*The term Canoe is used as a generic name but in paddlesport there are many
different types of craft that are manually propelled using a paddle. A Canoe
is paddled using a single bladed paddle either in the sitting or kneeling
position, the Canoe can have an open cockpit or a closed one, that is with a
spray deck. A Kayak is paddled sitting down with a double ended paddle
and is more likely to have a closed cockpit.
Regular paddlers generally refer to them as 'boats', either racing boat, play boat, sea boat, open boat, etc.
Regular paddlers generally refer to them as 'boats', either racing boat, play boat, sea boat, open boat, etc.
Come and Try
SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS: Most forms of water sport carry a risk of
personnal injury, the most obvious is drowning but accidents can also
happen with the use of paddles and contact with landing stages and other
hard surfaces. At Maidstone Canoe Club we insist that all juniors and
novices of whatever age wear a buoyancy aid. Novice paddlers will not be
allowed to go on the water using club boats unless they are accompanied
by experienced paddlers. We do not take novices out on the water if the
conditions are at all risky, e.g. when the river is in flood or there
are exceptionally high winds. Other river users, particularly
rowers, can be a hazard to canoeists. Club members who accompany novices
will give warning of their approach by shouting 'boat coming' or 'rower'
so that all paddlers can quickly get to the nearest bank, normally when
travelling this will be the right hand bank.
Other risks to paddlers include:
Weil's disease: Rare, but two known cases concerning club paddlers in the last 20 years. The best defence is not to go on the water if you have exposed wounds to the skin and to take a shower after paddling. Please see this for further information.
Giant Hogweed: These plants grow on the banks of the Medway and can cause very serious skin rashes if contact is made with the sap from the leaves or stem. Club members will point these out to newcomers when taking part in come and try sessions. Please see this for further information.
Other risks to paddlers include:
Weil's disease: Rare, but two known cases concerning club paddlers in the last 20 years. The best defence is not to go on the water if you have exposed wounds to the skin and to take a shower after paddling. Please see this for further information.
Giant Hogweed: These plants grow on the banks of the Medway and can cause very serious skin rashes if contact is made with the sap from the leaves or stem. Club members will point these out to newcomers when taking part in come and try sessions. Please see this for further information.
Unaccompanied Juniors: Whilst we would much prefer that a parent
or responsible adult is in attendance either on the water or waiting on
the bank we understand that on some occasions this may not be possible.
We have BCU qualified coaches with the necessary CRB checks in place who
are prepared to take responsibility for juniors but these members may
not always be available for a particular session. Parents are asked to
check on the CLUB Diary
page for any comments about the suitability of
forthcoming sessions at the club. Paddlers at Maidstone Canoe Club are
not covered by any Club insurance against personal injury but are
covered by third party indemnity insurance provided by BCU affiliation,
provided they are members of the club or have paid for day membership
and are being supervised by club members.
The best day to do this is on a Sunday morning at about 9:30, the
sessions lasts about 3 hours. Just turn up and ask one of the regulars,
the ones with the canoeing kit on, about having a go and they will
either help you themselves or introduce you to somebody who will find
you a boat, paddle and buoyancy aid. They will
probably ask you a few questions like : have you paddled before?, can you swim? etc. Please check our Diary page to see which Sundays are ok for beginners.
You will need to bring a change of clothing and a towel. Please see our what to wear.doc or what to wear.pdf for some useful tips on the cloths to wear for canoeing, especially in the colder weather.
We make a charge of £5 per session to cover the cost of the upkeep of club equipment, any coaching given is informal for which no charge is made.
The first time you paddle a general purpose kayak it will not go where you want it to, this is quite normal, it takes a bit of practice to paddle in a straight line and is not as easy as it looks.
There are different types of canoes* and kayaks that are used for different types of paddling. The main interests of Maidstone Canoe Club members are general flat water paddling, marathon and sprint racing, white water and sea touring. If you haven't paddled a canoe before you are strongly advised to try a few first before you buy one. We have a selection of canoes and kayaks that you are welcome to try out to see which one suits your needs best.
probably ask you a few questions like : have you paddled before?, can you swim? etc. Please check our Diary page to see which Sundays are ok for beginners.
You will need to bring a change of clothing and a towel. Please see our what to wear.doc or what to wear.pdf for some useful tips on the cloths to wear for canoeing, especially in the colder weather.
We make a charge of £5 per session to cover the cost of the upkeep of club equipment, any coaching given is informal for which no charge is made.
The first time you paddle a general purpose kayak it will not go where you want it to, this is quite normal, it takes a bit of practice to paddle in a straight line and is not as easy as it looks.
There are different types of canoes* and kayaks that are used for different types of paddling. The main interests of Maidstone Canoe Club members are general flat water paddling, marathon and sprint racing, white water and sea touring. If you haven't paddled a canoe before you are strongly advised to try a few first before you buy one. We have a selection of canoes and kayaks that you are welcome to try out to see which one suits your needs best.
You don't need to have had previous experience of Canoeing
You are
welcome to come and have a go at Canoeing
Please note that on
some Sunday mornings there may not be any regular paddlers to help you
so please check the Club Diary for likely activities for the coming Sunday
.... if
necessary please try another Sunday
