Becoming an Assistant Guide
You must have the following qualifications to be eligible for Assistant Guide Certification:
- Successful completion of a certified ACSKG Leadership Course
CFOKE Leadership Course graduates qualify for ACSKG assistant guide certification.
( CFOKE = Canadian Federation of Ocean Kayak Educators )
- A recommendation by the Leadership Course Instructor to the ACSKG.
- First aid - please see: Wilderness First Aid Requirements
- You must have a valid restricted VHF radio operator's certificate (maritime).
- You must submit your paperwork, an application form, and the annual fee of $20. (You may download the assistant guide application form in PDF format, print it, fill it out and mail it to the ACSKG.)
Apprenticeship Period as an Assistant Guide
Apprenticing is working as an assistant guide on commercial sea kayak trips in Canadian Coastal Waters (CCW). There are essentially three ways to complete an apprenticeship in order to qualify to take the
ACSKG Full Guide's Examination:
- 100 days apprenticeship with an ACSKG full guide.
- 50 days apprenticeship with an ACSKG full guide plus a letter of recommendation from that guide.
- 100 days or more apprenticeship with an non-ACSKG full guide in CCW of Class II plus the approval of the ACSKG Evaluation Committee.
Becoming a Full Guide
You must have the following qualifications to be eligible for Class I and II Full Guide Certification:
- You must have completed an apprenticeship as described above.
- You must have logged at least two non-commercial trips, both longer than 10 days and 60 route miles each on Class II or III coastline.
- First aid - please see: Wilderness First Aid Requirements
- You must have a valid restricted VHF radio operator's certificate (maritime).
- Successful completion of the ACSKG Full Guide's Examination
- All full guides will be required to complete and submit a Guide Log each year.
- You must submit the annual fee of $50 and any updated first aid certification to stay current each year.
- Every five years, full guides are required to complete and submit the full guide application form.
- Please do not leave all this until the last minute; the ACSKG is generally not able to issue certificates on short notice.
Transfer Method: Full guides certified by another reputable sea kayak guide organization may be eligible to transfer to the ACSKG without an exam. This process is considered on a case-by-case basis. Applicants must submit logs detailing extensive sea kayak guiding experience. Transfer fee is $100, then $50 per year to maintain membership.
Becoming a Class III Full Guide
You must have the following qualifications to obtain a Class III Full Guide Endorsement:
- You must have operated as a Full Guide for 180 days in Class II CCW and logged at least 200 miles on Class III coastline.
- A recommendation by another Class III guide.
Class II coastline can be extremely dangerous and requires the utmost in caution and preparation.
Instructors
To be eligible as an Instructor for the ACSKG you must have logged 300 days as a Full Guide, at least 200 of which were in CCW of Class II level and you must be recommended by another Instructor of the ACSKG.
Leadership Courses
ACSKG certified guide training programs are offered by a number
of
companies.
Any new leadership course must submit its curriculum and agenda
for review and be approved by the Standards Committee and an ACSKG
Instructor. All ACSKG certified leadership courses follow the ACSKG
Core Curriculum and are run in a
northern Pacific Ocean outer coast region. Courses must be taught by one ACSKG Instructor and either one ACSKG Full Guide, or one ACSKG Assistant Guide with 100 days guiding logged in Class II Canadian Coastal Waters.
Entry
|
ACSKG Leadership Course
CFOKE courses also qualify
|
Apprenticeship as Assistant Guide
|
ACSKG Full Guide Exam
See alternate Transfer Method
|
Full Guide
|
Class III Full Guide / Instructor / Examiner
If discrepancies exist between ACSKG printed material and material published on the ACSKG website, the online content will be considered valid. The most up-to-date content is published at: ACSKG.ca