Scott Fairty Paddling History
Began paddling in 1981
ACA participation & qualifications
- Whitewater Kayaking Instructor April 1985
- Whitewater Decked Canoeing Instructor, ( C-1) November 1985
- Coastal Kayaking Instructor June 1991
- Whitewater Kayaking Instructor Trainer December 1999
- National Chairman of ACA Coastal Kayaking Committee 1988. Worked to develop course outlines and Instructor Certification syllabi
- Adaptive Paddling Endorsement August 2009
- First person in U.S. to earn instructor rating in all four paddling disciplines available
- Level 4 re-cert August 2009
- Level 3 Canoe re-cert May 2010
- Level 2 Surf Kayak Instructor September 2009
- Level 5 Advanced Open Water Instructor September 2009
- Level 4 Whitewater Instructor Trainer May 2012
- Whitewater Open Canoeing Instructor, September 1985
- Stand Up Paddleboard Level 2 Instructor, July 2013
BCU participation & qualifications:
- 3* award November 1995
- 4* Sea award November 1995
- Coach Level 2 November 1995
- Canoe Safety Test May 1996
- Coach Level 3 Sea June 1996
- 5* (non-tidal overseas) July 1996
- 5* (tidal endorsement) 1998
- Coach Level 4 January 1999
- Canoe Safety Examiner 1999
- Coach Level 5 Aspirant May 2000
- Assessor Level 4 August 2000
- 4* Inland (whitewater) August 2000
- 3* Open Canoe July 2001
- Whitewater safety and rescue course May 2003
- Coach Level 3 whitewater May 2003
- Coach Update July 2008
- Foundation Safety & Rescue Provider July 2008
- Coach Level 1 Course Provider 2010
- Member BCU North America Interim Board of Directors 2011-2013
- Vice President Paddlesports North America 2013-present
Sea Kayak Symposia Coaching:
- Sweetwater Kayak Symposium, St. Petersburg, Florida, twice
- Atlantic Kayak Tours Skills Symposium, Peekskill, NY, twice
- Sea Kayak Georgia BCU Week, Tybee Island, GA, twice
- Great Lakes Sea Kayak Syposium, Grand Marais, MI, 7 times
- Inland Seas Symposium, Bayfield, WI
- Downeast Symposium, Bar Harbor, ME
- Gales Storm Gathering, various Lake Superior venues, 3 times
Paddling trips of note:
- 10 days sea kayaking in Belize 1986 (personal trip)
- 16 days kayaking the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon 1984 (personal trip)
- 8 trips to Ireland sea kayaking and kayak surfing 1983-present (personal trips)
- 4 trips to Anglesey, Wales for 5 star training and Coach Level 5 training (personal trips)
- 10 day canoe trip on Missinaibi River in Northern Ontario 1995 (Co-lead group of 20)
- 5 six day trips to the St. Regis Canoe Wilderness in New York’s Adirondack mountains 1984-1996(Co-lead groups of 4-10)
- 3 ten day canoe trips to the Temagami Region of northern Ontario 1984-1996 (Co-lead groups of 4-8)
- 6 day sea kayak expedition on Cumberland Island Georgia 2012 (Co-lead group of 12)
- 8 day coast of Georgia expedition 2012
Whitewater rivers paddled:
- AZ-Colorado-Grand Canyon
- CA-American, Lotus to Coloma
- CO-Arkasas, Numbers Section, Clear Creek in Golden
- CT-Housatonic, Farmington, Norwalk, Saugatuck, Sandy Brook, Bantam, Shepaug
- GA-Chattooga, Section 3, Section 4
- IL-Fox, Vermillion
- MA-Millers, Upper, Lower, Flume sections; Deerfield, Zoar Gap, Dryway;
- ME-Dead
- MI-Huron, Clinton, Pine, Flint, Chippewa
- NC-Nantahala
- NH-Androscoggin, Ashuelot, Cold, Contoocook, Dead Horse Creek
- NY-Hudson Gorge, Indian, Sacandaga, Ten Mile
- PA-Youghigheny, upper, middle & lower sections; Tohickon Creek,
- VA-Potomac, Shenandoah, South Fork; James, New, Happy Creek
- VT-West, White
- WI-Wolf, section 2 &3, Peshtigo
- WV-Gauley-upper section; New; Big Sandy
- Wales, U.K.-Tryweryn
Other:
- Co-Founder of “Wednesday Kayak Polo” in Wilton, CT 1986-1996 Playing every Wednesday from April through October with up to 30 participants.
- Steering Committee Member representing paddler interests in the development of the Shenandoah River State Park, also helped organize river cleanup days 1997-2000
- Volunteer with Flint River Watershed Coalition, worked on stream obstruction removal and habitat restoration
Paddling related employment:
- 2013 Director of Outdoor Education & Outreach Summit Sports Outdoors
- 2009-2012 General Manager of Geneva Kayak Center
- 2000-2004 General Manager of Great River Outfitters, importer of Valley, NDK, Lendal and other U.K. products
- 1996-2000–Mid-Atlantic Sales Rep for Dagger Canoes & Kayaks, and other accessory lines
- 1986-1996 –Boating Dept. manager and General manager for Outdoor Sports Center Wilton, CT
- 1985-present — Atlantic Kayak Tours. Developed whitewater cross training curriculum for sea kayakers, worked on staff development workshops and other advanced programs.
- 1985-1991–Staff Instructor at the Outdoor Centre of New England. Part time position teaching whitewater kayaking, open canoeing, C-1 and sea kayaking.