Axe Vale Canoe Club

We are running a series of beginners courses (Starter Courses/Taster Sessions) starting in May 2026 for people interested in a taster of how to paddle a kayak &/or canoe &/or SUP. The aim of our courses is to provide you with the initial skills and safety considerations to enjoy paddling in the local river/estuary conditions and, optionally, then leading on to paddling at sea if you choose to continue paddling with us. The course could help you decide of you like paddlesports and also to achieving a wish to go on trips on canals, rivers, estuaries or at sea, take you friends/family for trips in suitable conditions, etc.

We are running beginners (Paddle UK Start/Safer Award) and follow-on courses (Paddle UK Discover Award) in May, June, July and August 2026 for people interested in learning how to paddle a kayak or canoe or SUP. Qualified Paddle UK coaches will run the courses. The courses follow the Paddle UK awards syllabus comprising Start and Discover Awards with the option of completing the Explore Award as a member of the AVCC. The introductory course is three sessions, one set per month, and will result in the Start/Paddle Safer Award in either kayak, canoe or SUP, as you choose. Following this, if you decide to continue paddling with us, the follow-on course during June, July and August will result in the Discover Award. For those that wish to progress further with their paddling journey, you can join our club as a full member, and we can help you achieve the Explore Award over the Summer. The sessions are held on a Tuesday or Friday evening on the estuary in Seaton.

Note there is a separate Junior’s Course aimed at young people with a separate information leaflet. If you are 11 to 15 years old, you may prefer the Junior course which runs on Saturday Morning.

Any attendee with additional needs must contact Donna Vincent on 07866 531982 prior to booking on the course to check if the course and our provision is suitable for them as we paddle on complex water and this may not suit everyone.

Is this course suitable for you? We can provide cosed kayaks and canoes, if you wish to use a Sit-On or a SUP we assume you will bring yours with you. To do our course on our flowing/wavy waters you will need certain amount of flexibility/mobility (typically we would expect as a guide: an ability to kneel down for extended periods, the ability to rotate your torso 45 deg each way whist sitting down). Our courses are aimed at equipping you for group paddling on rivers and sea in a range of conditions, rather than solo sit-on paddling on calm water.

On the Application Form you will be asked to choose your preference of Kayak, Canoe, Sit-On, SUP. If you are unsure which to choose then the following general advice applies:

- Kayak - our kayaks are river/sea kayaks which you sit inside and you are given the skills to use the spraydecks to keep dry inside. If you wish to use Sit-on kayak for the course then please bring your own along. If you choose ‘kayak’ you will be expected to perform a full capsize so you experience how to exit the kayak up-side-down and swim to shore safely, so you need to be happy to get your head wet.

- Canoe - these are open canoes (Canadian canoes) which you paddle with two people initially then move on to paddling them alone. They are paddled with a single ended paddle. Again you will be expected to learn how to capsize safely but in this case you do not get your head wet as you fall out before that happens in an open canoe. As a generalisation, canoeing tends to be more comfortable as you can move around more, though it is advisable that you able to kneel within the canoe.

- SUP - We assume you will bring your SUP along. We will look at initial paddling techniques, balance and safety. Getting wet is almost inevitable with learning to SUP and how to climb back on again.

Venue:       Axe Vale Canoe Club, Axmouth Harbour, Seaton (EX12 4AA)

Beginner's Courses (£35 per course) (Taster Sessions)
                             May - Tuesdays 3 x sessions on 12th May 2026 to 26th May 2026
                             June - Fridays 3 x sessions on 12th June 2026 to 26th June 2026
                             July - Tuesdays 3 x sessions on 14th July 2026 to 28th July 2026
                             August - Fridays 3 x sessions on 14th August 2026 to 28th August 2026

Improver's Courses (£45 per course)
                             June - Tuesdays 6 x sessions on 2nd June 2026 to 7th July 2026
                             July - Fridays 6 x sessions on 3rd July 2026 to 7th August 2026
                             August - Tuesdays 6 x sessions on 4th August 2026 to 8th September 2026

Times:        Meet at 6:00 pm at the Club House, Seaton. We will be off the water by 9:00 pm

Please download and read the Information Leaflet (PDF) on the right --->

Booking Opens mid-March 2026 - please use the ‘AVCC on WebCollect’ on-line application process.

Click the ’Apply Here’ button, sign-up for WebCollect (or Sign-in if you have used it before),
and on the AVCC page, select the ‘Intro to Paddlesports Course (IP1 or IP2)’ as appropriate.

If you want to talk to someone first then please call Colin Schofield on 07889 842104.

Click here to read our Event/Course Data Processing Notice.

All participants must be able to swim 50 metres, although for assistance, buoyancy aids will be provided. Minimum Age is 11 years old. The club insurance covers third party liability but not personal accident.

You will need to bring along:
- two sets of clothes (one for canoeing and one to travel home). For canoeing bring suitable clothing and shoes – for
   example: thin fleece, thermal top (man-made fibre), tracksuit bottoms, lace-up shoes you don’t mind getting wet.
- a towel for a shower when you get off the water,
- for those who wear glasses, something to tie them on (so they do not get lost in the river).
We will provide all the other kit and equipment you need during the course.

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Here are copies of the British Canoeing Paddle Award leaflets:

DISCOVER - EXPLORE