Regardless of whether or not you have experience in rowing or paddling, every new member is checked out by the coach before being allowed to launch on their own.

Achieving “certification” – that is, permission to launch without the coach and apply for membership – is attained by demonstrating basic technical and boat-handling skills, as well as by receiving safety and navigational instruction.

By the time you are “certified” by the coach to go out on the water on your own, whether experienced or a raw beginner, you will have passed an extensive training course covering technical skills, safety and navigation.