M.A.D.E. is our new 4 part course aimed at helping new & emerging downwind paddlers, with our next edition starting November 2026. Our M.A.D.E. course puts the power of the mind first and foremost when it come to tackling open water and approaching regular downwind trips in your local area. This is not a safety course, nor is it a technique course, although we'll touch on those aspects along the way. The M.A.D.E. approach is designed to be unique, practical and address one of the biggest impediments paddlers face in the ocean ... fear of the unknown. Downwind paddling is not all about strong winds & big waves, and it’s not all about racing. It’s about pure enjoyment, and starts with understanding how water moves and how to move with it. Beginning with our local area, once we understand something we can start to control that environment, rather than it controlling us. With understanding comes the confidence to practice moving efficiently in different water conditions, we then move toward a point where we’re M.A.D.E. for downwind and these rhythms become a natural part of our paddling. Many paddlers are close to this point without realising it! Our M.A.D.E. course aims to bridge this gap and bring the power of the mind to dynamic downwind situations. To register for our M.A.D.E. course please make a deposit payment, with final payment due before course commencement. PART 1M - Mental mastery for downwind paddling. Your toolkit for taking control. Practical approaches & mind hacks from 30 years of river & ocean paddling across Australia, Europe, New Zealand, Mauritius & South Africa made approachable & applicable to local paddlers. FORMAT - INSIDE & OUTSIDE LEARNING & DISCUSSION WITH NOTES.Sat 14th Nov @ 4.30pm NLK Kingston Beach ◾️The power of the mind - building mental body armour◾️ Mental management pre paddle - bridges, boundaries & locking in◾️ Calm in the chaos - partitioning & filtering◾️ Focus & awareness - narrowing & quartering, zooming in & out◾️ Cascading - arresting & reversing negative self talk ◾️ Where am I? Visualisation & mental maps.◾️ My wave! The one wave ahead strategy.◾️ Mental training and the mental warm up - simulation & sequencing◾️ Over & under - recognising & embracing mental cycles◾️ Pushing go - constructing & running the program◾️ The bullshit button! PART 2A - Access all areas. Using double or single craft to match your comfort level we focus entirely on improving your open water efficiency to create safe, fun & effortless downwind situations. Your coach will either be right beside you or in the same boat. During this session, alongside developing rhythm & skills, we work on coping strategies to confront any mental monsters encountered along the way! FORMAT - COACHED ONE ON ONE SESSION COVERING APPROX 5-10KM DOWNWIND.These sessions will be run to forecast and scheduled to suit your availability during the course. You'll need to organise a car shuttle for your part 2 session. PART 3D - Dialling into downwind culture. What is it? How can it benefit your group? We design a downwind course in our local area, and aim to profile, plan & ultimately master that course. We can then use this as a template for further adventures. FORMAT - INSIDE & OUTSIDE LEARNING & DISCUSSION WITH NOTES.Sat 28th Nov @ 4.30pm NLK Kingston Beach We look at best practices & technology from around the World, giving you a “to do” list you can activate with your fellow paddlers to make regular downwind runs part of your routine. We demystify weather forecasting, introduce redundancy planning, and encourage a better understanding of your local area through a quick & simple observation framework. ◾️ Operating as a team to tackle A to B trips◾️ Sea, sky, sand, someone else◾️ The lemon tree! PART 4E - Evolve to the EASY stage through regular & supported downwind practice opportunities with other similar-stage paddlers. This course includes a single group session where you will be able to practice downwind teamwork. Beyond the course, a regular group training session (Fast Track) will be offered so you can continue working on your downwind paddling in a coached group setting. FORMAT - COACHED GROUP SESSION COVERING APPROX 5-10KM DOWNWIND. OFFERED AS A SEPARATE AFTERNOON SESSION ON A REGULAR BASIS THEREAFTER.Thu 3rd Dec meeting 4.30pm @ NLK Kingston Beach. You'll need to organise a car shuttle for your part 4 session. We hope that M.A.D.E. makes a big difference to your paddling, and look forward to seeing you at a course soon! Specs: Four part course aimed at helping new & emerging downwind paddlers Coached by Australian Masters Champion and National Ocean Racing Team member Ben Maynard Suitable for paddlers tackling open water & downwind trips for the first time Prioritising mental approaches for ocean paddling, ie power of the mind Both group and 1-on-1 learning formats A stepping stone to regular group downwind sessions Prices are per person
