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Performance Paddling Clinics

Our Performance Paddling Clinics bring celebrity instructors to Charles River Canoe & Kayak. These instructors are world-renowned and have years of teaching and paddling experience, and their classes augment our Paddling School offerings. A list of these currently scheduled clinics appears below. Make sure you're on the e-mail list to find out when these celebrity instructors will be coming next.
Ben Lawry — Kayaking
Ben Lawry has been paddling for over 35 years, and teaching/guiding for over 20. He has taught paddling on five continents and competed on three. Presently he works as head instructor and owner of Kayak Camp with his wife, Elizabeth. Ben presented at both the US WW symposium and the National ACA Conference in 2010. He has led trips and traveled extensively in South America, South Africa, Europe and North America. As a brand ambassador, he is involved with kayak design in sea, light-touring, and racing kayaks. He enjoys competing in a variety of racing events and has won the General Clinton, Blackburn Challenge, and Run of the Charles races.
Private LessonDry-Land Rolling Class
Touring Forward Stroke Clinic Racing Forward Stroke Clinic
Core Paddling Clinic Advanced Kayak Maneuvering
1.5-Hour Private Lesson with Ben Lawry
Spend 90 minutes with Ben Lawry improving your kayaking skills, dialing in your technique, and picking his brain. You choose the topics and the pace! Ben has worked with thousands of students around the world, and you can benefit from this incomparable experience with a private lesson. Ben can accommodate up to two students in one time slot. Boat rental is additional.
Can't make it to Ben's private lesson times? Schedule a time with one of our own expert instructors!
Private Lesson with Ben Lawry meets at our Newton Boathouse.
$129 includes 90 minutes of instruction for one student.
$199 for two students.
Registration & Cancellation Policies for Classes & Trips
  • Full payment is due upon registration for a class, clinic, or trip.
  • For cancellations received 7 days or more before your scheduled activity, we will issue a refund less a 10% registration fee.
  • For cancellations received fewer than 7 days before your scheduled activity, we are unable to offer any refunds.
  • Classes, clinics, and trips always run unless the weather is extreme.
  • A minimum number of registrants is required for any event to run. If we cancel an event due to low enrollment, we will provide a full refund.
  • Each participant will be required to sign a waiver of liability. To save time, you can download this waiver and bring it with you.
    • No Dates Are Currently Scheduled
    Ben Lawry's Dry-Land Rolling Class
    Ben's Dry-Land Rolling Class is designed for anyone looking to start learning Eskimo rolling or work on rolling skills that haven't quite been mastered. Since holding one's breath is a barrier to learning, Ben has developed dry-land rolling. It allows you to go through all the motions of rolling without the worry of being underwater. Once you have the muscles trained, you can progress to the water with a strong idea of the motions you will be executing. This class is taught entirely on land and does not contain an on-water or in-water component.
    Ben Lawry's One-Hour Dry-Land Rolling Class meets at our Newton Boathouse.
    $25 includes one hour of dry-land instruction.
    Registration & Cancellation Policies for Classes & Trips
  • Full payment is due upon registration for a class, clinic, or trip.
  • For cancellations received 7 days or more before your scheduled activity, we will issue a refund less a 10% registration fee.
  • For cancellations received fewer than 7 days before your scheduled activity, we are unable to offer any refunds.
  • Classes, clinics, and trips always run unless the weather is extreme.
  • A minimum number of registrants is required for any event to run. If we cancel an event due to low enrollment, we will provide a full refund.
  • Each participant will be required to sign a waiver of liability. To save time, you can download this waiver and bring it with you.
    • No Dates Are Currently Scheduled
    Ben Lawry's Core Paddling
    Ben's Core Paddling Clinic covers the basics of kayaking. Its goal is to provide a solid ergonomic and efficient set of skills for people to grow through their kayaking career.
    We begin with correct grip and hand placement on the paddle shaft, boat fit, and an explanation of terms. Balance, posture, and tilting/edging/leaning are covered, as is correct blade and boat use, to guarantee a good foundation from which to grow. Strokes covered may include forward and reverse sweeps, pivot turns, reverse stroke, forward stroke and low braces.
    This class will benefit kayakers of all levels, including racers!
    Ben Lawry's Three-Hour Core Paddling Clinic meets at our Newton Boathouse.
    $65 includes three hours of instruction.
    $80 includes use of a composite or plastic sea kayak.
    Registration & Cancellation Policies for Classes & Trips
  • Full payment is due upon registration for a class, clinic, or trip.
  • For cancellations received 7 days or more before your scheduled activity, we will issue a refund less a 10% registration fee.
  • For cancellations received fewer than 7 days before your scheduled activity, we are unable to offer any refunds.
  • Classes, clinics, and trips always run unless the weather is extreme.
  • A minimum number of registrants is required for any event to run. If we cancel an event due to low enrollment, we will provide a full refund.
  • Each participant will be required to sign a waiver of liability. To save time, you can download this waiver and bring it with you.
    • No Dates Are Currently Scheduled
    Ben Lawry's Touring Forward Stroke Clinic
    Ben's Touring Forward Stroke Clinic is designed for experienced paddlers in sea kayaks and race-style boats. The grip, paddle, and body are covered as we work toward a solid and efficient forward stroke for the racer, fitness paddler, and touring kayaker. Efficiency and correct body use are the keys here to keep you paddling for hours at a time with ease and grace. A great benefit to the sea kayaker who paddles forward 99% of the time, or the racer looking to improve their times.
    Ben Lawry's Three-Hour Touring Forward Stroke Clinic meets at our Newton Boathouse.
    $65 includes three hours of instruction.
    $80 includes use of a composite or plastic sea kayak.
    Registration & Cancellation Policies for Classes & Trips
  • Full payment is due upon registration for a class, clinic, or trip.
  • For cancellations received 7 days or more before your scheduled activity, we will issue a refund less a 10% registration fee.
  • For cancellations received fewer than 7 days before your scheduled activity, we are unable to offer any refunds.
  • Classes, clinics, and trips always run unless the weather is extreme.
  • A minimum number of registrants is required for any event to run. If we cancel an event due to low enrollment, we will provide a full refund.
  • Each participant will be required to sign a waiver of liability. To save time, you can download this waiver and bring it with you.
    • No Dates Are Currently Scheduled
    Ben Lawry's Racing Forward Stroke Clinic
    Ben's Racing Forward Stroke Clinic is designed specifically for experienced paddlers in race-style kayaks. The grip, paddle, and body are covered as we work toward a technically perfect forward stroke for the racer and fitness paddler. We focus on power, efficiency, and dialing in our technique, with the ultimate goal of improving our times.
    Ben Lawry's Three-Hour Racing Forward Stroke Clinic meets at our Newton Boathouse.
    $65 includes three hours of instruction.
    $80 includes use of a composite or plastic sea kayak.
    Registration & Cancellation Policies for Classes & Trips
  • Full payment is due upon registration for a class, clinic, or trip.
  • For cancellations received 7 days or more before your scheduled activity, we will issue a refund less a 10% registration fee.
  • For cancellations received fewer than 7 days before your scheduled activity, we are unable to offer any refunds.
  • Classes, clinics, and trips always run unless the weather is extreme.
  • A minimum number of registrants is required for any event to run. If we cancel an event due to low enrollment, we will provide a full refund.
  • Each participant will be required to sign a waiver of liability. To save time, you can download this waiver and bring it with you.
    • No Dates Are Currently Scheduled
    Ben Lawry's Advanced Kayak Maneuvering
    Ben's Advanced Kayak Maneuvering Clinic will help you steer your boat strongly, smoothly, and efficiently. We will play with the difference between draw strokes and rudder strokes, and focus on the appropriateness and selection of the stroke. A keen interest will be on safety and ergonomics while keeping the boat moving smoothly in our intended arc. We will explore how to set up the boat, paddle, and torso to make the strokes most effective.
    Ben Lawry's Three-Hour Advanced Kayak Maneuvering Clinic meets at our Newton Boathouse.
    $65 includes three hours of instruction.
    $80 includes use of a composite or plastic sea kayak.
    Registration & Cancellation Policies for Classes & Trips
  • Full payment is due upon registration for a class, clinic, or trip.
  • For cancellations received 7 days or more before your scheduled activity, we will issue a refund less a 10% registration fee.
  • For cancellations received fewer than 7 days before your scheduled activity, we are unable to offer any refunds.
  • Classes, clinics, and trips always run unless the weather is extreme.
  • A minimum number of registrants is required for any event to run. If we cancel an event due to low enrollment, we will provide a full refund.
  • Each participant will be required to sign a waiver of liability. To save time, you can download this waiver and bring it with you.
    • No Dates Are Currently Scheduled
    		  
    Danielle DeForest — SUP
    Danielle DeForest loves the water and her job as a sales rep for     Werner Paddles. Her first experience paddling was on family canoe trips down the Saco as a toddler. As an adult, Danielle finds fun with a paddle in a variety of environments — rivers, lakes, and (her favorite) the ocean. "My most recent obsession is stand-up paddling." You will find Danielle paddle-surfing when the waves are good, otherwise she will be exploring the waters of Cape Cod (her home) and areas from Maine to Maryland (her Werner territory).
    Danielle started racing a couple years ago and found the competition a great way to challenge her both mentally and physically. "I like racing and the uncertainty of it. No two races are alike because no two bodies of water are alike, you have to train in all conditions and learn the skills to stay competitive. It isn't just about going fast, it is buoy turns and surf zones, it is understanding the current and using the wind to your advantage or stroke to handle a headwind." She looks forward to sharing her stoke of the sport with others and hopes to see you on the water.
    Danielle's SUP Forward Stroke Plus Clinic
    Now that the initial excitement of you becoming a Stand-Up Paddler has sunk in, it's time to start building your skills. The most important, the one that helps you spend more time on the water with the smallest recovery time is a good forward stroke. Plus, we will explore a variety of other maneuvers and skills to take you to the next level.
    Join Werner Paddle’s Danielle DeForest in this seminar to break down the SUP forward stroke and make it very simple to learn and apply on the water. This will be an interactive seminar for recreational paddlers and aspiring racers, so bring an open mind and be ready to have some fun.
    A portion of the proceeds from this clinic will be donated to the Charles River Watershed Association.
    Danielle Deforest's 2-Hour SUP Forward Stroke Plus Clinic meets at our Newton Boathouse.
    $50 includes two hours of instruction.
    $65 includes use of a stand-up paddleboard.
    Formal Introductory Instruction Recommended
    We recommend, but do not require, that students take our Introduction to SUP or a private lesson before participating in our Danielle Deforest's SUP Forward Stroke Plus Clinic.
    If you have had no formal training, you must have had significant SUP or surfing experience before participating. If you have questions about the pre-requisites for our Danielle Deforest's SUP Forward Stroke Plus Clinic, please contact us.
    Registration & Cancellation Policies for SUP Classes
  • Full payment is due upon registration for a class.
  • For cancellations received 7 days or more before your scheduled activity, we will issue a refund less a 10% registration fee.
  • For cancellations received fewer than 7 days before your scheduled activity, we are unable to offer any refunds.
  • Classes always run unless the weather is extreme.
  • A minimum number of registrants is required for any event to run. If we cancel an event due to low enrollment, we will provide a full refund.
  • Each participant will be required to sign a waiver of liability. To save time, you can download this waiver and bring it with you.
    • Pre-Requisites & Requirements. Before signing up, you must have:
  • Formal introductory instruction, like our Introduction to SUP, is recommended but not required.
    • No Dates Are Currently Scheduled
    Cheri Perry & Turner Wilson — Kayaking
    Cheri and Turner are sole partners in Kayak Ways, a venture based on the notion that the traditional kayaking skills of the Inuit seal-catchers
    offer valuable lessons for the modern-day recreational kayaker. For the last six years they have been going far and wide teaching these uniquely consistent and practical kayaking skills.
    Cheri and Turner have mentored skinny-stick skills all over the world. Cheri competed in the Greenland National Kayaking Championships in both 2004 & 2005. She is widely regarded as one of the best Greenland-style kayak rollers in the world.
    Turner is one of those rare paddlers outside of Greenland who began paddling with a traditional blade. He competed in the 2005 Greenland National Kayaking Championships in Paamiut, winning six Gold Medals
    Cheri & Turner's Greenland Paddling Workshop
    Explore the elegance and ease of Greenland strokes: canted, sliding, vertical, bow and stern sweeps, bow and stern rudders, sculling draws. Learn the balance brace, sculling brace, and chest scull, as
    well as low, high, and deep-pry brace recoveries. Engage the extensive Greenland rolling repertoire: layback, forward, and sculling rolls with the paddle, norsaq, hand, and more!
    Each day we teach strokes in the morning and rolling in the afternoon. The workshop operates similarly for both days, but we teach to who we have in the class. From very-advanced to very-new folks, all will get something out of the workshop. We often have a mix of folks who will take both days, and others who take one day.
    Since we work as a team we will often break the group up into a beginner, and advanced group as needed for strokes. We find that many advanced students learn a lot by watching the more basic rolling techniques, allowing them to make a breakthrough on more-advanced rolls.
    Students will need to bring or rent a kayak for the strokes component of the class. We will have some skin-on-frame boats for folks to share and try, especially during the rolling portion, and we provide paddles and tuiliqs as well.
    This workshop will be held at our Lake Cochituate location in Natick because the clear water and sandy beach make a perfect spot to work on paddling skills and rolling.
    To register for both days, you'll need to add each day to your reservation separately. Simply sign up for the first day and then click the "Add Another Activity" button to add the second day. If you have questions or need assistance, please call us at (617) 965-5110 and we'll be happy to help.
    Cheri & Turner's Greenland Paddling Workshop meets at our Lake Cochituate location in Natick.
    $175 includes one-day workshop with your own kayak.
    $199 includes one-day workshop with sea kayak rental.
    $325 includes two-day workshop (with complimentary sea kayak rental, if needed).
    Be Prepared to Wet Exit
    Students who have not performed a wet exit may sign up for our Greenland Paddling Workshop but must understand that they will be required to perform a wet exit at the beginning of class and that the class involves repeated immersion of the head and body while remaining in the kayak. Our instructors will teach and demonstrate the proper procedures beforehand. If you have questions, please contact us.
    Registration & Cancellation Policies for Classes & Trips
  • Full payment is due upon registration for a class, clinic, or trip.
  • For cancellations received 7 days or more before your scheduled activity, we will issue a refund less a 10% registration fee.
  • For cancellations received fewer than 7 days before your scheduled activity, we are unable to offer any refunds.
  • Classes, clinics, and trips always run unless the weather is extreme.
  • A minimum number of registrants is required for any event to run. If we cancel an event due to low enrollment, we will provide a full refund.
  • Each participant will be required to sign a waiver of liability. To save time, you can download this waiver and bring it with you.
    • Pre-Requisites & Requirements. Before signing up, you must have:
  • Expectation of performing wet exits and repeated immersions of the head and torso.
    • Upcoming Scheduled Dates:
    Sat, Jul. 6, 8:30 AMSun, Jul. 7, 8:30 AM
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