Trip Guidelines

Trip and Session Guidelines

CKC organises trips and expeditions, and uses a grading system to indicate the paddler standard required for these trips, as well as to indicate the types of paddling that may be encountered. While the club tries to be as clear as possible for each grading, you should note that these are indicative and for guidance only. On Club Led Paddles, on any trip the leader has the final say on how things are run and who gets to paddle. (Club Led paddling has a designated, and qualified leader working within their remit).

Club Peer Paddles, are activities promoted by individual members to the club and not offering leadership on the water beyond that found in a peer group situation. Individuals are self-reliant and competent to paddle the proposed / anticipated conditions. It is for every individual to assess their own plan, ability and equipment. Peer Group Paddling is very distinct from Club/External Led Paddling. There is no designated leader. A trip organiser may co-ordinate the logistics. These trips are restricted to people at Sea Kayak Award (3*) level or above.

It is not a requirement that individuals hold the Paddle UK or British Canoeing (BC) Award certificates indicated. Although the Paddle UK awards are generally a positive thing to have, here they are used as a general indication of the level of proficiency required for each grade.  The intention is to help paddlers progress their paddling skills and identify suitable trips. However all Club members – regardless of ability – must demonstrate their ability to perform a deep water assisted rescue at least every two years.

There are, however, no hard and fast rules as everyone progresses at different rates.  Neither is there a fixed progression where the next level is reached when a particular trip is completed. The jump in skill level is more marked between the higher levels and most paddlers will need to do many trips at each level to demonstrate that they are confident and competent before moving up.  Three other factors that will also contribute to your rate of progression: how often you paddle, your level of paddle fitness and the variety of trips you go on.

Please contact the trip leader to confirm your place and discuss the trip’s suitability for you.  There will be people who want to push their paddling skills on by trying a level above where they have been before and this is fine as long as the trip leader is happy with this.

Remember, the trip leader has the final say on whether a trip goes ahead or not, how things are run and who gets to paddle.