Personal Performance Awards

Develop your personal performance as an independent sea kayaker on the Pembrokeshire Coast

The Pembrokeshire Coast isn’t just a spectacular backdrop for your learning. It offers a phenomenal variety of dynamic, wild environments ideal for developing confident, responsive, adaptable and skillful paddling at sea.

SEA KAYAK AWARD

For those aiming to develop the skills required to become a fully independent paddler. You should be confident to manouvre in up to force 3 winds and/or tides up to 1 knot.

COASTAL SEA KAYAK AWARD

For fully independent paddlers who are at the level of or hold the Sea Kayak Award and can confidently plan and undertake coastal sea kayak journeys in winds up to 4 knots and/or tides up to 2 knots.

ADVANCED SEA KAYAK AWARD

Aimed at reasonably experienced and fully independent paddlers at or above the level of the Sea Kayak Award who are confident paddling in moderate tidal flows (2-3 knots), slight to moderate sea states (1-1.5m of swell), winds of Force 4+ and small surf. You should feel ready to be introduced to tide races, overfalls, bigger swell, technical rock-hopping and winds of Force 5 and above.

Why take a BCAB Personal Performance Award?

Expert Local Guides

The British Canoeing Awarding Body (previously British Canoeing) Personal Performance Sea Kayak Awards have been established to recognise an individual’s paddling ability in a range of oceanic environments.

You may simply want to mark your progress as you grow your personal kayaking ability under the framework of a structured syllabus. Or you may want to take these awards as part of your preparation for entering the BCAB Leadership and Coaching Awards.

Either way, joining a small group with expert local guides means your learning aspirations will be central to the course syllabus. You can set meaningful personal goals and benefit from attentive, engaging guides who are focused on providing valuable personalised feedback.

Which level award should I take?

The great thing about BCAB Personal Performance Awards is that you don’t need to start at the beginning and work your way up. They allow direct entry, meaning you can decide the appropriate level at which to enter depending on your previous experience. We’ll help you decide if you’re unsure.

There are no age restrictions, so you can join as a family as long as you’re all at an appropriate proficiency level.