im just starting out, no boat, no kit, just enthusiasm! im desperate to start paddling but i need some advice on where to begin- what boat would be good for a beginner and any groups in the southeast who may be willing for me to join up?!!

any info would be grand

let me be the first of many to say DEMO DEMO DEMO DEMO DEMO DEMO DEMO DEMO DEMO DEMO DEMO DEMO DEMO DEMO DEMO DEMO DEMO DEMO DEMO DEMODEMO then demo some more. Just see what you like. Are you wanting to river run, creek, or playboat?

First thing I'd recommend is getting into a whitewater kayaking class. I am on my second season of kayaking and I have taken three kayaking classes, which will teach you a lot of fundamentals necessary for being on the river. That will include reading water, how to paddle, how to make moves in the water (catching eddies, ferry angles, eddy exit/entrance, etc.), and body position in the boat (placing the boat on edge, balance).

As you start out, I would recommend renting/demoing your gear. As you progress into the sport, you probably want to invest in a helmet, drytop, PFD, and basic gear (rash guards, river shoes, gloves, drybags, floatbags, etc.)

For a boat, you want something that is easy to roll and manueverable. A river runner like the Dagger Mamba, Wavesport Diesel, Pyrahna Burn, or any other river runner will work well. Demo a lot of boats first before buying one. When you are ready to buy, buy a demo/used boat. New boats cost about $1200US. Used/Demo cost $500-$850US.

Paddles are another story. Try paddling straight shaft and bent shaft. I like the Werner straight shaft paddles, which are light yet very sturdy. My friends use Easton bent shaft and Seven Two straight shaft paddles. It's really a matter of preference.

You will need to put in the time to practice. River time and pool time are invaluable. Pool time is great for practicing rolls, paddle strokes, and feeling comfortable in the water, particularly upside down. On the river, work your way up to higher class water. Practice eddy hopping, ferrying in moving water, rolling in moving water, rolling in rough water (deep wave trains, eddy fences, etc.), and manuevering around water features (skirt a hole rather than run it, pick you way through rapids to avoid features while catching as many eddies as you can).

This is a sport of patience and mental stamina. It will take a lot of time to get comfortable in the water and feel the boat move underneath you. You will need to maintain a state of calm when you are upside down, ignoring the cold water and feeling the water move around you so that you can choose the point when to start a roll.

Finally, and most importantly, know you limits. Paddle with people who know the river. Don't jump straight into a class III or higher river. Work you skills up to a point where you are ready to push to the next level. This is a sport that can get you hurt or killed very quickly. Respect the river/ocean because all you can do is move with it, not bend it to do your will.

Good luck and enjoy!

where abouts south east are you

im just outside of brighton, near a town called lewes

so demo then?! im really not sure what im aiming for, ive just done a 1* course then randomly went for a paddle a few times but i love it. what do you do?

I recommend that you demo river runners. You can surf rapids in those boats and still have a very stable boat to run the river. Since you are in the UK, demo the Pyrahna Burn. It's a really nice river runner. If they do not have the Burn, tell them you want to demo a river running boat.

If you have the name of local shop you demo you boats from, I will see if they have a list of boats that they offer for demo.

Hope this helps.

Do you have a group of people you know that you can go out with? If you dont, paddle shops, roll sessions and gear trades are all great places to meet people. If you dont have a group of people, take a class, better yet take two or three, week long preferably. Ive found classes, for me at least, help imporve technique comfidence and undertstanding, if for jsut the fact that it gets you out on the water. Also, demoing river runners is a good idea, but see if you can hop in a creeker and play boat as well. Ive found that if you start out in a playboat, it forces you to use better technique because there less . This could discourage you, but it sounds like your pretty dead set on kayaking. Enjoy!

wow thanks so much for all the replies, theres a whole lot of info to take on!
ive sorted out a pool to get some roll practice on and ill get straight on that demo action as it seems to be the way forward.

youre all legends, ill keep you updated!

ok so im thinking of demo a TEK excess 240? any thoughts...

Perfectly ok boat to start off with, good price too. Starting out in the uk, your best bet is to join a club, you can find your nearest one on the bcu (british canoe union) website at bcu.org.uk. Get down there and get paddling. In terms of getting a new boat, definetely demo as much as possible but youre going to get the most benefit from this once youve got a good idea of what sort of paddling you want to do and what your style is. There are always plenty of good second hand boats around too, have a look at ebay, just make sure you dont buy one thats in scotland or you'll have a long drive to pick it up eh. Good luck and i hope you get to love boating.

i just sold a teksport xcess,for £50 beleive it or not to a guy i dont even like all that much,wish i still had it you could have had it for the price of the postage,great first boat,go for it,it has more volume than the local skipwhich is great to build up the ole confidence thingy

Agree with munkyfish here, i would go to a club and work out what type of boating you want to do first, before finding a boat. However, if you have oodles of cash lying around, the Tek would be a great starter, perfect for learning skills in, though from your enthusiasm it seems you might soon 'outskill' the tek...
Just my thoughts, good luck!
Dolly!

You may find the tek sport 240 a bit big though, have a look on the classified section on here and UKRGB

I would also recommend getting down to your local club as you often find more people looking to pass on their boat, or you can try many boats out in the club sessions or river trips which maybe a bit of a drive from the south east.

I hope you enjoy this lovely sport, have fun and may see you in a eddy somewhere:D

clicky

Just seen this a few threads down could be ideal my girlfriend stole mine off me and she loves it because it handles well, comfortable and light.

Urge,

If you want to demo most of the major makes & don't mind a little travel I would recommend Woodmill canoes at Swaythling, Southampton. They are based right on the river Itchen & are very obliging with demo's

They are also pretty competive on price. The staff are all BCU qualified instructors. I thought about a Teksport myself. However, the bottom line is that you have to feel comfortable in the boat. If it doesn't feel right in the first fifteen minutes then it will be agony in a couple of hours time. It may also hinder your learning curve if you've got cramp in your ankles/ legs.

If you type in Woodmill Canoes Uk into your search engine it will take you to their site. It's about fiftyish miles from Brighton. It may be well worth the travel to try a few boats & get a feel for what feels right for you. A good club is also a useful source of help & information. If you go to the BCU's main web site you will find a link for locating clubs in you area. This may also help you decide what type of paddling you want to get into before splashing out ( sorry unintentional pun! ) on a boat & then finding it wasn't what you really wanted.

Hope this helps,

Pete46:)

sorry, double post....

another option which might be a bit closer is www.ukkayakingonline.co.uk/2.about_company.html at Horsham. Friendly and helpful and Adrian is a coach if you need training etc.

hay ya im from your neck of the woods.. In Hastings there are a lot of boaters club and shops www.epiclife.co.uk/... www.hastingscanoeclub.org.uk/ or there are a few of instructor on the beach that just paddle most Sundays off the beach, they are very good in the surf and always willing to help out (im learning loads from them). we paddle 1 to 2 times a week on the sea or a river near by .. or check out PYB in wale's for week ends or week away ... hope to see you out there soon ..