Adult Novice Introductory Courses 2023

Our adult beginner courses for 2023 are now full. If you would like to sign up to one for 2024, please register your interest  by filling in the form. We will then let you know when a place becomes available. Please note, we do currently have a waiting list, so it’s best to get your name down well in advance.

Our boats:

Reading Canoe Club is one of the most successful racing clubs in the country, in both marathon and sprint and has a small but active slalom section. 

As a consequence, the club’s beginner kayaks are more streamlined and less stable than you might experience with a regular commercial operator. This means there are some limitations, governed by the size of the boats, that you need to be aware of before you sign up:

  • There is a paddler weight limit of 110kg 
  • The max width of our cockpits at the hips is 39 cm
  • Unfortunately, we have no stable club boats which can adjust comfortably for a paddler taller than 190 cm or an individual who may be shorter but with extra-long legs  

If you want to visit the club to assess the suitability of the craft for you, please just let us know.

The canoes we use for beginners (and for marathon and sprint) are described as open cockpit boats, meaning that one’s knees are not inside the boat. This means that in the event of a capsize you fall out of the boat quickly, easily and safely. They are slightly less stable at first, but much faster once the balance and basic forward stroke are mastered.

Wednesday and Saturday Courses:

Reading Canoe Club runs adult beginner courses from late April. The course cost is £90 and includes use of equipment. Beginners should be changed and ready to go by the start time please.

Adult beginners courses for 2023 – these are now full:

Three 4-week Saturday courses as below. The sessions start promptly at 11.30, each session lasting 1.5 hours:

  1. Saturday Course 1 – 29th April, 13th May, 20th May , 27th May
    – (note break on week two of first Saturday course for Coronation on 6th May)
  2. Saturday Course 2 – 3rd June, 10th June, 17th June, 24th June
  3. Saturday Course 3 – 1st July, 8th July, 15th July, 22nd July

Three 4-week Wednesday courses, starting promptly at 18.30 on Wednesday evenings, each session lasting 1.5 hours:

  1. Wednesday Course 1 – 26th April, 3rd May, 10th May, 17th May
  2. Wednesday Course 2 – 24th May, 31st May, 7th June, 14th June,
  3. Wednesday Course 3 – 21st June, 28th june, 5th July, 12th July

If you would like a place on a course please complete this form

In the event of adverse weather or river conditions, a session may have to be postponed. All courses are subject to there being enough participants and coaching staff available.

If you cannot wait for a course, please contact the club, who will put you in touch with one of the coaches who may coach you on a 1-2-1 basis, or run a small course. Any such coaching or courses is a direct relationship with the coach involved, and will only run under suitable conditions. There will be a fee for any such course or coaching.

Further Info