BCAB PP Sea
Kayak Award
MODERATELY CHALLENGING
If none of the scheduled dates work for you, please feel free to contact us and organise an alternative.
What to expect on a BCAB Personal Performance Sea Kayak course
Uncover the unrivalled beauty of the Pembrokeshire Coast by sea kayak, undertaking some moderately challenging journeys amidst breathtaking scenery. This course is for anyone who feels ready to take the final step towards being a competent independent paddler.
Over the course of either 2, 3 or 4 days, your skill, judgement and decision making will evolve in response to a range of environments. You’ll be an active participant in trip planning, further developing your understanding of influencing factors, such as tides and weather. On the sea, you’ll encounter winds up to force 3 and/or tides up to 1 knot and develop a relaxed, adaptable approach: maintaining control in changeable conditions.
Over the duration of the course, we will observe your capability and help you grow your skills. If you are at the appropriate level, we will award you with the Sea Kayak Award.
BOOK YOUR COURSE
BOOKING WIDGET GOES HERE
MORE ABOUT THE COURSE
COURSE DURATION AND PRICES +
2 days – £210
3 days – £300
4 days – £380
TIMINGS +
09:00-17:00
AGE RESTRICTIONS +
This course is suitable for ages of 16 and above.
COURSE CONTENT +
- Trip planning; tide, weather and other environmental factors.
- Building situational awareness and decision making.
- Paddling your kayak efficiently: development of more complex paddling techniques such as bow-rudders and bracing.
- Rock hopping, wind up to Force 3, surf up to 0.5m and gentle tide races (conditions dependant).
- Simple peer rescues, towing and self-rescues.
- Map and chart reading skills including deck-top navigation.
EXPERIENCE LEVEL +
This is a ‘direct entry’ course, meaning it is up to you to decide the appropriate level course at which to enter. We are more than happy to help you decide which level you’d be best suited to; please do get in touch. You do not need to show proof of previous achievement.
You should already be sufficiently confident:
- Manoeuvring your sea kayak in a range of environments.
- Paddling in winds of up to and including force 3 and/or tides up to 1 knot.
- Dealing with situations responsively as they arise.
- Planning trips with consideration for weather, currents, swell, tides and coastline.
WHO IS THIS COURSE FOR? +
You may be part of an organised sea kayak club, a group of friends, an adventurous family or you may be a solo paddler.
You may feel ready to take the Sea Kayak Award (which is equivalent to the old “3-star award”) having completed the BCAB Paddle Start, Discover and Explore awards, though these are by no means a necessary prerequisite.
If you feel you are at the appropriate experience level (as laid out above) and are ready to travel in some more challenging waters and work towards becoming an independent paddler, this is the course for you.
If you feel you are still in the process of developing these skills, we recommend booking onto one of our longer intermediate courses and letting us know you wish to cover the Sea Kayak Award syllabus as part of the course.
QUALIFICATIONS GAINED +
We will assess you for the BCAB Personal Performance Sea Kayak Award throughout the course. A small admin fee is involved to register the award with the British Canoeing Awarding Body (BCAB).
WHERE? +
You’ll meet at our base near Solva to get kitted up (exact location will be shared in your confirmation of booking) and we’ll head to a nearby harbour which we’ve chosen to best suit the conditions on the day.
KIT PROVIDED +
- The use of one of our fleet of high quality P and H custom sea kayaks
- Touring paddling jacket
- Personal Floatation Device (PFD)
- Spraydeck
- Paddle
- Drybag
- Long John wetsuit
WHAT TO BRING +
In your confirmation of booking, you’ll receive a full list of basic items to bring on the day e.g. bathers to wear under the wetsuit, a water bottle, a towel etc.