Introduction to White Water Kayaking
Regents Canoe Club is running two Introduction to White Water Kayaking courses in 2011. Each course will cater for up to 15 students.
Dates for the 2011 courses are shown below. Both courses are now full. If you wish to go onto a waiting list for these or next year's courses, please email web@regentscanoeclub.co.uk
The Introduction to White Water Kayaking course is designed for adults (18+) who have little or no previous experience of paddling kayaks, but who want to get onto moving water by the end of the course. You begin by learning how to control your boat on the Regents canal and at pool sessions, before progressing to moving water and ultimately your first taste of white water!
| Session | Course one / fully booked | Course two |
|---|---|---|
| Canal 7-9pm | Thursday 28 April | Thursday 30 June |
| Pool 7.15-8.45pm | Thursday 5 May | Thursday 7 July |
| Pool 7.15-8.45pm | Thursday 12 May | Thursday 14 July |
| Canal 7-9pm | Thursday 19 May | Thursday 21 July |
| Day trip | Saturday 21 May | Saturday 23 July |
| Canal 7-9pm | Thursday 26 May | Thursday 28 July |
| Canal 7-9pm | Thursday 2 June | Thursday 4 August |
| Weekend | 3/5 June | 5/7 August |
About the Introduction to White Water Kayaking course
Each course runs over six weeks, comprising four evening sessions on the Regents Canal, two evening sessions in the swimming pool, a day trip to the Thames, usually near Shepperton on the outskirts of west London, and a weekend away to paddle moving and white water.
For the weekend away we will travel to the Welsh borders to paddle the River Wye, leaving London on Friday evening and returning on Sunday evening.
Please note that we cannot guarantee a white water experience on the weekend away. For example, on rare occasions rivers may be in flood and too dangerous to kayak on. We will however do our utmost to find a suitable and safe venue for the weekend.
This course is intended to introduce you to kayaking on moving water in a safe and enjoyable manner. Please note that this course is not accredited by the British Canoe Union (BCU) and does not lead to any qualification or certificate. Many club members do go on to earn BCU qualifications, often through instruction organised by the club.
Students on the course are welcome to use the club's facilities on Monday and Thursday evenings without any additional charge, for the duration of the course, providing they attend the first evening of the course.
Ability
The course is suitable for all ages (18+) and abilities. It can however, be quite strenuous, so you may find it useful to do some other form of exercise before the course starts. Whatever your age or ability, you must be able to swim 50 meters in light clothing.
Instructors
All of our instructors are experienced white water canoeists and kayakers. Many of them joined the club as a result of learning to paddle on a Regents Introduction to White Water Kayaking course, so they will be sympathetic to any fears or concerns you may have.
They are all volunteers and no one gets paid for their time.
Cost
The total cost of the course is £225.00 per person. This includes all tuition, hire of equipment, fuel costs for the day trip and weekend away, as well as breakfast, lunch and accommodation on the weekend away. The instructors are all volunteers and do not get paid.
We also charge a compulsory £50 refundable deposit for the club kit which you will use. This is payable by cheque and will be refunded when you return the kit at the end of the course. The only additional expense will be for a Saturday evening meal on the weekend away and beer money!
Please note that the £225 payment is non-refundable unless the course is cancelled. In very exceptional circumstances the club may consider issuing a full or partial refund. Any such decision will be made by the RCC committee and will be non-negotiable.
What you need to wear
Please arrive at the club wearing clothes that you do not mind getting wet, such as an old tracksuit or woolly jumper. Jeans and other heavy cotton clothes are not suitable. Footwear, such as old trainers or plimsolls, must be worn and, if it is cold, a woolly hat and a lightweight nylon jacket or cagoule would also be useful.
You are unlikely to fall in the canal, but you will get wet from splashes and drips.
Changing rooms and showers are available at the club.
You will need to bring a towel, a change of dry clothing and dry shoes for after paddling and a plastic bag (for your wet gear).
At pool sessions please bring a swimming costume and towel as you will get very wet. We would also suggest you wear a pair of shorts or leggings, as the sides of the boats can rub on bare legs! You won’t be in the pool all the time, so a thermal top is also a good idea, to keep you warm. Tops made of artificial fibres such as polyester or nylon are much better at retaining heat than cotton.
Purchase an Introduction to White Water Kayaking course
Step one - the participation statement
You must click on the link below to read the participation statement. By submitting payment and an application form you confirm that you have read, understood and agree with the statements in the participation statement.
Click here to open the participation statement
Step two - payment
Purchase your chosen course using the appropriate PayPal button. You may only purchase one course place at a time. The PayPal service allows you to make a payment by credit card, debit card or PayPal. You will receive an automatic receipt from PayPal which will confirm that your payment has been made.
| Course | Purchase |
|---|---|
| Introduction to White Water Kayaking course starting 28th April 2011 | Fully booked, no places available. |
| Introduction to White Water Kayaking course starting 30th June 2011 | Fully booked, no places available. |
Step three - the application form
As soon as you have paid for your chosen course, please send us an application form using the link below. This can be submitted by email or by post. We will acknowledge receipt of your payment and application form, usually within two weeks.
If the application form does not email, you can 'save' it to your computer and then attach it to an email to web@regentscanoeclub.co.uk. Or print a copy and post it to the address on the form
Click here to open the application form
If you have any problems with payment or the application form, or if you wish to be informed when our 2012 courses become available, please email us at web@regentscanoeclub.co.uk
