Canoe and Kayak Tips | Canoe and Kayak Store

Useful links for beginners

Local Clubs – Local clubs are the lifeblood of Canoeing and Kayaking, if you want to learn off friendly people or find paddling partners, these clubs come highly recommended.

North Avon Canoe Club – A friendly club based just north of Bristol, runs regular trips and has a large fleet of club boats.

South Avon Canoe Club – Meet at Churchill Swimming Pool every Thursday with regular trips and courses on the weekend,

Bath Canoe Club – Located in the centre of Bath, with private access to the River Avon and a large boathouse with fleet.

Globe 360 – Based in Keynsham

Stroud Valley Canoe Club – A fun loving family orientated club, holding regular sessions at Stratford Park Leisure Centre Indoor Pool.

Gloucester Canoe Club – Based at Maisemore Weir, with access to the Severn from their clubhouse.

Cheltenham Canoe Club – Pool Sessions at Tewkesbury School

Clevedon Canoe Club – Regular sessions on the Marine Lake in Clevedon

Avon Scout and Guide Canoe Club- Great way for young people to get into Paddling

Coaching Links

Ray Goodwin Coaching – Quality coaching in Canoe, Kayak and Mountain Activities.

Outdoor Performance Coaching – Kayak, Canoe, navigation and climbing coaching. Contact Mark Thompson at:  opc1@live.co.uk or call him on 07825045696

Cardiff International White Water – Coaching for all Paddling disciplines.

Inspire 2 Adventure – Adventures and coaching based in Monmouth, Wales.

Canoe Sport Coaching – Bristol based BCU and UKCC course provider.

Rock and Water Adventures – Paddling and Climbing adventures based in Dursley in Gloucestershire.

Gene17 Kayaking – Expert coaching from Simon Westgarth and his team throughout the South West and adventure guiding across the world.

Fluid Skills – Expert Coaching and guiding, with an extensive range of first aid courses.

Nomads Coaching – BCU approved Kayak training courses in the West Country, based at Clevedon, North Somerset.

Beginners Guide to Paddling

Fancy yourself as a paddler but not sure where to start? We are here to help and are always eager to get more people involved in the sport we love. Paddling is enjoyed by many people for a range of reasons but here are some of our favourites:

• Socialising- Whether you are paddling with a club or have decided to take yourself to one the of many popular kayaking destinations in the UK or even abroad, you will find paddlers a very friendly bunch who are always happy to offer advice share tips.
• Challenging yourself – No matter what type of paddling you’re into there are always new challenges to be had.
• Enjoying the Outdoors – Experience some beautiful surroundings from a new perspective.

 

Getting Started

The first thing you need to decide is the type of paddling you want do as this will determine which boat you need.

Sit-on-tops

Sit-on-tops are stable, durable and easy to use making them perfect for beginners and youths. They are ideal for use on beach coast, lake or surf and can also be used for fishing. Tandem Sit-on-tops are also available.

 

 

 

Whitewater

For the adrenaline junkies out there whitewater kayaking may be just what your looking for! It is challenging, varied and exciting. Whitewater is measured in grades starting at grade 1 (slightly moving water with ripples) and going up to grade 6 (dangerous, almost unrunnable white water).

There are 4 types of boat suitable for whitewater use:

Creek Kayak - River running with technical and difficult rapids, steep drops and a high gradient.

River Running Kayak – A tour down river experiencing some challenging whitewater.

Freestyle Rather than going from point A to B, freestyle kayakers tend to stay in one place and play on the features of a river or surf waves while competing to perform tricks and moves such as cartwheels and flips.

River Play – A cross between river running and freestyle. River play involves running a river and playing on its features on the way down.

 

Touring Kayaks

Touring kayaks are designed for use on flat water and gently flowing rivers on a single or multi-day trip. Touring kayaks trade the manoeuvrability of a white water kayak for cargo capacity, ease of straight line paddling and comfort for long journeys. Touring is by far the most popular type of kayaking in the UK.

 

Sea Kayaks

 Sea Kayaks are designed for use in open water such as oceans, estuaries and bays. They are seaworthy small boats similar in design to Touring Kayaks. 

 

Open Canoeing

Canadian Canoes come in many different specs and can be used for touring, white water, down river, expeditions, racing and performance and recreation.  As the name suggests open canoes have an open hull and can be paddled solo or tandem from either a sitting or kneeling position with a single bladed paddle.

 

 

 

Kit

Now that you know a little about the types of kayaks and canoes available here is some info on the other kit you will need before you can get out on the water.

• Buoyancy Aid - will need one specific to the type of paddling you will be doing: General purpose, sea and touring, search and rescue, whitewater
• Spray deck for kayaks.
• Paddle - double ended blade for whitewater and sea & touring kayaks; single blade (general purpose, wood or composite) for canoes.
• Helmet (if you will be going down any whitewater)

• White water/sea and touring cag and trousers or a dry suit.

• Thermal Base layer for the colder months.

• Footwear.

 

Getting Started on the water

The best and most sociable way to start paddling is to join one of the many canoe and kayak clubs around the UK. These clubs charge a small yearly fee and usually run courses for beginners or have experienced paddles available to lend a hand. Clubs also have their own boats which you can arrange to use if you want to give it a go before buying your own. You will find links to some local clubs and coaching on the links page of our website.

 

Hopefully this information has given you an idea about the basics. If you would like to know more or arrange a beginners package deal please call us on 01454 261058. or come and visit us at our Bristol or Cardiff store.

Alpine Essentials

It’s that time of the year for the annual alps pilgrimage where we get our fix of sun, cold beer and awesome alpine paddling.

If you are heading out this year here are a few tips gathered from me and my friends experiences. 

Remember, this will be one of the best holidays you’ll have and your best opportunity to improve your boating, so make the most of it.  These hints and tips are by no means complete but hopefully will help you on your way.

Before you set out

• Make sure your car is fully comprehensively covered, in Europe some insurance companies will only insure your car 3rd party by default.   You will often need to carry extra kit such as fluorescent jackets when motoring abroad.
• Apply for your European Health Card and carry it with you at all times.
• Get decent travel insurance. If you have pricey equipment insure that as well because of the volume of paddling occurring and because people often get the urge to test themselves in the alps (quite rightly) due to the beautiful conditions.  This often results in lost or broken kit, so decent insurance will cover this and you won’t end up out of pocket.

• Prepare your equipment beforehand. If you are planning to buy kit there, make sure you know there is a decent kayak shop nearby and it stocks what you require (fashion and convention differs in Europe). 
• I don’t want to be too serious, but if you practice and train before you go as much as you can you will get more out of your holiday, whether this be paddling on your local lake or practicing your skills at Cardiff International White Water Centre.
• The Alps is a great place to practice your skills however if you are not that confident think about getting some coaching beforehand.

When you are there

• Split paddles are essential in the Alps - for reasons explained in the above paragraph kit can go missing in the alps.  Make sure you carry splits in your group so you are not faced with a long and frustrating walk out of the river.

• Carry foreign currency when you are paddling – It can come in very useful in all kinds of situations (food halfway through or at the get out, taxis/ buses, etc)
• Wear and carry clothes for the worst conditions.  A long, cold swim can seriously effect your paddling and enjoyment if you do not warm up quickly. Remember, just because the entrance of a gorge is warm the actual gorge may not be bathed in sunshine.
• Remember there is more to the area than just Canoeing. You will be in Europe's finest mountain range/playground where outdoor activity is a way of life.  Try Via Ferrata, climbing, mountain biking and other extreme activities.  If you need a rest or prefer something more docile, then most areas have well marked paths and GR walking paths.

• Remember that most of the shops in some regions are closed on a Sunday so prepare before hand.

• Make sure you talk to people on the river and be friendly.  It can lead to great opportunities.  In Switzerland I met up with some German paddlers and had the best five days of paddling I have ever done. We didn’t know what was round the corner on each river because the rivers we were doing were not in the English guidebook.  A fantastic adventure.

Gear Guides

Reduce your risk on the river with safer kit

We all know the basic kit you need for white water paddling but how much do you think about it.  Hopefully this article will make you look at your kit in different way.  Remember you don’t need to spend a fortune, we are always willing to give impartial advice on what is appropriate.  Phone, email or pop in to the shop anytime.

Airbags

Airbags are an essential piece of kit for any level of paddler in any kayak, remember you cannot expect anybody to rescue your boat if it is not fully filled with airbags.  If you are really keen to have your friends rescue your boat you should put air bags behind the footrests as well.   The airbag mean that the boat will be filled with air and not water after a swim making it lighter and easier to rescue.  They have the added benefit of making your boat sit higher in the water so it is less likely to get pinned and broken on rocks.

Helmet

Make sure you have a decent quality helmet, appropriate to the river you are paddling, if you are paddling steep rivers where large impact is likely you may want to spend a bit more on your helmet.  You also want to make sure the helmet fits correctly, a helmet is no good if it is not covering your head.

Buoyancy Aid

Make sure that  the buoyancy aid you wear is suitable for the grade of river you are running.  For example you do not want to be wearing a front zip touring buoyancy aid on a grade 5 river as it is likely that when you come to rely on it, it won’t be there.  It is also important that it fits correctly, a buoyancy aid should not ride up when you swim, however it should still remain comfortable.  It is important your buoyancy aid is snag free, cut or tuck away any excessive loops (not ones integral to the fit and function of the BA).  You should also trim any excess straps Palm give a useful guide to trimming down a chest harness.  You should aim for as clean a profile as possible, remember if anything gets caught on a tree it will be very difficult to get out. 

Clothing

Clothing should be suitable for the environment you are entering and it should be highly visible.  Remember it may not look cool but you will not thinking about this if your are pinned underwater with people looking for you.  Your clothing should keep you warm and protect you for the element.  Cags protect you from the wind, even a simple spray cag will reduce the wind chill and a huge positive difference to your day.

You should always be dressed and prepared for the worst, even if you rarely swim you don’t to spoil your day but getting cold and struggling to paddle.

Spraydeck

You should have a good quality Spraydeck, neoprene is accepted as the norm for whitewater paddling.  Regularly check the release loop at the front for degrading or wear of the stitching.  

Footwear

Your footwear must give you good grip and support wherever you go, usually a muddy or rocky river bank.   You do not want to fall in the river on a portage or inspection.  They are also useful if they protect your foot.  Good footwear is also important for good efficient bank rescues.  As kayakers and Canoeist we have to find a balance between weight, size, supportiveness and grip.  For example cannot have shoes which are bulky and supportive like walking boots because they would not fit in our boat and we would sink when we came out of our boat.  This is a challenge that many manufacturers have struggled with our two most popular shoes are the Five Ten Canyoneers and the Palm Gradient which combine these factors pretty well.

Extra Protection

Extra padding especially elbow pads can be a godsend whilst on steep fast rivers.  They also have the added benefit of protecting your nice shiny cag in its most vulnerable area.

 

 

A helmet with good coverage, brightly coloured cag and paddle blades, with no loose straps or snag hazards.

Brain

Remember you must also possess the skill to run these rivers safely and utilise your kit.  You can find good quality coaching on our useful links page, combine this with experience, judgement and practice you will find yourself running rivers safely in no time. 

• Remember you don’t need to spend a fortune, we are always willing to give impartial advice on what is appropriate.  Phone, email or pop in to the shop anytime.