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Kayak Ontario - Navigation Level 3
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Kayak Ontario - Navigation Level 3

Kayak Ontario - Navigation Level 3

$175.00 CAD

Navigation Level 3: Crossings and Level 3 Prep

Part of the KO navigation series
Level 1Charts & bearings Level 2Set & drift Level 3Crossings On waterTobermory

Level 2 taught you to correct for drift on a single leg. Level 3 is the whole crossing: several legs, changing conditions, a decision point in the middle, and a plan that still works when the fog comes in.

Built for paddlers heading toward Level 3. Six live sessions on Saturday afternoons, every second week, with online lessons in between, in our Hamilton shop or on Zoom.

6Live Sessions
1.5 hrEach Session
Off-seasonAfter Paddling
L2Pass Required

What You'll Learn

Five topics over six sessions, finishing with a multi-day passage plan you build, defend and have assessed.

Tides & Currents
The tidal rules of thumb from Level 2 become working tools for real crossings.
  • The rule of twelfths and the 50/90/100 rule, applied
  • Turning tidal streams into a ferry angle you can hold
Secondary Stations
Most places you paddle aren't reference ports. Here's how to get the numbers anyway.
  • Working from reference ports to secondary stations
  • Applying time and height differences to plan your timing
Complex Trip Planning
Real crossings rarely have one set of conditions from start to finish.
  • Multi-leg crossings with changing wind or current
  • Abort criteria and bail-out points, set before you launch
Restricted Visibility & Emergency Scenarios
Navigating when there's nothing to aim at, and when the plan has to change fast.
  • Holding a bearing with no visual reference
  • Group navigation and sound signals in fog
  • Working emergency scenarios on the chart
Multi-Day Passage Plan
Two sessions: build the plan, then review and assessment.
  • A full multi-day coastal plan on your mailed chart
  • Assessed, with written feedback

2027 Sessions

All sessions run Saturday afternoons in the off-season, in our Hamilton shop or on Zoom. Each session's online lesson is due before you arrive. Registration closes Saturday, September 18, two weeks before session one, so your chart arrives in time.

  • Sat, Oct 2Session 1Tides and currents
  • Sat, Oct 16Session 2Secondary stations
  • Sat, Oct 30Session 3Complex trip planning
  • Sat, Nov 13Session 4Restricted visibility and emergency scenarios
  • Sat, Nov 27Session 5Multi-day passage plan: build
  • Sat, Dec 11Session 6Multi-day passage plan: review and assessment

What's Included

  • Six 1.5-hour live sessions, in our Hamilton shop or on Zoom
  • A paper practice chart, mailed to you
  • An assessed passage plan with feedback
  • Complete the series and join us for the final ceremony

Prerequisite: A pass on the Navigation Level 2 capstone. Not sure where you stand? Get in touch.

Who It's For

  • Paddlers preparing for Level 3
  • Anyone planning open-water crossings or multi-day coastal trips
  • Trip leaders who make the navigation calls for a group

On the water: Kayak Navigation: Charts, Tides, and Safety puts crossings and passage planning to work on the Tobermory coast.

Questions

Can I skip Level 2?
Level 3 starts where the Level 2 capstone ends, so a pass is required. If you already navigate at that level, get in touch and we'll talk through options.
Shop or Zoom?
Either, session by session. Both groups work on the same mailed chart at the same time.
Is this a certification course?
No. It's preparation. The crossing and passage-planning skills built here are the ones Level 3 courses expect you to arrive with.

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