ACA Members - Subaru Discount

Don't forget, Subaru is the official vehicle of the ACA.

Members are eligible to receive up to $3,300 off a new or leased Subaru vehicle.

Learn more...

ACA Awards a Grant to the Boardman River Clean Sweep

The Boardman River Clean Sweep (BRCS) is a volunteer based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization formed in 2011. They are orchestrating the 8th annual community-wide cleanup of the Boardman River. The Boardman River is an NRC-designated "Natural River" and a Michigan Blue Ribbon Trout Stream. The cleanup includes riverbank trash pick-ups along all navigable segments of the river, approximately 30 miles. 

Three dams have been definitively decided for removal along the river. As this process continues, water drained from nearby ponds has uncovered debris-laden shores that have been under water for almost a century. The dam removals have also created increased water flow, which is great for paddling but complicates the cleanups. 

"For this project, we will partner with the Grand Traverse Conservation District, the Kingsley High School 4-H Outdoor Club, and the Traverse Area Paddle Club," said Norman Fred, Club President. "My goal is to not only keep the Boardman cleaned up but also to get other groups involved with river stewardship and that has begun to happen in several other locations in the state."

The ACA/ L.L. Bean Club Fostered Stewardship Grant is going to be used by BRCS to purchase two Old Town 158 canoes to build their capacity for cleanups and to include non-boat owners. The canoes will be used to clean the downtown section of the river where the majority of debris is located. 

Read more about this year's CFS recipients.

USGS Streamgage Funding

The ACA has joined with numerous other organizations including the Interstate Council on Water Policy to address the potential lack of future funding for the USGS streamgages.

Yesterday, ACA Executive Director Wade Blackwood spoke to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee in the Hart Senate Office Building.  You might have even seen him on C-Span!

This morning, ACA Chief Operating Officer Chris Stec is meeting with the Office of Management and Budget's Interior Branch at the New Executive Office Building of the White House.

Learn more about the ACA's role in working to ensure that USGS stremgages are available to all paddlers. Click here.

Everyday, the ACA staff and volunteers work on behalf of paddlers across the country.  Whether it's education, stewardship, competition, insurance, or trying to make sure there is federal funding for an important resource (USGS streamgages) the ACA is here for all those who wet a paddle.  If you're able, please consider supporting the ACA either by joining, or donating your time and energy on behalf of paddlesports.

Thank You Nantahala Outdoor Center

The ACA would like thank the Natahala Outdoor Center for presenting the 2012 Collegiate Race Series National Championships!  The Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) will graciously host the post race social and open up its grounds and services for the competitors and volunteers on Saturday March 31st! At the social they will be preseting the Reel Paddling Film Festival, FREE for all participants, as well as providing discounted food. 

For 40 years the Nantahala Outdoor Center has been an internetionally recognized leader in whitewater adventures in the Southeastern United States.  From their beautiful headquarters on the banks of the Natahala River they provide whitewater excursions on 7 rivers in the Eastern US and 40+ countries internationally. They also provide hiking, mountain biking, and other outdoor activities.  In addition to outdoor education and recreation, the NOC's Adventure Resort provides its guests with restauratns, cabins, an outfitter's store, and access to all their great outdoor excursions.  Be sure to book your next whitewater or outdoor adventure with Nantahala Outdoor Center.

The ACA Funds Marine Debris Initiative at Chesapeake Experience

The Chesapeake Experience is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating on-the-water, hands-on, educational experiences for students, teachers, and the general public to increase stewardship of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. A recipient of this year's 2012 Club Fostered Stewardship Grant, Chesapeake Experience is developing a marine debris program that will educate students about the effects of marine debris on the health of wildlife and our waters, and will allow them to collect data on marine debris sources and trends in a kayak camp. They will also upcycle the items collected during cleanup by creating "Recycles Chesapeake Bay Species Art."

This initiative is especially exciting to the ACA because of our focus on marine debris. Find out what the ACA is doing to protect our oceans and how you can become a part of our Paddle Green Program.

Revised SUP Curriculum

At the recent ACA Safety Education & Instruction Council (SEIC) meeting earlier this month, slight revisons were approved to the following Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) courses:

• Level 1: Introduction to SUP
• Level 2: Essentials of SUP

You can find the revised information here:

• SUP Skills Courses & Assessments
• SUP Instructor Criteria

Also, the new Level 3: River SUP course was approved!  More info to come...

East Coast Canoe & Kayak Festival

The Charleston County Park & Recreation Commision brings you the East Coast Canoe & Kayak Festival presented by the ACA & Subaru. Make sure to come out to James Island County Park and immerse yourself in a full weekend of the history, technique, hands-on experience, and fun of canoeing, kayaking and Stand Up Paddleboarding. The East Coast Canoe & Kayak Festival includes lectures, on-water classes, and demonstrations directed to the novice and the experienced paddler. The heart of the festival is four classrooms run simultaneously throughout the three-day event. Refine your skills in a master class presented by many of the leading experts in the paddling world. Learn new strokes, rescues, or rolls with expert instruction and meet other knowledgeable paddlesport enthusiasts.

Dozens of commercial exhibitors will be on-hand to give you a chance to try before you buy. At the East Coast Canoe & Kayak Festival, you will be able to test boats, paddles, and accessories on the water at the festival site. You will also have the opportunity to speak with equipment designers and manufacturers throughout the weekend.


For information visit http://www.ccprc.com/ecckf.

Did you know that today is World Water Day?

Created in 1992 by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), World Water Day is held annually on the 22nd of March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and  advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.

As paddlers, water conservation is something that is intimately related to the sports and environments that we love the most. 

So what can you do? No single person can save the world, but we can all do our part to contribute! How do you make a difference on the waterways you paddle?

Check out ways the ACA is helping waterways across the country! 

Potomac Paddlesports - ACA Pro School

ACA Pro School Potomac Paddlesports is honored to have piloted what has become the ACA Pro School Program and to have been recognized by the ACA for "Making the world a better place to paddle." As the only paddlesports program to be both an ACA Pro School and BCU Endorsed Center, Potomac Paddlesports offers incomprably high-quality whitewater and sea kayak coaching, with special emphasis on the development of beginners and instructors. Paddle with them on the Potomac River or Chesapeake Bay and surf their retail store on-line.

For more information visit http://www.potomacpaddlesports.com/ or contact info@potomacpaddlesports.com

University of Minnesota-Duluth Recreational Sports Outdoor Program - ACA Pro School

ACA Pro School University of Minnesota Duluth Recreational Sports Outdoor Program is dedicated to promoting healthy, active lifestyles and connections to the natural world through personal and professional experiences.




For more information visit http://www.umdrsop.org/ or contact rcarlso6@d.umn.edu

REGISTRATION OPEN for ACA CRS National Championships!

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN for this year’s Collegiate Race Series National Championship presented by Nantahala Outdoor Center! It's taking place in Dillsboro, North Carolina, from March 31^st to April 1^st.  This race is the premier event for college students from across the country to represent their colleges or universities while competing in canoe, kayak and SUP downriver races. 

To register online, please visit the CRS National Championship Event Listing and click the link under the Registration Information heading.  Registration guidelines, downloadable versions of the registration form, and more information on the race can be found at the CRS National Championship Webpage. 

Join us Saturday Night at the Nantahala Outdoor Center for a post-race social featuring the Reel Paddling Film Festival, FREE for all participants, plus $8 all you can eat pizza and pasta! Discounted Camping at Timberlake campground!

A special thanks to our Sponsors!
Presented by

Silver Sponsors

Bronze Sponsors

   

    Dillsboro River Company

Return of the River: ACA helps to fund a film about the removal of the Elwha Dam

The ACA is proud to announce that John Gussman, paddler, photographer, and cinematographer, is a recipient of this year's ACA Club Fostered Stewardship Grant Program, funded by L.L. Bean. His film, Return of the River, is a film about the largest dam removal project in the history of the United States. "It is the story of a river unleashed after a century of impoundment, and the extraordinary community effort to set it free... It is a story about the power of water, and the power of people who love a place."

The Elwha River is the ancestral home of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, who witnessed firsthand the effects of the 108-foot high dam on the river and all life that depended upon it. Build without fish ladders, the Elwha dam, which began construction in 1910, served as completely impenetrable barrier to fish migrations. For the first time in over 100 years, due to the tireless work of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, countless activists and conservation organizations, the salmon run has been restored on the Elwha. 

"I am so excited that the American Canoe Association has provided me with this grant to help in the final production of my film," says Gussman. "It is such a great feeling to know you are not alone in the fight to help save our natural environment, and it takes many voices to make a change."


“The ACA is thrilled to be able to help John Gussman bring Return of the River to life," said Cate Huxtable, ACA Stewardship Coordinator, about the grant award. "Capturing the largest dam removal project in the history of the United States and the community efforts that made it possible, Gussman’s film stands as a testament to the extraordinary power of activists on behalf of a river and should serve as a beacon of stewardship for the rest of the country."

Make a personal contribution to Return of the River on Kickstarter.

Take a look at other 2012 CFS Recipients

3rd Annual Occoquan River Cleanup

On April 14, 2012, from 9-3 the Prince William Trail and Streams Coalition will celebrate the 24th Annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup with our 3rd Annual Occoquan River Cleanup.  They have sites stretching from the Lake Jackson Dam and the Bull Run Marina all the way to the Potomac River and  are looking for experienced kayakers and canoeists to launch from one of eleven locations (Lake Jackson, below Lake Jackson Dam, Riverview Estates HOA, Occoquan Forest HOA, Canon Bluff HOA, Bull Run Marina, Fountainhead Marina, Lake Ridge Marina, the Town of Occoquan, Occoquan Regional Park, Mason Neck State Park). Register for this event and the opportunity to take a terrific paddle and pickup all the trash you can along the way.  They are also looking for people to clean up on land and do other jobs at these locations.

Shuttles for canoeists and kayakers available on a scheduled basis on both the Prince William and Fairfax County sides of the river, but you must register! Register online today!

Contact Ed Dandar, PWTSC project officer, at 703-791-6158 or blueways@pwtsc.orgm for more information.

3rd Annual Cleanup Flyer

Check out more upcoming Stewardship Events! 

ACA Android App is on the Way!

Stay tuned to find out more!

http://www.americancanoe.org/

Canoe Poling National Championships

Date: May 26 - 27, 2012

Location: Rappahannock River - Fredericksburg, VA

Accommodations:

Camping at the Virginia Outdoor Center

Discounted room rates at the Courtyard Marriottand
Fredericksburg Hospitality House & Conference Center

Canoe Poling Annual Meeting:TBD

For additional information visit the ACA Canoe Poling Wevbpage, the ACA Paddlesports Event Calendar, or contact Trey Knight.

Tidewaters Gateway Partnership Awarded CFS Grant

Tidewaters Gateway Partnership, more affectionately known as Tidewaters, is a non-profit organization developed to support the coalitions among the Delaware River's many stakeholders who seek federal protection of the Delaware in order to encourage protecting and improving the river's resources. 

Awarded $1,000 by the ACA, Tidewaters will be working in conjunction with the Delaware Canal State Park and the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to install signage along 60 miles of the Canal Towpath. 

Learn more about becoming a CFS Grant recipient today!

See other projects that have been awarded funding this year. 

Natur-Pur - ACA Pro School

ACA Pro School Natur Pur is situated in Austria near Vienna. They offer skill development classes for beginner through advanced paddlers as well as ACA Instructor and Trainer certifications in Sea-Kayak or Canoe. No matter if you want an afternoon in the Danube National Park, an educational course or a multiday trip they are the right partner for you. They also lend state of the art equipment like wenonah canoes or current design kayaks.


Unsere Schule befindet sich in Österreich in der Nähe von Wien. Wir bieten Paddelkurse für Anfänger, für Fortgeschrittene, für Lehrer und für Trainer für Kanadier, Seekajak und SUP. Egal ob sie einfach nur einen Nachmittag in den Donauauen genießen, eine qualitativ hochstehende Ausbildung oder das Abenteuer einer Paddeltour im Urlaub genießen wollen, bei uns sind sie an der richtigen Adresse.

For more information visit http://www.austria-outdoor.at/
or contact gerhard.grimm@naturpur.co.at

The River Connection - ACA Pro School

ACA Pro School River Connection connects a broad range of experience and specialized training with their instructional team: ACA certified kayak instructors; naturalists; geologists and artists. Each member of their team provides a unique and perceptive view to the beauty and function of the waters that surround the Hudson Valley, NY region and abroad.


The River Connection is proud to specialize in putting people, all people, on the water with some of the most highly trained water sport instructors in the Hudson Valley Region. The River Connection conducts the only ACA certified Whitewater Program and Adaptive Kayaking program for people with disabilities in the region.
 
For more information visit http://www.the-river-connection.com/ or contact Marshal Seddon at 845-229-0595

RaffTaff - ACA Pro School

ACA Pro School RaffTaff is located in the south-west corner of Germany, and provides open-canoe, sea kayak, swiftwater rescue and SUP skills courses and assessments. ACA Instructor Trainer Raphael Kuner offers instructor-certifications as well as trip-leading assessments. They are one of the rare places in Europe to get ACA SUP-instruction and, due to the fact that Raphael is the one and only ACA swiftwater-rescue instructor in Europe, RaffTaff is the only school to get ACA rescue instruction.

Besides this, their canoe camp is right in the middle of the Back Forest and their homebase is located on the river Rhine. These are perfect places for canoeing , SUPing and kayaking.
 
For more information visit http://www.rafftaff.de/ or contact kontakt@rafftaff.de

Coal River Group Awarded CFS Grant!

Established in 2004, the Coal River Group is a non-profit organization that was established to "bring life back to the Coal Rivers." What simply started out as two men setting out to explore and fish the waterways of the entire 88 miles of the Big, Little and Coal Rivers, grew into efforts to organize a community based watershed group after finding a beautiful but troubled watershed.

The CRG has grown tremendously and was named the West Virginia Watershed of the year in 2009. The goals the Group established include preserving the ecological integrity of the rivers, promoting recreational opportunities and economic development of the waters, and promoting the rich history of the Coal Rivers and the region. 

The CRG was recently awarded a $1,000 CFS grant from the ACA to construct an access ramp to serve as portage around a dam and dangerous waters. Promoting safe and responsible paddling is a primary tenet of the ACA, and we are proud to be able to help fund the CRG's efforts! 

Learn how you can apply for a CFS Grant today! 

Outdoor Adventure Center - ACA Pro School

ACA Pro School Outdoor Adventure Center is THE PLACE to get hooked up, and connected to your latest adventure information. Their desire is to inform, connect, and equip you with paddling, biking, hiking, climbing, and snowboarding in and around the Northwest. Their greatest asset is the depth of our organization. They are three companies in one, a family owned organization: Outdoor Adventures outfitting and instruction company, Outdoor Synergy - Northwest Kayaks kayak design and construction, and the Outdoor Adventure Center adventure shop.

For more information visit http://outdooradventurecenter.com/ or contact info@outdooradventurecenter.com

Come see us at CANOECOPIA!

The ACA will be in Madison, Wisconsin, at CANOECOPIA, the world's largest paddlesport exposition, this weekend! Check out Cate Huxtable, ACA staff, present about risk management and preventing paddling mishaps from becoming disasters or attend her "What's Up with SUP?" presentation, co-led with Jimmy Blakeney. 

Can't make it to any of the ACA presentations? Come visit our exhibitor booth or come and see us at the Paddling Club Rendezvous! Hope to see you there!

CANOECOPIA Event Information

ACA Attends White House Conference on Conservation

On Friday, President Obama and members of his Cabinet held the White House Conference on Conservation: Growing America’s Outdoor Heritage and Economy at the Department of Interior in Washington, DC. Part of America's Great Outdoors Initiative (AGO), the day aimed to strengthen partnerships and identify next steps in advancing community-driven conservation and outdoor recreation initiatives that are building strong local economies and healthy lands, waters and wildlife across America.

The American Canoe Association (ACA) was invited to participate in the day’s proceedings and was represented by Wade Blackwood, Executive Director, and Cate Huxtable, Stewardship Coordinator. "You are the voices of conservation," said Department of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar addressing the diverse audience of conservation leaders from across the nation. 

The evening ended with an address from President Obama about the future of conservation and the importance of preserving our natural resources for generations to come. "There will always be people in this country who say we’ve got to choose between clean air and clean water and a growing economy, between doing right by our environment and putting people back to work. And I’m here to tell you that is a false choice… With smart, sustainable policies, we can grow our economy today and protect our environment for ourselves and our children," said Obama Friday evening. 

Read more about the White House Conference on Conservation. 

ACA in Small Craft Advisory Publication

The ACA’s work to bring together paddlesports and boating safety personnel has been recognized in the latest issue of Small Craft Advisory.  SCA is the publication of the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators.  Through a grant from the U.S. Coast Guard, the ACA is working to build a positive and productive relationship with boating safety agencies with the overall goal of increasing the safety and enjoyment of the paddling public.   

To find out more about the grant please visit the Advanced Boating page on the ACA website by clicking here.

WW Kayaking Survey

Multi-discipline ACA Instructor Joe Crowley is working on his master's thesis from Ohio University and is researching Continued Participation in Whitewater Kayaking.



"Whitewater kayaking is a sport defined by progression. Each paddler starts with the basics, learning proper terminology as well as fundamental skills. If this is true, then what allows some individuals to progress to the amazing levels we see in person, in videos, in images, and in Facebook updates, while others are left somewhere in between, often to their frustration? The goal of this research is to identify which constraints (barriers limiting or restricting an individual’s ability to participate in a given activity) are present at various points in the development of one’s kayaking "career” (leisure or professional), as well as what techniques (methods, strategies or procedures that allow an individual to work around a barrier) have proven successful in negotiating these barriers and allowed individuals to continue to progress. I thank you in advance for your willingness to participate!"

~ Joe Crowley

Take the Survey

White House Conference on Conservation

Yesterday, ACA Executive Director Wade Blackwood and Stewardship Coordinator Cate Huxtable represented paddlers at the White House Conference on Conservation: Growing America's Outdoor Heritage and Economy.  This conference, held at the Department of the Interior, brought together a wide range of entities to advise the White House.

To learn more about what the ACA does for America's waterways on behalf of all paddlers, contact the ACA Stewardship Coordinator, Cate Huxtable.

Osprey Sea Kayak Adventures - ACA Pro School

ACA Pro School Osprey Sea Kayak Adventures provides comprehensive sea & surf kayaking instruction & assessments, paddle board instruction, guided tours, environmental education & team building programs. They also offer kayak & paddleboard rentals & sales, and unique adventure trips along coastal Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and the Caribbean.

For more information visit http://www.ospreyseakayak.com/ or contact westport@ospreyseakayak.com

Geneva Kayak Center - ACA Pro School

ACA Prol School Geneva Kayak Center proudly serves the entire Chicago area with the finest in boats and accessories, local kayak tours and instruction. Their goal is to promote the sport of kayaking to the greater Chicago area and the Midwest through safety and education. In addition to their local offerings, they offer spectacular Adventure Paddling Trips for beginner to advanced paddlers, to amazing locations in the Midwest, Alaska, Greece, Mexico and the UK. Whether you want to enjoy an afternoon on the river or are preparing for a two-week expedition, they believe the sport of kayaking should be fun, and can be enjoyed by all.

For more information visit http://www.genevakayak.com/ or contact rrushton@genevakayak.com