Paddling
Competitive and instructional paddling
Paddling plays a big role in our competitive sports program. As a member of the Ontario Paddling Association, Camp Ak-O-Mak is an official Canoe Club. All campers are instructed in the fundamentals of pleasure canoeing as this is one of our primary modes of transportation at camp! We also provide instruction and competitive training in sprint canoeing (C1, C2, C4 and War Canoe) and kayak racing.
In addition to canoeing and kayaking, we also offer instruction in sailing and windsurfing.
Paddling – a perfect compliment to swimming
Swimmers are a natural fit for paddling because of their extraordinary upper body strength and this advantage has often led Ak-O-Makkers to medals at regattas with novice paddlers. Our expert coaching, longer camp sessions and our war canoe tradition are all factors responsible for the rapid development of our paddlers.
Sprint canoe, war canoe and kayaking
The definition of a canoe and a kayak differs from one country to another. In Canada, a kayak is always seated and paddled with a double-bladed paddle while a canoe is generally kneeled and paddled with a single-bladed paddle. We train in sprint kayaking and sprint canoeing, which are also referred to as “flatwater racing”. There are three categories of sprint canoes and kayaks:
| C1: single kneeling canoe | K-1: single seat kayak | |
| C2: double kneeling canoe | K-2: double seated kayak | |
| C4: four person kneeling canoe | K-4: four-seated kayak | |
War Canoe
War canoe is largely a Canadian sport and is an important part of most Canadian canoe club racing programs. A war canoe holds 15 paddlers including one coxswain, or cox, for steering. War canoe is sometimes referred to as C-15 on regatta schedules, with the “C” standing for “Canadian Canoe”.
Canoe outings and regattas
Canoe outings are especially fun and encourage paddlers to pull together, enjoy good conversation or singing, and a chance to make new friends in a relaxed scenic environment. This helps each camper feel that she is part of the group. Campers attending the 7, 4 and sometimes 3 week sessions may be eligible to participate in a Regatta and experience the thrill of racing against other clubs.
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