ACA SweatVac Hat

They're back in stock!

Order yours while supplies last.

High Performance apparel from the ACA for your time on the water this summer.

Visit the ACA eStore today...

New ACA Member Benefit

River City Canoe & Kayak

Store owners Doug and Jessa offer ACA members a discount at their NEW store in Louisville, KY.

River City Canoe & Kayak started in 2009 with a very simple idea: Enjoy coming to work every single day. Based on that idea and their love of paddling River City Canoe & Kayak was born. region. They are a full service shop offering boats and accessories for canoes, recreational kayaks, fishing kayaks, whitewater enthusiasts, American Canoe Association certified instruction and boat repair.

The next guiding principle for their store was not to try to offer every product from every manufacturer under the sun. They carefully selected a number of manufacturers from each category they though offered the best value, and had the best in class reputation in the industry for their products. They know the owners or senior officers of nearly every single manufacturing company they work with, and work together with them to ensure you get the very best in quality for your gear.

The third and final guiding principle for their store is simple and yet seems to escape so many other retailers: all of their staff are paddlers, most are even certified with the American Canoe Association in kayaks, canoes and swift water rescue, and wilderness rescue medicine. When you ask their staff how a certain boat performs or feels, or which paddle they recommend you can trust the answer, because they were probably out that week paddling that very same boat or using that paddle. They will be willing to give you their honest and expert opinion.

Additional benefits of ACA Membership, America's oldest paddlesports organization.

ACA Annual Report

The ACA Annual Report has just been published.

Learn how your association worked on behalf of all paddlers throughout 2009.

2009 ACA Annual Report

Thank you for your continued support of the ACA and paddlesports,

The National Office Staff

Canoe Poling

Standing Head and Shoulders Above the Rest!

The ACA's Canoe Poling National Championships will be held on the Westfield River in Massachusetts on Saturday, May 29.

To participate, spectate, or just learn more about this type of paddlesport, visit the ACA's Canoe Poling webpage.

On Trees and in your Pocket

ACA Instructors and Trainers, have your heard...

It's the next best thing to growing on trees, help others learn about the benefits of joining America's oldest paddlesports organization, and put a little GREEN back in your wallet.

Learn more about the new Instructor Incentive Program...

Paddle at the Point - Calling all Canoes and Kayaks

Paddle at the Point - June 5, 2010

Be a part of history!

As part of the World Environment Day on June 5, 2010, Pittsburgh will attempt to break the Guinnes World Record for the Largest Raft of Canoes & Kayaks. This record was most recently set (2009) at Inlet, NY by a group of 1,104 boats. The record was previously set in Cleveland, OH (2001).


The record attempt will involve a flotilla, a free-floating raft of kayaks and canoes held together by hand. Paddlers will launch their boats from convenient locations downtown and for a raft near Point State Park. Once arranged, each paddler will pull-up his / her paddle and hold onto an adjacent boat for 30 seconds - long enough to satisfy the record attemp requirements and for an aerial photograph.


Bring your own boat, or rent one for just $15. For more information and to register, visit http://www.paddleatthepoint.com/

To be safe on the water - check out the Top Ten Safety Tips for paddlers.

For other events in your area, be sure to visit the ACA Event Calendar.

Paddle Safe & Paddle Often
Jeremy & Andrew
Safety Education, Instruction & Outreach Department
sei@americancanoe.org

National Safe Boating Week

Join the ACA and the National Safe Boating Council May 22-28 as we promote National Safe Boating Week.

Remember, always Wear Your Lifejacket while out on the water.

For more information about this event, and others across the country, please visit the ACA's National Event Calendar.

Old Forge, NY

Join the ACA's Chris Stec in Old Forge, NY this weekend for the 12th annual Adirondack Paddlefest.

From kids kayak clinics to boat demo's to instruction to a benefit race, there will be a little bit of everything on the water in Old Forge.

Hope to see you there!

WaterAlert

Have you heard, the U.S. Geological Survey has just released a new WaterAlert program.

Now you can receive instant, customized updates about water conditions by subscribing to WaterAlert. Whether you are watching for floods, interested in recreational activities or concerned about the quality of water in your well, WaterAlert allows you to receive daily or hourly updates about current conditions in rivers, lakes and groundwater when they match conditions of concern to you.

ACA Executive Director Wade Blackwood was quoted on the recent USGS Press Release, along with the Weather Channel's Jim Cantore!

Read the Press Release and sign up today!

World Record Attempt on Thursday, May 20th

The National Safe Boating Council (NSBC), the Canadian Safe Boating Council (CSBC), and the ACA want to invite you to be a part of the 2010 “WORLD RECORD INFLATABLE LIFE JACKET INFLATION DAY!”

This Thursday, May 20, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. EDT / 8:00 a.m. PDT, people from around North America will attempt to set the world record for the most inflatable life jackets inflated simultaneously. This event will be held throughout the United States and in Canada not only to promote inflatable life jackets, but also to educate about life jackets in general. This event will kick off the 2010 “Wear It!” Campaign.

We want to invite you to help make this event as successful as possible, and it is as easy as inflating a life jacket. By participating and offering a local event in your area, you’re not only getting the opportunity to educate about the new styles of inflatable life jackets, you’re also going to be a part of history!

To get even more people involved, we are creating a friendly “competition” among the participating groups. Think you get can more people to inflate their life jacket than the state next to you? Are you confident that you can get more people to post their pictures on our Web site than any other state? Can you beat the Canadians up north? Now is your chance to show that your state always remembers to “Wear It!” By participating, there’s a chance to win one of twelve (12) inflatable life jackets courtesy of Mustang Survival!

Everything you need to participate in “Inflatable Life Jacket World Record Day!” is be on http://www.readysetinflate.com/.

ACA Instructor Incentive Program

Calling all ACA Instructors and Instructor Trainers:

Help others learn about the benefits of joining America's oldest paddlesports organization, and put a little GREEN back in your wallet.

Learn more about the new Instructor Incentive Program...

ACA & Martha Stewart?

That's right, listen Monday morning (May 17th) at 7:30am to the Morning Living Show on Martha Stewart Living Radio.

The ACA will be on live with a Q & A session about: Canoeing 101

Sirius 112/XM 157

To learn more about what the ACA is doing in your area, visit www.americancanoe.org

Instructor Incentive Program

We've listened and come up with a plan.

In these challenging economic times, the ACA will be offering CASH BACK, (yes cash back) for any new ACA member brought in by a currently certified ACA Instructor or Instructor Trainer.

Help others learn about the benefits of joining America's oldest paddlesports organization, and put a little GREEN back in your wallet.

Learn more about this Instructor Incentive Program...

ACA to Colorado

Learn about one of the hottest new outdoor recreation specialties from the experts!

Whitewater Courses and Parks, 2010: Making it Happen, and Making it Work!
May 24-27, 2010, Salida, Colorado

Professionals in a variety of fields will be attending and speaking, sharing their
experiences related to the rapidly-growing number of whitewater courses installed orunderway in the US and abroad.

Civil engineers, parks and recreation and public works leaders, legal experts in the field of outdoor recreation and risk management and landscape architects who have built,funded and developed programming for whitewater courses will be convening in Salida!

ACA has teamed up with the Paddlesports Industry Association, the Shimoda Group, Recreation Engineering & Planning, and Northwest Hydraulic Consultants to design a conference for those who build, maintain, manage, promote, and use whitewater courses and parks. From the whitewater superparks to a river feature downtown, this is the premier event for learning about this aspect of whitewater paddling.

Whitewater Courses & Parks Conference

For other ACA related events across the country in 2010, visit the ACA Event Calendar.

Catch Every Eddy, Surf Every Wave

A classic is back!

Tom Foster and Kel Kelly's instructional book is ideal for canoeists and kayakers. Whether you're a beginner or an old pro, learn from two of the best.

This addition to your paddling library is available at the ACA eStore.

ACA - Subaru Sponsored Paddlesports Events - May 7-9

Join the staff from the ACA's Safety Education & Instruction Department this weekend in Annapolis, MD at the Mid Atlantic Kayak Festival or in Reno, NV at the Reno River Festival.

MidAtlantic Kayak Festival is sponsored by ACA Pro School Potomac Paddlesports, Reno River Festival is sponsored by the City of Reno. Both event draw top instructors and paddlers from across the country.

Gear up for the summer paddling season by taking a refresher kayak course this weekend from some of the ACA's best!

Instruction

As the weather begins to warm up acorss the country, consider taking a refresher course with a certified ACA Instructor.

Whether it's fine tuning your forward stroke or learning a few new rescues, get the knowledge, practice, and be safe out on the water this summer.

You can also find a range of book and DVD resources at the ACA eStore.

Adaptive Paddling

The ACA has declared 2010 the Year of Inclusive Paddlesports!

No matter your ability, join the ACA out on the water this summer. Click here for a list of specific programs across the country.

For the latest resource on Adaptive Paddling, visit the eStore.

Be safe, have fun, and Wear It!