Our Kayak Course
Want to make the kayak leg a highlight of your Coast to Coast race? This course is the first step in becoming a competent, certified Grade 2 kayaker. Facilitated by World Champion kayaker Ben Fouhy, our courses equip you with the knowledge, skills, and techniques to not only take on the Kathmandu Coast to Coast but to feel you belong on your epic multisport adventure.
Our North Island-based multisport kayaking courses are comprehensive, teaching beginners and enthusiasts everything they need to know to tackle the Coast to Coast kayak leg and prepare them for any future river adventures. Get in touch with any questions or to book a spot
By taking Ben on as your instructor and mentor you will have the confidence of having someone at your side who gives 100% on the water and who has travelled the same road as you are about to take yourself, who knows that trepidation one feels at the beginning of their multisport and kayaking journey. 26 years of multisport and kayaking at all levels provides him with the foundation of experience to help you become the best you can be as efficiently as possible.
Course Outline
Introduction to Kayaking Technique
Day One
Morning Session – Flatwater kayak session covering the fundamentals of paddling technique and boat handling that the rest of the course builds on. Kayaking on moving water starts with understanding how your multisport boat works on flatwater, how to apply power, and which kayak strokes to use when. If you aren't confident your kayak is set up right, we can get that sorted during this session too.
Afternoon Session – Introduction to moving water (Grade 1). We take your new skills from the morning session to the moving water and introduce you to the basics of river paddling.
Whitewater Skills in whitewater boats
Day Two
On day two, we introduce you to Grade 2 rivers and apply your Day One learning to proper rapids. We use whitewater boats for this day, which are a fun, disarming introduction to Grade 2. They help you develop a feel for the connection between you and your boat, railing your boat and actively using your paddle. Time in whitewater kayaks adds depth to your kayaking experience that translates into being a better multisport kayaker.
We’ll start with a practice session familiarising yourself with paddle strokes in these boats and then straight into some easy river trips to get the skills locked in through practice. We'll provide you with a whitewater kayak, paddle, and spray deck for this day. You will use the same personal gear as in a multisport boat (PFD, helmet, etc).
Grade 2 rivers in multisport kayaks
Day Three
Now that you have dipped (probably more than your toes) into whitewater, you will jump back into your longer multisport boats to combine the basics from Day One with the whitewater introduction from Day Two in a full-length Grade 2 river trip.
There will be plenty of thrills and spills as you learn to handle these longer boats down the river. After Day Two , in the short, responsive whitewater boats, you will understand and appreciate the capabilities of your multisport boat much more. We will use many of the river features along the way to practice boat handling and self-rescue skills.
Consolidation and Practice
Day Four
The fourth day is when your newly developed kayak skills start moving into muscle memory - so they will be there for your next training day or adventure! By this stage, you should be able to read the river and keep yourself safe, make good line choices through rapids, wet exit and self rescue like a pro, be able to apply power with your paddle, use your edges, cut through an eddy, and execute an eddy line spin. In short, be ready to receive Grade 2 Kayak Certification! There will be time and opportunities to ask questions, challenge yourself, and consolidate your skills to get the most out of this stage of your kayaking journey.
Please note that although many people do achieve their Grade 2 from very little experience in 4 days, there are plenty who don’t. From our experience, those who have had to go away and come back, have come back stronger and ultimately become more competent. Kayaking is a journey not a destination. There is a lot to take in but the reward of mastering a new skill is worth it.
2025 Kayak Course information
Course Dates
3 - 6 April
17 - 20 April
1 - 4 May
15 - 18 May
29 May - 1 June
When selecting a course date ensure your calendar is free Thursday - Sunday on the following week as a backup for bad weather - aka too much water!!
Pricing
4 Day Course – $1349
Additional training days or Grade 2 resit – $390
The Fine Print..or How to Get the Most Out of this Course
From working with hundreds of paddlers, we have found that it takes often takes beginner paddler about 6 days of instruction to be capable and confident. Many are surprised by how hard but also how satisfying kayaking is. This is proficiency based course: if we don’t think you are ready to have a good experience or be able to keep yourself safe on Grade 2 rivers we won’t certify you.
Good preparation includes paddling 2-3 times a week for at least six weeks leading up to the course—doesn’t have to be epic paddles, just time getting familiar with being in a boat. Booking a pre-course intro lesson with us is also valuable, especially for those completely new to paddling. On its own, a single 4-day course is never enough to get you 100% ready for a great Coast to Coast paddle.
Often the paddlers who did not “pass” the first time end up becoming the strongest, most competent paddlers after they take time to practice and then do a resit on a later river trip. Truly mastering kayaking takes years (Ben can attest to this). There is a lot to take in, and the reward of becoming competent is worth the time and effort. Come with an open mindset and focus on learning and you will get the most out of the course.
Lock it in
If this sounds like a bit of you, then drop us a line to begin the registration process
Testimonials
ShaneDoing the grade 2 course with Ben Fouhy is second to none. I went from zero experience and skill in a kayak to paddling the Waimak river in 5 hours in the coast to coast in 9 months! Ben is a wealth of knowledge and experience which he imparts on his students during the 4 days of course, he not only teaches the basics you need to know but goes over and above to ensure students have the knowledge and confidence to attack rapids. Learning the difference between floating down the river and paddling through rapids with confidence is the difference to have a successful coast to coast experience and enjoy the kayak
NicI recently did my grade 2 river certificate with Ben Fouhy Kayaking it was excellent. I am a complete novice and Ben helped me with sourcing my gear right through to being confident on a grade 2 river. This course offers a high level of water time along side the safety theory. I believe it was fantastic value for money and would recommend it to everyone. If you want to learn kayaking you might as well learn from an Olympian!!!
NikkiI was an absolute novice paddler when I signed up to do my Grade 2 Certificate with Ben. Ben is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about teaching others. His course progressively builds on your river knowledge and skills which I found an excellent foundation to start my C2C journey. He offers the complete package from assistance with gear, recommendations and helping find a kayak, mentoring and tips along the way.
I went from being very nervous about the whole thing, to having the confidence on the day to actually enjoy the paddling and the kayak being the highlight of my race! I was also pretty stoked to come away with a win in my age-group for the 2 day individual, which wouldn't have happened without Ben's teaching. Thanks Ben!!
SamI completed my Grade 2 course with Ben 2 years ago when on the waiting list for the Coast to Coast 2-day individual.
Without any prior experience I attempted to teach myself how to paddle for 6 months or so before enrolling in one of Ben’s courses. In hindsight, this should have been the first thing I did as I would have been that much further along.
It goes without saying that Ben’s knowledge & experience in this space is top shelf. He expresses through his teaching a true desire to make you a competent paddler, not just to sign the bit of paper saying you have done the course.
I would highly recommend.
MarkFull appreciation and HUGE respect for Ben and what he teaches you about the River and the respect we need to give it. It was not only about coming down for 4 days and getting a certificate at the end, but Ben taught us fundamentals I would never have been able to pick up myself.
The course structure made sense when reflecting on the 4 days and how Ben builds you up with not only core river skills and how to read and feel the river, but also the confidence to paddle it. The white water boats was the conversion for myself personally as to how to read the river and paddle it safely but also efficiently.
JacquiI did my grade 2 river certificate with Ben Fouhy Kayaking in April 2021. I had no river experience at all and I am training for Coast to Coast. Over 4 days Ben taught me all the skills I would need! We did 8 river trips and learnt so much. Ben is so fantastic at taking difficult concepts and making them so you can easily understand and implement them. I highly recommend Ben Fouhy Kayaking; when learning you might as well learn from the best!!