Prerequisites
  • At least 18 years of age.
  • Skills Certification
    • Paddle Canada Level-4 Skills
  • Instructor Certification
    • Paddle Canada Level-3 Instructor
  • Teaching Experience
    • The candidate will have a significant teaching experience as a Level-3 Instructor in a wide variety of conditions and locations including a minimum of 20 days of logged instruction of Level-3 curriculum (either courses or clinics).
    • A minimum of two Level-3 Skills courses within the past three years, being the lead instructor on at least one of those courses. These two courses count toward the 20 logged days.
  • Other Certifications
    • Restricted Operator Certificate (Maritime).
  • Paddling Experience
    • Significant experience on extended kayak trips in class-4 conditions. A minimum of 5 extended trips totaling 20 or more nights. The prospective candidate must show evidence (e.g., weather/sea state logs, photography or video) that they spent a minimum of 5 days during any two trips in class-4 conditions.

How to Register for an Instructor Course

  1. Contact the course director/organization and register with them first.
  2. Register yourself as an instructor candidate member with Paddle Canada by following these steps:
    • Are you existing Paddle Canada member or a past skill course student? Login to your account and follow the instructor candidate link there.
    • Are you brand new to Paddle Canada? Proceed to the Instructor Candidate membership form.