{"product_id":"winter-paddling-clinic-hamilton-area","title":"Winter Paddling Clinic - Hamilton Area","description":"\u003c!-- Prepare for Cold Water Paddling — Full-Day Clinic — Paste via \u003c\/\u003e code editor --\u003e\n\u003cstyle\u003e\n  .ko-clinic { font-family: inherit; color: #1E2D34; line-height: 1.65; text-align: left !important; }\n  .ko-clinic * { box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-align: left !important; }\n  .ko-clinic p { font-size: 15px; color: #5A7A86; line-height: 1.75; margin-bottom: 12px; text-align: left !important; }\n  .ko-clinic p:last-child { margin-bottom: 0; }\n  .ko-clinic strong { color: #1E2D34; }\n  .ko-clinic em { color: #1E2D34; font-style: normal; font-weight: 600; }\n\n  .ko-stats {\n    display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat(4, 1fr); gap: 10px;\n    margin: 24px 0; padding: 16px 0;\n    border-top: 1px solid #E5E9EB; border-bottom: 1px solid #E5E9EB;\n  }\n  .ko-stat { text-align: center !important; }\n  .ko-stat-val { font-size: 18px; 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}\n  .ko-img img { max-width: 100%; border-radius: 8px; }\n\n  .ko-land {\n    margin-top: 32px; padding-top: 24px;\n    border-top: 1px solid #E5E9EB;\n  }\n  .ko-land p { font-size: 12.5px; color: #8A9BA3; line-height: 1.7; margin-bottom: 8px; }\n  .ko-land strong { color: #5A7A86; }\n\n  .ko-faq { margin-top: 16px; }\n  .ko-faq details { border-bottom: 1px solid #EEF1F2; }\n  .ko-faq details:first-child { border-top: 1px solid #EEF1F2; }\n  .ko-faq summary {\n    font-weight: 700; font-size: 13px; color: #0B1D26;\n    padding: 14px 0; cursor: pointer;\n    display: flex; justify-content: space-between; align-items: center;\n    user-select: none; list-style: none;\n  }\n  .ko-faq summary::-webkit-details-marker { display: none; }\n  .ko-faq summary::marker { display: none; content: ''; }\n  .ko-faq summary::after {\n    content: '+'; font-size: 16px; color: #2D8C9E;\n    transition: transform 0.2s; flex-shrink: 0; margin-left: 12px;\n  }\n  .ko-faq details[open] summary::after { transform: rotate(45deg); }\n  .ko-faq .ko-faq-a {\n    font-size: 13px; color: #5A7A86; line-height: 1.6; padding-bottom: 14px;\n  }\n\n  @media (max-width: 480px) {\n    .ko-stats { grid-template-columns: repeat(2, 1fr); }\n  }\n\u003c\/style\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"ko-clinic\"\u003e\n\n  \u003cp\u003ePaddle the winter blues away with confidence. \u003cem\u003eMost paddlers park the boat in October because nobody ever showed them how not to.\u003c\/em\u003e This is a touring clinic, start to finish: meet at our Hamilton base — 1 East 23rd Street — for a gear check and forecast briefing, get dressed for the season, and spend the afternoon on a coached cold-water paddle — then thaw out together over coffee and hot chocolate at a Hamilton institution.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n  \u003cp\u003eCold water is the most misunderstood risk in paddling, and also the most manageable one. Dress for it, understand it, and the quietest, most beautiful months on the water open up to you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n  \u003cdiv class=\"ko-stats\"\u003e\n    \u003cdiv class=\"ko-stat\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"ko-stat-val\"\u003e10 – 4\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ko-stat-label\"\u003eSaturday\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n    \u003cdiv class=\"ko-stat\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"ko-stat-val\"\u003eAM \/ PM\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ko-stat-label\"\u003eGear + Forecast \/ Tour\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n    \u003cdiv class=\"ko-stat\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"ko-stat-val\"\u003eHamilton\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ko-stat-label\"\u003eArea\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n    \u003cdiv class=\"ko-stat\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"ko-stat-val\"\u003eRentals\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ko-stat-label\"\u003eAvailable\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n  \u003c\/div\u003e\n\n  \u003ch3\u003eThe Day\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n  \u003cdiv class=\"ko-cards\"\u003e\n\n    \u003cdiv class=\"ko-card\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"ko-card-name\"\u003eMorning — Gear Check \u0026amp; Forecast at the Base\u003c\/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"ko-card-desc\"\u003eWarm and dry at our Hamilton base, 1 East 23rd Street. Hands on your actual gear, eyes on the actual forecast — the two things that decide how the afternoon goes.\u003c\/div\u003e\n      \u003cul class=\"ko-card-skills\"\u003e\n        \u003cli\u003eCold water immersion — what actually happens, and why understanding it changes everything\u003c\/li\u003e\n        \u003cli\u003eLayering systems, checked on you, not on a slide\u003c\/li\u003e\n        \u003cli\u003eNeoprene vs. drysuit — where each shines, plus fit and gasket checks\u003c\/li\u003e\n        \u003cli\u003eReading the day's marine forecast together — wind, water, and what it means\u003c\/li\u003e\n        \u003cli\u003eChoosing the afternoon's water from the forecast — the same call you'll make on your own trips\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003c\/ul\u003e\n    \u003c\/div\u003e\n\n    \u003cdiv class=\"ko-card\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"ko-card-name\"\u003eAfternoon — The Tour\u003c\/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"ko-card-desc\"\u003eThis is a touring clinic — a real cold-water paddle on Hamilton Harbour or at Fifty Point Conservation Area, whichever the morning's forecast picks, dressed for the season and coached the whole way.\u003c\/div\u003e\n      \u003cul class=\"ko-card-skills\"\u003e\n        \u003cli\u003eCold-water touring technique and pacing\u003c\/li\u003e\n        \u003cli\u003eWearing your layering system where it counts\u003c\/li\u003e\n        \u003cli\u003eGroup management and margins when the water is cold\u003c\/li\u003e\n        \u003cli\u003eAt the dock, at the end: an ultra-controlled, completely optional immersion to test your system — safety first, your call\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003c\/ul\u003e\n    \u003c\/div\u003e\n\n    \u003cdiv class=\"ko-card\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"ko-card-name\"\u003eThe Warm-Up — A Hamilton Staple\u003c\/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"ko-card-desc\"\u003eCold-water paddling ends the way it should: warm hands around a hot drink with the people you just paddled with. We'll head to the Tim Hortons Museum on Ottawa Street or Grandad's Donuts — both Hamilton institutions.\u003c\/div\u003e\n    \u003c\/div\u003e\n\n  \u003c\/div\u003e\n\n  \u003cdiv class=\"ko-img\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"Cold water paddling clinic\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0042\/9608\/1443\/files\/IMG_1407.jpg?v=1731350770\" width=\"330\" height=\"247\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n  \u003ch3\u003eWhat to Expect\u003c\/h3\u003e\n  \u003cul class=\"ko-list ko-check\"\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003eCoaching on cold water touring\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003ePaddling outside — it may be cold, so come prepared\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003eFun — it may seem intimidating at first, but learning these skills is rewarding and a ton of fun\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003eNew friends — a group of kayakers at the same point in their development as you\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003eA warm ending — coffee or hot chocolate at the Tim Hortons Museum on Ottawa Street or Grandad's Donuts\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n  \u003cp style=\"margin-top: 16px;\"\u003eWe believe this class should be fun and laid back, and offer a positive, inclusive experience. We incorporate games, group activities, and real-world scenarios as much as possible. We will not put you on the spot, make you demonstrate in front of the class (unless you want to), or speak in front of crowds. If that and the promise of terrible Dad jokes appeals to you, you have found the place to sign up.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n  \u003ch3\u003eGear\u003c\/h3\u003e\n  \u003cul class=\"ko-list ko-gear\"\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"ko-equip-text\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePFD\u003c\/strong\u003e — mandatory, bring your own\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"ko-equip-text\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSea kayak\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ko-tag\"\u003eRentals available\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"ko-equip-text\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDrysuit\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ko-tag\"\u003eRentals available\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n  \u003cdiv class=\"ko-prereq\"\u003e\n    \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrerequisite:\u003c\/strong\u003e Basic paddling experience — if you're comfortable handling a sea kayak on flatwater, you're ready. No cold-water experience needed; that's the point. Not sure? Get in touch.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003c\/div\u003e\n\n  \u003cdiv class=\"ko-next\"\u003e\n    \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhere this goes next:\u003c\/strong\u003e Cold-water competence turns a May-to-September hobby into a year-round one — the shoulder seasons have the emptiest water and the best light. It's also the gateway to our drysuit-season programming, from current clinics on the Niagara to early-season coastal days.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003c\/div\u003e\n\n  \u003ch3\u003eQuestions\u003c\/h3\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"ko-faq\"\u003e\n\n    \u003cdetails open\u003e\n      \u003csummary\u003eWill I have to go in the water?\u003c\/summary\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"ko-faq-a\"\u003eNo. This is a touring clinic — the day is about paddling, not swimming. At the very end, back at the dock, there's an ultra-controlled opportunity to try a brief immersion and test your system: feet from shore, coach right there, safety first. Most people who try it are glad they did — but it's completely optional, and no one gets put on the spot. That's a house rule.\u003c\/div\u003e\n    \u003c\/details\u003e\n\n    \u003cdetails\u003e\n      \u003csummary\u003eWhere do we paddle?\u003c\/summary\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"ko-faq-a\"\u003eHamilton Harbour or Fifty Point Conservation Area — and here's the good part: we choose from the morning's forecast, together. Watching that decision get made is part of the clinic, because it's exactly the call you'll be making on your own cold-water trips.\u003c\/div\u003e\n    \u003c\/details\u003e\n\n    \u003cdetails\u003e\n      \u003csummary\u003eDo I need to own a drysuit?\u003c\/summary\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"ko-faq-a\"\u003eNo. Drysuit rentals are available with the clinic — and trying one for a full day before buying is honestly the smartest way to shop for one. If you're ready to buy, we can help you get the fit right.\u003c\/div\u003e\n    \u003c\/details\u003e\n\n    \u003cdetails\u003e\n      \u003csummary\u003eHow cold will it actually be?\u003c\/summary\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"ko-faq-a\"\u003eIt's an off-season clinic, so plan for cold air and colder water — that's the classroom. Properly dressed, you'll be comfortable; that transformation from \"this seems miserable\" to \"this is the best paddling of the year\" is what the day delivers.\u003c\/div\u003e\n    \u003c\/details\u003e\n\n    \u003cdetails\u003e\n      \u003csummary\u003eIs this a rescue course?\u003c\/summary\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"ko-faq-a\"\u003eNo — it's a preparation and touring clinic focused on staying warm, dry, and out of trouble in the first place. Rescue skills in conditions live in our other clinics, and this day makes every one of them safer.\u003c\/div\u003e\n    \u003c\/details\u003e\n\n  \u003c\/div\u003e\n\n  \u003c!-- ===== LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ===== --\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"ko-land\"\u003e\n    \u003cp\u003eWe acknowledge that the Hamilton area, where this clinic gathers and paddles, is situated upon the traditional territories of the \u003cstrong\u003eErie\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eNeutral\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eHuron-Wendat\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eHaudenosaunee\u003c\/strong\u003e, and \u003cstrong\u003eMississaugas\u003c\/strong\u003e, and is covered by the \u003cstrong\u003eDish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant\u003c\/strong\u003e. We are grateful to paddle these waters and share in their care.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Kayak Ontario","offers":[{"title":"Coming soon","offer_id":45439859753159,"sku":null,"price":149.95,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0042\/9608\/1443\/files\/WP.png?v=1731350523","url":"https:\/\/www.kayak-ontario.com\/products\/winter-paddling-clinic-hamilton-area","provider":"Kayak Ontario","version":"1.0","type":"link"}