Kayaking is a sport that's easy to enjoy the first time out. You don't need days of lessons to get started in a kayak, and our Beginner tours visit many of the same spots that delight the most advanced paddlers.
Atlantic Kayak Tours provides everything you need as a first-time paddler. All the equipment, introductory instruction, experienced guides - and friendly people just like you. There are some new paddlers on every Beginner tour.
A typical day: At our meeting place, guides work individually with each client to set you up with the boat and equipment that fit you best. On-land orientation covers paddling basics. On the water, our guides move around and offer help as needed. We try to have one guide for every 4 or 5 paddlers, and almost all of our staff were Atlantic Kayak Tours clients at one time. Beginner tours move at a comfortable pace with rest stops for water and enjoying the view. We take an hour for lunch and usually arrive back at the meeting place about 4:00 PM.
Do kayaks tip over? Capsizes are rare on Beginner tours. But if you find yourself in the water, our guides will help you back into your boat in short order. We practice rescues all the time, to maintain our skills and just for the fun of it. On hot days, lots of us will capsize on purpose.
What to wear and bring? A detailed list of what to wear and bring will be sent to you when you register, along with driving directions to our meeting place.
If you sign up for a program that is not at one of our Centers, then a boat will be carried to the site for you and you will not have a choice of kayaks. Although you have given us your weight and height on the registiration form, it's hard for us to pick the perfect kayak for you without knowing you. If you are of average size, you're likely to get a kayak that fits you well. The further you are from average size - in either direction - the more important it will be for you to do your first program from a Center. Or, you might like to stop by a Center before your program, and sit in a number of kayaks to get an idea of which boats are a good fit.
Atlantic Kayak Tours has kayak tours in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Rhode Island, but specializes in the Hudson River. The Hudson Valley offers many beautiful kayak tours. Beginner Kayak instructional programs are offered at our Annsville Creek Paddlesport Center Center in Peekskill, Cortlandt area of the Hudson Valley and at our Norrie Point Paddlesport Center in Staatsburg, between Hyde Park and Rhinebeck.
Is Your Personal Kayak Acceptable?
To have the best first time experience you should do a shorter program from the Annsville Creek Paddlesports Center or Norrie Point Paddlesport Center. The best first program is our Annsville Easy Tour or Norrie Short Tour. It is a half day guided program from the Paddlersports Center. As we have over 100 kayaks at Annsville Creek Paddlesport Center we can get you into a kayak the best suits your size and needs. If you don't like the kayak you start the program in, you can try more kayaks when we get back to the Center (at no additional charge). Finding the correct kayak has a great deal to do with your enjoyment of kayaking. Besides the Annsville Easy Tour and Norrie Short Tour, other good first time options includes;
- Thursday Night Skill Sessions (only $20)
- Half day Kayak Rental (starting at $35)
- Sunset Program ($70 including equipment)
If you sign up for a program which is not at the Centers then a boat will be carried for you on a trailer and you will not have a choice of kayaks. While we have you put your height and weight on the registration form, it is hard for us to pick the perfect kayak without knowing you. If you are average size you are likely to get a kayak which fits you well. The less you are average sized the more important it is to do your first program from the Center or at lest come to the Center and sit in a number of kayaks.
How Do I Learn to Kayak?
Learn skills not strokes. Strokes place too much emphasis on the paddle. Kayaking is about the body, the boat and the blade. Your first kayak experience should be a shorter program to introduce yourself to kayaking (see My First Time)
After a couple of days kayaking, a Basics Instruction program will start to give you the building blocks for kayaking. Then you need time in the boat. Paddle with us or a club and try to do some Thursday Night Skill Sessions. Then get on the Core Techniques program. Building your skills on flat water in a safe controlled environment. After Core Techniques, the Safety & Rescue (Canoe Safety Test) will cover the safety skills that all paddlers should have. Safety & Rescue is one of the most important programs to take.
Once your building blocks have begun to be put in place it is time to start applying them in different environments. Take the Whitewater Skills Course, the Surf Zone. Join in on a game of Polo during the Thursday Night Skills Sessions. A variety of experiences will make you a better, and safer, paddler. If you'd just like to get your feet wet for an hour or two in a protected setting, rental kayaks are available at our Annsville Creek Paddlesport Center.
- Have more questions? Try our FAQ page.
- Tailored one-on-one coaching sessions with Personal Kayak Training.
- Want to learn about paddling without going on the water? Check our Expert Center.
- Want to learn about "The Hudson: History and Habitat", A Primer for Kayakers.
- Need a brochure or registration form? Download from our Literature Page.
- Want to know more about Atlantic Kayak Tours? Check our Company Page.
- Want to surf this site better? Check the Site Information Page.
- Looking to purchase kayak equipment? Check the Paddlesport site for information.
- Looking for other kayak information? Check our Links Page.
- Never been in a kayak, but want to go. Check Annsville Easy Tour.
- Want to see where our Hudson River programs are? Check the Interactive Map.
- Want an inexpensive way to try Kayaking. Thursday Night Skill Sessions only $20.
- Want to rent a kayak to go on your own? Check the Rental Page for information.
- Can't wait to kayak? Download Kayak Wallpaper for your computer.
- What do other clients have to say about Atlantic Kayak Tours? Read Clients Notes.
- Want to sign up now? Download a
Registration Form and mail it in.
E-mail us and let us know what you would like to see on this page.
