Articles, blog posts, videos and information about the skills used to go out on the water in a small boat.
Join Nick in Brooklin, Maine for "Family Week" at the WoodenBoat School for fun and adventure while learning the basics of sea kayaking. With over 40 years of kayaking experience, Nick is an accomplished kayaking instructor and coach.
Nick Schade is a Registered Maine Guide and with over 40 years of kayaking experience he knows how to use a kayak and can teach you to do the same.
This event highlights the crazy good waters local to where Nick Schade (of Guillemot Kayak) and Gerry Polinsky (of Sea Sherpa Kayak infamy) live and play. The CT/RI border area features great rocks, surf and is widely renowned for it’s tide races. This event will highlight Nick’s impressive self-taught skill. He’s all about the exploration and playtime. Gerry will brandish his normal barrage of instruction geared towards all things active water.
I often get questions to the effect of: "I have trouble keeping up with my friends, what kayak should I get?" Everyone knows that longer kayaks are faster, so obviously I should be recommending the longest kayaks I have to these folks.
I consider myself a cautious paddler, yet I have been "boarded" by the Coast Guard 3 times in the past year. "Boarding" is what the Coast Guard calls it when they stop you on the water for a safety check.
Paddlng safely in ocean water requires you pay attention to water temperature and conditions. You generally want to dress for the water temperature, not the air temperature.
Get away from the crowds into the East Coast's best sea kayaking and try some amazing wooden kayaks.
I am very excited to announce that I will be teaching a week-long on-the-water sea kayaking class in Maine this summer. If you have one of my designs, or you are interested in learning how to handle a sea kayak on the ocean, this is your chance to gain some great experience, while enjoying one of the prettiest places to paddle in the world.
