Guides

Canoe & Kayak Coaching Tips – Are We Over-Thinking?

As canoe & kayak paddlers I think we can be quite thoughtful creatures. Every time we go paddling we have to weigh up the options. Risk, ability, the challenge and fulfilment we will gain. We go through all the ifs, the buts and the maybes. The pros and the cons. We play it over in our head so many times it almost becomes a bigger deal than it was originally. So I ask you, as paddlers do we sometimes over think? To coin a phrase from a well-known trainer company ‘Just Do It.”  Our routine of over reflection can sometimes […]

Guide to Buying a Kayak Paddle

A kayak paddle is just a paddle, right? No, not really. Just like with all bits of kit for our sport, a lot of clever people spend a lot of time designing what they hope will be an ideal paddle for a very specific purpose. We’ve been at the stage for a long time where you most probably wouldn’t choose to use the paddle you take on whitewater on a touring trip, and you certainly wouldn’t do so the other way round. This article is designed to help you know exactly what to look for in a paddle – whether […]

Guide to Buying a Canoe or Kayak

One of the biggest decisions you’ll make as you progress in to the wondrous world of canoeing & kayaking is the moment you decide to invest in your own boat. It’s a big deal and you want to make the right choice. To help you through the bewildering array of boats lining the racks of your local canoe shop we’ve put together a few useful pointers to help you find exactly the right boat for you… OK so you’ve been bitten by the paddling bug and want to go canoeing & kayaking all the time, you’ve joined your local club, […]

A Guide for the Older Kayaker

I have lost count of the times that I have thought of hanging up my paddles for good or, at least, restricting myself to the more leisurely aspects of our sport. Having had my free bus pass for over a year now I look back and reflect on how I am lucky to have had many years of fun on rivers, sea and lakes, both at home and abroad and in all sorts of boats. I have made many good friends and enjoyed the company of people of all ages who share the same enthusiasm for getting wet, or trying […]

All You Need to Know About Joining Your Local Canoe Club

Every year more and more people sample the delights of going canoeing & kayaking through come-and-try-it days, taster courses and adventure holidays, but once you’ve been bitten by the bug, where do you go from there? The answer’s a simple one, find the nearest canoe club to your area, go along, join up and you’ll never look back… It’s fair to say that canoe clubs are at the very heart of all areas and disciplines of canoeing and kayaking. Ask any top paddler, no matter what discipline, how they got started and we’ll bet you a pound to a penny […]

A Canoe & Kayak Guide to the Basic Gear Needed to Go Canoeing & Kayaking

Want to go canoeing & kayaking? Like all sports and outdoor activities, there is some specialist equipment and clothing that you’ll need to stay safe and comfortable on the water. To make sure you get kitted up properly here’s a guide to the basics that you’ll need to go canoeing & kayaking all year round… Despite their diversity and wealth of disciplines there are some essential pieces of equipment and gear that are fundamental to all aspects of paddlesport and those are a boat, a paddle and a buoyancy aid, or as it is sometimes known a personal flotation device […]

10 Great Reasons to Book on a Canoeing or Kayaking Course

One of the great things about paddling is that there’s just so much to learn and experience they can never get boring. The more you paddle the more your skills will develop but a great way of quickly improving and gaining great experience and knowledge, to help you get more out of your time on the water is to book on a course with a professional coach. Booking on to a course is a great way to fast track your personal skills and increase your knowledge. It’s also a brilliant way to meet like-minded people and to swap ideas, knowledge […]

10 Reasons to Go on a Canoeing or Kayaking Course

Booking on to a course is a great way to add new tools to your skills box, or to refresh and sharpen up those that you already have and to have a whole pile of fun into the bargain. It’s also a brilliant way to meet like-minded people and to swap ideas, knowledge and experiences. Here are ten of our favourite courses to wet your learning whistles and to help convince you that one fast track route to more fun on the water is to GO book on a course… Getting a Taste A gateway into the wonderful world of […]