Paddling Instruction & Certification Classes

For Kayakers & Rafters

Quick
Book
female kayaker surfing on the Santiam River in a Jackson kayak
Program
Summary
See
Camps
Oregon Rafting Trip On the Clackamas River
Our
FAQs
Contact
Us

Teaching Courses For 20+ Years

eNRG Kayaking offers paddling instruction for all skill levels, from whitewater kayaking to raft guiding. We offer a variety of courses to help you get started or improve your skills. Our beginner kayaking courses cover the fundamentals of paddling, river safety, and hydrology. This minimizes risk of injury and turns paddling into a lifelong passion.

Take one of our courses taught by instructors certified by the American Canoe Associationto learn how to kayak and raft guide. We also teach certification classes in swiftwater rescue and ACA instructor training, so you can become a qualified instructor yourself.

Our Instruction Classes

White Water Kayaking

  • Difficulty: No Experience Required
  • Ages: 16+
  • Duration: 2 Days
  • Price: $325

eNRG Kayaking’s Whitewater Kayaking program offers courses for beginners and improvers. Whitewater 101 is a two-day introduction for total beginners, covering basic skills, safety, and river features. Students get hands-on experience. Whitewater 102 builds on these skills, teaching participants to navigate rapids using strokes and river features.

LEARN MORE »     QUICK BOOK »

Flat Water Kayaking / Paddleboarding

  • Difficulty: No Experience Required
  • Ages: 16+
  • Duration: 1 Hour
  • Price: $40

eNRG Kayaking offers a beginner-friendly, one-hour Intro to Kayak/SUP class on the Willamette River in Oregon City. This class equips you with the basics to get paddling confidently and explore the beauty of local waterways.

LEARN MORE »     QUICK BOOK »

Indoor Pool Classes

  • Difficulty: No Experience Required
  • Ages: 16+
  • Duration: 2 Hours
  • Price: $60

Looking to ease into kayaking or brush up on skills before hitting whitewater? eNRG Kayaking offers Intro to Kayak/SUP classes in a warm water environment. This is a perfect option for beginners or those wanting to improve comfort, basic strokes, or even learn how to perform a kayak roll. It’s a great way to get ready for the excitement of spring whitewater courses!

LEARN MORE »     QUICK BOOK »

Raft Guide School

  • Difficulty: Prior Raft Experience Required
  • Ages: 16+
  • Duration: 2 Days
  • Price: $350

This is a two-day Raft Guide School offered by eNRG Kayaking. The course is designed to teach people the skills required to safely enjoy whitewater rafting. The program includes both classroom instruction and experiential education on the river. Participants will learn about hydrology, reading whitewater, knots, rope work, and river reading as well as practicing flip drills, whitewater swimming, and throwbagging.

LEARN MORE »     QUICK BOOK »

ACA Instructor Certification

  • Difficulty: Prior Paddling Required
  • Ages: 18+
  • Duration: 2-5 Days
  • Price: Varies

The ACA Kayak Instructor Certification Course teaches the skills and knowledge required to become a professional kayak instructor. The course covers paddling skills, teaching skills, safety awareness, and interpersonal skills. In addition to classroom instruction, the course also includes practical on-water demonstrations

LEARN MORE »

Instruction & Certification Dates

Why Get Into Paddling?

Kayaking and rafting are fantastic ways to get outdoors and enjoy the beauty of rivers and lakes. They provide a full-body workout that is easy on your joints, strengthening your core, arms, back and shoulders. Being out on the water is also a great way to relieve stress and connect with nature.

In addition to the physical and mental benefits, kayaking and rafting can also be a thrilling adventure. Whitewater kayaking allows you to navigate exciting rapids, while rafting provides a fun social activity that is perfect for groups.

SUMMER CAMP FAQs

Lunch, snacks, water, sunscreen, clothing that can get wet, wind/rain jacket, additional warmth layers, and a change of clothing. Please wear shoes that stay on.

We will meet at our shop in Oregon City (1701 Clackamette Dr. Oregon City OR 97045). You are welcome to arrive up to 15 minutes prior to camp start/end.

eNRG Kayaking Camps are a perfect fit for families and kids who are inspired by our educational principles. This includes using paddling as a platform for self-growth and river stewardship. Our camps may NOT be a good fit for families who do not meet our goals. Campers need to be prepared to build character and resilience in a wilderness environment. Our counselors are facilitators in their experiences but campers must hold some responsibility when it comes to respecting others, their surroundings, and themselves. 

eNRG Camps Are Great For Those Who Can:

● Adhere to safety instructions

● Follow group dynamics

● Take an active role in minimizing risks

● Open to cultivate outdoor curiosity

● Embrace challenges and adapt to adversity

● Engage in a world outside of phones and electronics

● Connecting with nature and fellow campers

Our Camps May Not Be The Best Fit With Kids Who:

● Are afraid of water or can’t swim

● Have short attention spans regarding coaching & instruction

● Lack interest in outdoor recreation

● Unable to handle physical and weather related issues

● Unable to communicate with peers and staff effectively when problems arise.

 Be Active. Be Outdoors.

Our staff enjoy engaging with students who can share the same passion we have with paddling and have a continued desire to learn across the multiple years that they are with us. We provide stepping stones for campers with a furthered interest in sports, internships, employment opportunities, and a hobby that can last well into adulthood.

Youth Responsibilities

We hold a high standard for youth at eNRG Kayaking because of the immersive and active experiences they participate in. Children must understand that there is inherent risk to paddling, as with any activity, and thus trust is placed upon them to act responsibly. Any rules we have in place are to minimize said risk and to ensure all campers have a fair share of attention. This is essential for children to build their own risk awareness and leadership skills with our guidance.

It's A Team Experience

Engaging behavior is critical to creating a constructive learning environment. As such, we ask for each child and parent to acknowledge our “Code of Conduct”. Camper actions that don’t adhere to our group can be at a minimum distracting and at a maximum put the rest of the group participating in an activity at higher risk. We appreciate camper and parent participation to help kids explore the results of real world choices and experiences. 

Camper participation includes:

●  Being respectful to others, the equipment, and the environment

●  Staying attentive to follow rules and boundaries

●  Actively applying my skills to keep myself safe

●  Notifying instructors or staff as soon as possible if I see something wrong, someone that is hurt, or a dangerous situation.

●  Acknowledging that, while paddling is mostly an individual sport, there are team elements required to maintain a safe environment.

Before rules are broken, counselors will:

● Have daily group meetings at the beginning/end of camp to provide positive and constructive feedback

● Communicate with parents during pickup regarding summarizing the day.

● Be proactive using conversations and redirection to prevent rules from being broken in the first place.

If rules are broken:

●  Minor offense: If a camper exhibits behavior disruptive to camp function, then a verbal warning and timeout may be issued.

●  Repeated minor offenses: In the event that this behavior continues, then a guardian will be notified at the end of the day.

●  Major offense: After a participant exhibits disruptive behavior that puts the safety of themselves or others at risk, then a guardian may have to swiftly respond for early pickup.

●  Repeated major offenses: If this behavior continues or poses a severe safety risk (Regardless of if prior offenses were noted), then this camper will be removed from the rest of camp (No refunds/credit).

While we rarely kick people out of camp, these guidelines will help us have a great week together, and set campers up for success in paddling and in life! Thank you!

Trips run rain or shine, except during extreme conditions including lightning, high winds, and excessive smoke onsite.

It is difficult to fill a spot vacated at the last moment. For this reason, we offer a 75% refund with 21+ days notice or voucher with credit for the paid amount. Less than 21-0 days notice means all refund/benefits will be forfeited. We do not prorate tuition for days missed due to illness, injury, or inappropriate behavior.

eNRG Kayaking reserves the right to postpone or cancel any trip due to inclement weather, under enrollment, or other unforeseen circumstances, and will issue a full refund in this instance.

We pride ourselves in offering high quality instruction. For this reason, our lead guides have ACA instructor certifications, First Aid, CPR, and Swift Rescue skills.

Every child needs a waiver signed by a parent/guardian prior to the start of camp (One for each camp if they are attending multiple). You can fill on out here.