Zoar Outdoor offers white water kayaking and canoeing lessons on the Deerfield River in the Berkshire hills of Massachusetts to suit every level of paddler, from paddling for beginners to advanced. We also offer a variety of river running and SUP clinics, river safety courses, and rentals.
Our kayaking and canoeing instructors are certified by the American Canoe Association (ACA) and tailor every clinic to your needs. Whether you are interested in an introduction to the sport of kayaking or canoeing or taking your paddling skills to the next level with a playboating, river rescue or other clinic, our paddlesports school has a course for you.
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The outfitters shop biggest event of the summer! Zoar Outdoor’s DemoFest is the place to be this June! Sign up for clinics and/or demo a boat on the Deerfield River. Stop by The Outfitters Shop to save on the gear!
This is the perfect place to find out why paddling is so much fun. Our river time will focus on fundamental river skills such as edging your kayak into turns, setting angles across river currents, and performing river maneuvers like eddy turns and peel outs to set you on a path toward confidently paddling on your own.
Whether your goal is to use Class II as a stepping stone to kayaking more difficult whitewater or as a destination in itself, the skills taught in this Intermediate clinic will serve you well.
Learn the skills that will take your kayaking to an intermediate/advanced level in our Advanced Strokes and Technical Skills 1 Day Clinic on the Deerfield River in Massachusetts.
Our private lesson is perfect for individuals and families who prefer a private, tailored learning experience.
A river run on the Zoar Gap section of Massachusetts’ Deerfield River is the perfect follow-up after taking one of our Beginner or Intermediate kayaking or canoeing clinics.
We spend the day rolling in flat water and then in current while also enjoying the river, gaining experience kayaking on New England’s best class II summer whitewater run.
Our indoor kayaking clinics are geared toward beginner to intermediate kayakers, C-1ers, and OC-1ers, who want to learn or improve their roll in the safety of an indoor pool.
Learn basic whitewater kayak rolling skills under the guidance of ACA-certified instructors!
In this fast-paced canoeing clinic, start with fundamental canoe strokes, leans, and maneuvers on flatwater and progress to class II whitewater canoeing.
ACA Instructor Certification workshops are designed for individuals who want to teach moving water, flatwater, whitewater kayaking, canoeing, SUP or swiftwater rescue.
This clinic is designed for people who paddle together with a hands-on, in-the-water approach to teaching river rescue and safety skills for buddies.
This clinic takes a hands-on, in-the-water approach to teaching river rescue and safety skills.
Mike Mather is our guest instructor for the two day swiftwater rescue course in Charlemont, MA. Learning from his years of paddling/rescue expertise will help prepare you for adventures ahead. This clinic takes a hands-on, in-the-water approach to practicing river rescue and safety skills. Learn river rescue techniques from the best in the industry!
This one-day clinic is ideal for intermediate kayakers who want to learn the basic fun moves to “play” their way down the river, learning stern squirts, enders, cartwheels, and more!
In this intensive one-day clinic, you’ll learn advanced freestyle kayaking including multiple ends of a cartwheel, advanced flat spinning, and looping.
We offer Wilderness First Responder certification and recertification classes for outdoor professionals and enthusiasts.
Enroll in this course for an intensive review and retesting of the WFR curriculum with an update on CPR and other updates where protocols or treatment options may have changed.
The Upper West River Run is a great way to go kayaking or canoeing on this quintessential Class III run in southern Vermont.
This continuous run is a great place for strong advanced beginner and intermediate kayakers and canoeists to gain experience with bigger, more pushy rapids.
Learn to run the Dryway with a skilled instructor, and progress into paddling confidently in this Class III-IV playground on the Deerfield River.
This one-day clinic, for advanced kayak paddlers only, teaches the specific techniques of creeking, including boofing, catching micro-eddies, and more.
This beginner kayaking clinic offers children ages 10-13 a chance to learn whitewater kayaking in a fun and relaxed environment designed just for them.
Family kayaking clinics are a great way for families to learn kayaking, get outside and also spend time together while having fun in the water.
This beginner kayaking clinic for teens offers those ages 14-17 a chance to learn whitewater kayaking in a fun and relaxed environment designed specifically with them in mind.
Tandem canoeing combines the subtlety of canoe strokes with the excitement of surfing waves, catching high-speed eddies, and spinning on a dime in the midst of a rapid.
Kayak clinics for and by Women.
Kayaking down Massachusetts’ Deerfield River is a great way to see the Berkshires and spend a warm summer day outside, being active and having fun!
The Zoar Outdoor New & Used Boat Swap Sale is a two day boat sale extravaganza! Sell your boat for a CHECK on the spot or store credit and/or shop for the best deals of the season from the Zoar Outdoor Outfitters Shop!
Jackson Kayak Fun Tour – Free Freestyle playboating skills clinic with Emily Jackson, Nick Troutman, and the Hargrove Family. Join us for a fun evening of boat demoing, freestyle clinics, and more! We will be playing at the park and play, and, if weather permits, we’ll follow it up with a Pizza Party!
To be the best you need to learn from the best!
Continue to develop and strengthen kayak rolling skills under the guidance of ACA-certified instructors!
Go kayaking or canoeing in the Lower Millers in Western Mass., which offers a great class III-IV experience. Book the run now!
Come celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride month on the Deerfield River!