Canoe and Kayak Courses
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We offer a range of courses for adults and children, from total beginners to experienced paddlers. Most adult courses are based on the British Canoe Union's Star test progression, whilst children follow the BCU's Paddlepower scheme which introduces them to paddling  and leads on to increasing skill development. More details of this on the Junior Paddlers page. We start all of our beginner courses in the Spring, as soon as the clocks change. These course do get booked up quickly, but we keep a waiting list, so contact dompmurphy@hotmail.com if you'd like to book a place.

COURSES
Juniors: Beginner kayak                     Adults: Beginner kayak *              Open Canoe Basics
Introduction to Kayak Racing.            Placid Water Kayak 2 & 3 star*    Placid Water Kayak 4 Star * Capsize, Canoe Safety and Rolling      Groups: Schools, Guides, Scouts etc
Groups, Corporate.
* The British canoe Union's star award scheme is being revamped at the moment: we hope that the scheme will be available for us to use by Spring 2008, but cannot guarantee this. At the moment, courses are still based around the old star syllabus.


Adult Beginners: Placid Water Kayak Course Top
 Our regular courses are intended for adults with little or no paddling experience and will  teach them the basic strokes of kayaking and canoeing in open cockpit boats. Paddlers will get the chance to paddle one–person (K1) and two-person (K2) kayaks. The course lasts four weeks, and is followed by tests or a river trip. The British canoe Union star test scheme is being revamped at the moment; we anticipate that it will be bedded in and ready for us to use in time for this course.
Cost: £40.00 for four sessions. Test/trip fee extra. (Anyone who subsequently decides to join the club will receive a £10 discount on membership fees).

Time: 6:15-7:30pm (times subject to confirmation). Be at the club for 6.00, ready for a 6.15 start.  
Next Course:  Thursdays 1st, 8th, 15, 22nd May
Limit: Maximum of 6 people. Course now full.
Course after that: Thursdays - date to be arranged.
Limit: Maximum of 6 people. Waiting list now open, 4 places still available.
 Note: we may be adding extra courses to cope with demand - more details on this as soon as possible.
Prerequisites: Must be able to swim 50 metres.
Clothing: Paddlers will need to wear clothing suitable for the conditions: two thin long sleeved tops, track trousers or leggings for example. Not jeans, or heavy woollen tops, though. Always bring a waterproof/windproof top and a hat, and a complete change of clothing, plus a towel. 
One star kayak theory test.
Junior Beginners: Placid Water Kayak "Paddlepower Award" Course Top
Our regular four week courses are intended for juniors with little or no paddling experience and will  teach them the basic strokes of kayaking, following the British Canoe Union's "Paddlepower Scheme". (For more details of the Paddlepower scheme, see the club's juniors page).

Time: 5:15-6:30pm.
Next Course:  Thursdays 1st, 8th, 15, 22nd May
Limit: Maximum of 6 people. Course now full.
Course after that: Thursdays - dates to be arranged.
Limit: Maximum of 6 people. Waiting list now open..
 Note: we may be adding extra courses to cope with demand - more details on this as soon as possible.
Cost: £30.00  for four sessions. Test/trip fee extra. (Anyone who subsequently decides to join the club will receive a £10 discount on membership fees).

Prerequisites: Must be able to swim 50 metres. A parent/adult in charge must stay at the club or walk the towpath during the session
Clothing: Paddlers will need to wear clothing suitable for the conditions: two thin long sleeved tops, track trousers or leggings for example. Not jeans, or heavy woollen tops, though. Always bring a waterproof/windproof top and a hat, and a complete change of clothing, plus a towel.

 		  

Open (Canadian) Canoe basics Course Top
Next Course: To be arranged.
Limit:6 people. Waiting list is open.
Who: Adults, or juniors over 14, with little or no paddling experience.
What: this is an intensive, one-day course which covers the basic skills of open canoeing: the theory, the equipment, the strokes, the clothing, the safety - everything you need to know to take a canoe out on the water. There are two water-based sessions and two theory sessions.
Cost: Course:  free to members of BDCC £40.00 for non-members. (Anyone who subsequently decides to join the club will receive a discount on membership fees).
Limit: 6 people.
Prerequisites: Must be able to swim 50 metres.
What to bring: A packed lunch; two sets of clothes to paddle in (unless you want to put wet clothes back on after lunch - not recommended!). Clothing needs to be suitable for the conditions: two thin long sleeved tops, track trousers or leggings for example. Not jeans, or heavy woollen tops, though. Whatever the weather, bring a waterproof/ windproof top and a hat, and a complete change of clothing, plus a towel. Watersports shoes, or an old pair of trainers will be fine for the feet.

Timetable:

9:00am.            Arrival and Coffee.
                        Introductions and   Administration.
9:15am             Theory session 1.

10:00am           Practical session (1) – on the water.
12:30pm           Lunch and theory session 2.
  1:45pm           Practical session 2 – on the water.

  3:45pm           Off the water, equipment away, get changed.

  4:15pm          Debrief and departure.



 

Introduction to Kayak Racing Course. Top
 Once people are at one star standard, they will have the chance to join a racing progression coaching group run by Irene Hills. Here, juniors and adults will learn how to paddle the streamlined racing boats, and how to steer them with the rudder system. Paddlers will then have the chance to take part in a marathon race, or races.
    Irene Hills:
Course Coordinator
 		    Next Course:  We begin again in the spring a soon as the first beginner courses have finished.
Cost: free to members of BDCC,  Not normally open to non-members, but £7.50 per session if  non-members do take part. Paddlers who did the beginner course last year are welcome to apply for places.
Limit: No limit, but one coach to every 6 paddlers.
Prerequisites: PW1* or equivalent.
Clothing: Paddlers will need to wear clothing suitable for the conditions: two thin long sleeved tops, track trousers or leggings for example. Not jeans, or heavy woollen tops, though. Always bring a waterproof/windproof top and a hat, and a complete change of clothing, plus a towel. 
 
Placid Water Kayak 2 & 3 star Courses. Top
Courses for more experienced paddlers. Most sessions will be held on the canal, but some work will also be done on the River Avon at Stratford, and at other venues. PW3  course will be run by Neville Simmons or Dom Murphy. Please note that the BCU star test awards are changing, and that this course is currently based on the old syllabus.
Next Course:  To be arranged.

Cost: free to members of BDCC,  £7.50 per session for non-members. (Anyone who subsequently decides to join the club would have their fee refunded).
Limit: 16 people.
Prerequisites: To do PW2*, must already have PW1* and have gained experience in ruddered boats; to do PW3*, must have PW2* and have gained experience of racing/touring.
Clothing: Paddlers will need to wear clothing suitable for the conditions: two thin long sleeved tops, track trousers or leggings for example. Not jeans, or heavy woollen tops, though. Always bring a waterproof/windproof top and a hat, and a complete change of clothing, plus a towel. 

Dom Murphy & Neville Simmons:
Course Coordinators
Placid Water Kayak 4 Star Course. Top
Course for more experienced paddlers. Most sessions will be held on the canal, but some work will also be done on the River Avon at Stratford, and at other venues including Willen lake, Milton Keynes where a speedboat provides terrifying wash! The course will be run by Neville Simmons and Dom Murphy. Please note that the BCU star test awards are changing, and that this course is currently based on the old syllabus.
Next Course:  To be arrangd.
When: Two day trips, one river, one to inland water.
Who: More experienced paddlers.
Cost: free to members of BDCC,  £20.00 per session for non-members, plus BCU fees. (Anyone who subsequently decides to join the club would have their fee refunded).
Limit: 16 people.
Prerequisites: To do PW4*, must have PW3* or equivalent.
Clothing: Paddlers will need to wear clothing suitable for the conditions: two thin long sleeved tops, track trousers or leggings for example. Not jeans, or heavy woollen tops, though. Always bring a waterproof/windproof top and a hat, and a complete change of clothing, plus a towel. 
 
Capsize, Canoe Safety and Rolling Courses.  Top
These courses are aimed at club members,  and introduce the basics of canoe safety, capsize skills in canoe & kayak and the beginnings of rolling, including rolling wavehoppers and rolling using wings.
Next Course: To be arranged.
When: Saturday or Sunday evenings in the Winter at Brackley Swimming Pool.
Cost: Course:  free to members of BDCC, apart from Swimming Pool Session which will be somewhere around £6. Open to non-members only if there is space. £8 per session.
Limit: 12 people per session..
Prerequisites: Must be able to swim 50 metres.
Clothing: swimming kit, buoyancy aid, helmet.
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Schools, Guides, Scouts and other Youth Groups.  Top
We run taster sessions for groups such as Schools, Guides and Scouts. Please contact dompmurphy@hotmail.com if you'd like to arrange a session.
When: Normally on Monday evenings, 6.00-7.30pm, but other days and times can be arranged.
Who: No experience necessary, but minimum age 8 years.
Cost: £5.00 per person. Free to members of BDCC, 
Limit: Normally 10 people, but we can take up to 20 with a modified programme (some do canoe, others kayak).
What: People are taught safety procedures, how to get in and out of boats, the basics of forward and backward paddling, steering and turning the boats. There's usually time for some games and a bit of splashing.
Clothing: Paddlers will need to wear clothing suitable for the conditions: two thin long sleeved tops, track trousers or leggings for example. Not jeans, or heavy woollen tops, though. Always bring a waterproof/windproof top and a hat, and a complete change of clothing, plus a towel. 
Corporate Groups Top
We can tailor packages for corporate groups - anything from full courses of instruction to something a bit different for the annual barbecue. We don't do the hackneyed old team building thing, but we can do a lot of canoe and kayak activities which require a lot of teamwork and discussion ... or getting very wet!
Who: Contact dompmurphy@hotmail.com to arrange a session.
When: Evenings or weekends.
Cost: Depends on the package: prices from £5 to £20 per person, per session.
Limit: Normally 12 people per session.
Prerequisites: Must be able to swim 50 metres.
Clothing: Paddlers will need to wear clothing suitable for the conditions: two thin long sleeved tops, track trousers or leggings for example. Not jeans, or heavy woollen tops, though. Always bring a waterproof/windproof top and a hat, and a complete change of clothing, plus a towel
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