Potomac Paddlesports is a cutting-edge kayak school offering professional instruction in whitewater kayaking, sea kayaking, and flatwater trips. We specialize in teaching beginners with busy schedules and offer programs that emphasize safety, skills, and community.
Potomac Paddlesports' unique teaching progression, learn-at-your-own-pace scheduling, and emphasis on community has been the driving force behind the growth of kayaking in the DC area. Why? We've figured out how to make a complex sport easy to learn.
We are the only school in the country to be both an American Canoe Association (ACA) Pro School and a British Canoe Union (BCU) Endorsed Center. In fact, we were the first school in the country to have its program fully sanctioned by the ACA!
Our founder, Sunny Pitcher, was nominated for the ACA's Outstanding Instructor Award and received the ACA's Student Recognition Award. And in 2004, we received an award from the ACA for "Making the World a Better Place to Paddle."
Fortunately, if you live in the DC area, the best paddling is in your own backyard. Great Falls and Mather Gorge offer world-class whitewater minutes from DC, and the Chesapeake Bay offers more coastline than California! Spend less time driving and more time paddling!
In 2007, we opened the premier paddlesports retail store in the mid-Atlantic region. Our 8,000-square-foot indoor/outdoor showroom is staffed by instructors and features the most high-quality gear being manufactured today.
We sponsor a team of athletes made up of the best paddlers on the Potomac. As they travel around the world competing and promoting the sport of kayaking, we support them with one of the most generous sponsorship packages in the industry.
Through partnerships with The Potomac Conservancy, The Potomac Riverkeeper, and the C&O Canal Trust, we've improved water quality monitoring, sponsored clean-ups, and improved quality of access.
Earn a 10% dividend on all your purchases each year, plus discounted classes and trips, free
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Welcome to the web site for Potomac Paddlesports, a kayak school for Potomac paddlers on the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay in Potomac and Annapolis Maryland close to Washington DC Virginia and Baltimore. In addition to whitewater kayaking, we specialize in sea kayak training lessons and kayak tours for beginners. And, if you like whitwater and white water rafting in Harper's Ferry West Virginia you will love kayaking on the Potomac River near DC! Please note lessons take place in Potomac, Annapolis, and Washington DC and it is our retail store that is located in Rockville, MD. We also have kayaks for sale and, very soon, we'll be selling kayaks paddles and kayaking gear online.