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If you don’t have your own canoe or gear (or maybe you just want to try out a fully outfitted whitewater boat, or a different lake canoe), we have rentals for moving water and flat water courses.
We do not rent equipment for: activities outside of our courses, programs or trips, or for courses in the Lower Mainland BC or Slocan Lake. Please contact Western Canoe & Kayak and Smiling Otter, respectively.
For participants attending our river canoeing courses and 4 Rivers in 4 days trips, we offer high-quality, fully-outfitted whitewater canoes for rent. All other paddling equipment including paddles, PFD’s, wetsuits, helmets and drysuits are available to rent by course/trip participants. An outline of rental pricing can be found below.
Please note that our multiday expeditions including the Upper Stikine River Expedition as well as our Kootenay River & Kootenay Couples Adventure Retreat trips include all gear (except a drysuit) in the fee.
For all canoeing courses, a Transport Canada approved Personal Flotation Device (PFD) with a whistle is mandatory. On all moving water courses, a helmet and PFD with attached river knife and whistle are mandatory. Wetsuits or drysuits are mandatory for all early-spring and fall courses (April, May, Sept, Oct) as well as on our River Rescue courses. Please see below for details on what your canoe needs to have to bring it on a course.
All multi-day expeditions (incl. Kootenay River, Stikine River Expeditions) include rentals (excluding drysuits).
Drysuits for all courses and trips are extra. They are charged out at $45/day for the first 2 days and $30 every day after (transport and staging days do not count towards rental fees).
Equipment rentals for your course, 4 Rivers trip, or the Great White Bull Adventure can be added at the time of booking online. All prices are subject to GST.
* Solo canoes available for solo courses/ special river events only.
For a Level 1 & 2 lakewater course taken on the same weekend, rental prices are the same as the 2 day courses listed above.
* Solo canoes available for solo courses/ special river events only.
Drysuits are available for trips and expeditions. At this time, we do not have drysuits available for private rentals outside of our courses and trips.
Paddles: You CAN use your wooden lake paddles on the river, but they are more at risk to sustain damage. We would suggest that you leave your favourite wooden lake paddles safe at home and learn with one of ours instead.
PFD’s and River Knives: For all river courses and trips, you must have a Transport-Canada approved PFD with an attached whistle and an attached ‘river knife’ in an accessible spot (NOT tucked into a pocket or drybag).
Helmet: Helmets are mandatory for all river courses and trips. We highly recommend a paddling-specific helmet.
Canoes: If you are bringing your own whitewater canoe on a river course or trip, please get in touch with us to make sure it will be suitable both for yourself and other attendees. During a course and on trips, paddlers are often asked to switch bow and stern position, and to switch paddle partners from time to time. Please let EAC know if you are not comfortable with other people paddling in your canoe with you. Please contact us if you have any questions about bringing your own boat and/or equipment.
Your canoe will need to have the following outfitting in place:
If you want to use your own canoe for our lakewater courses, it must have either built in floatation or added in floatation as well as a bailer, spare paddle, and a minimum 50′ floating haul line (or a throwbag with floating rope). You’ll also need your own paddle, PFD with whistle and a wetsuit (optional) for the rescue portion of the course.
The wetsuits we rent out are neoprene farmer john/jane-style suits without sleeves, allowing unrestricted arm movement. In warm weather, you can wear as little as a bathing suit underneath it. In cold weather you may want to wear a thin woolen baselayer underneath the wetsuit, and on top, wear nylon pants or rain pants and a splash-resistant sweater/jacket layered on top. On a lake course, we typically will save the rescue portion of the course for a time when you can get changed into the wetsuit beforehand and change afterward, but on the river it is recommended to wear the wetsuit all day. (Note: self rescue practice is optional, but highly recommended on all of our courses).
A drysuit is worn over your clothes and socks and with impermeable seams, neck and wrist gaskets, it will keep you dry if you choose to fully immerse yourself during rescue practice or accidentally capsize. It can be worn all day and is the ultimate cold-water/weather garment – allowing freedom of movement, and confidence to be in the water. A new drysuit costs between $1200 and $1400, but is considered essential by most recreational and professional whitewater paddlers who want to enjoy being on the water between October and June, and even for summer wilderness trips. Read about our drysuit rental policy and care here.Participants are responsible for the full cost of repair or replacement of any damaged or lost boats or equipment. Normal wear is expected. Read about our drysuit rental policy here.
At this time, we do not have equipment available for private rentals outside of our courses and trips.
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