Develop your safety skills
Safety is a really important part of paddling! Now that you know our five key safety messages, let’s delve into the last point, ‘Know your limits,’ and find out how you can develop your paddling skills and gain a greater understanding of your paddling limits.
It doesn’t matter if you are new to the sport or have been doing it for years; accidents can happen, and it’s best to be prepared and have the skills to help if required.
There are a variety of practical courses that are fun and informative, helping you to be safer on the water.
Depending on what craft you usually paddle and where, we have the course for you! These courses are available to anyone of any age looking to improve their safety skills, from club members to volunteers and leaders.
Take a look at the options and find the right course for you!
Paddlesport safety and rescue
Where: Small lakes or lochs, slow-moving rivers, small enclosed bays, enclosed harbours.
Craft: Any craft, including kayaks, canoes and stand up paddleboards.
This six-hour course is about keeping you safe in your craft in sheltered water venues and aims to provide peace of mind when venturing onto the water. You will explore and practice simple strategies and safe skills that provide you with the tools to solve common paddling issues.
No matter your age or whether you have limited paddling experience, this course will support your knowledge and raise your awareness of your personal safety. The course will cover clothing and equipment, contact and towing rescues, self-rescues, and deep water rescues.
Paddlesport safety and rescue
Sea kayak safety and rescue
Where: On the sea, in both sheltered and more challenging conditions.
Craft: Sea kayaks, sea-specific sit-on-tops and closed cockpit kayaks.
This course is all about keeping your craft safe on the sea. So, whether you are paddling with friends or your club or working towards a leadership assessment, this practical course is packed with safe, practical solutions. The course aims to provide you with the key safety and rescue skills required to operate safely and be able to deal with common problems on the sea.
During the interactive practical sessions, you will discuss and use equipment and explore possible solutions to common issues in a sea environment.
Sea kayak safety and rescue
Inland open water safety and rescue
Where: Large lakes and estuaries further away from the shore or bank with winds that can make paddling a little trickier.
Craft: Any craft suitable for an inland open water environment, such as kayaks, canoes, sit-on-tops, and stand up paddleboards.
During the immersive practical sessions, you will develop your safety and rescue skills, discuss and use equipment, and explore possible solutions to common issues in an inland open-water environment. The course gives you the opportunity to learn and develop your rescue skills and hone the decision-making process that will help you keep yourself and those around you safe.
Inland open water safety and rescue
Introduction to white water
Where: Simple white water with small rapids featuring regular waves
Craft: Any craft suitable for white water, including kayaks, sit-on-tops, SUPs, pack rafts and canoes.
The Introduction to White Water Safety is for those looking to be safe and proactive while paddling as part of a led group or group of peers. This one-day course is suitable for anyone starting out on their white water paddling journey, wanting to explore the role of an effective group member and learn simple strategies and safe skills that can provide the tools to solve common paddling issues.
Find a course near you on the Paddles Up Training website: https://paddlesuptraining.com.
Introduction to white water
Weather and Tides eLearning
Develop your knowledge from the comfort of your own home with the NEW Weather and Tides eLearning. Both of these are available to anyone looking to increase their knowledge in the subject areas.
The Weather eLearning is for any paddler, whether paddling on inland or coastal waters, to increase knowledge of weather forecasting and how different conditions can affect trips. The course topics include wind, visibility and storms, as well as interpreting environmental clues and understanding synoptic charts and the shipping forecast. There is a practical focus in eLearning on using weather knowledge to plan your trips and adapt your plans to changing conditions.
Weather eLearning
The Tides eLearning is for paddlers in any craft who want to increase their knowledge of how tides can impact paddling in estuaries and coastal waters. The course topics include how to find tidal information for paddlesports, tidal flow and tidal windows, depth of tide, and how the local environment impacts tides. Trip planning scenarios are considered, and different rules of thumb to predict tide levels are introduced.
Paddle UK Members get a 50% discount on each eLearning package, which costs only £10 (usually £20). Each eLearning provides five CPD points.
Tides eLearning
Exclusive Paddle UK Members bundle discount:
We are pleased to share an extra Paddle UK Members’ bundle discount when purchasing both eLearnings. Paddle UK Members can get both the Weather and Tides eLearning for only £15. Take advantage of this limited-time offer here: https://britishcanoeingawarding.org.uk/product/tides-and-weather-elearning-bundle.
Paddle UK powers the British Canoeing Awarding Body. At a later stage in our process, it will follow the rebrand to Paddle UK.
