Getting Started FAQ

Kingston Kayak Club runs session on a Monday night at the Albert Avenue site.  Currently during the COVID restrictions we have our General Paddling sessions running on the Indoor and Outdoor Pools, 6:30pm to 7:30pm.  On your initial sessions we ask that you book onto the indoor pool so we can show you the basic safety drills, but after that you can choose if you wish to paddle indoors or out.  Paddlers may attend 3 sessions to make sure the Club and sport is right for them, after this we ask that they become members of the Club.  There are a number of advantages to become a member, but the 2 main advantages are cheaper sessions and access to our trips away from the Albert Avenue site.

How much do sessions cost?

How much is membership?

We have 3 main membership types; Junior, Senior and Family.  Juniors are those paddlers under 18 and Family Membership is for up to 2 adults (Parents/Guardians) and their children.

We are a not for profit organisation, run completely by volunteers.  We endeavour to keep the prices as low as possible to ensure the sport can be access by as many people as possible.  Currently we have applied a “Welcome Back” discount to the Monday night sessions to help families as they return to organised activities.  The figures shown above are our full prices.

How do I book a paddling session and buy membership?

We currently manage all our sessions and membership through the GoMembership Platform provided to us by British Canoeing.  This allows us to take payments and manage numbers during the COVID restrictions.  You will need to register with the portal and then you can book paddling sessions and buy membership.  We have created a useful video that explains the process, click the image below:

When you book a session, you will see full details about the session and COVID safe measures.  This will be followed up with a confirmation email.

What do I need to buy to paddle?

You do not need to buy anything to paddle with the Club. 

• Indoor Paddling – You will need your normal swimming gear.  Some people do like to wear a t-shirt too as your upper body will spend most of its time above the water. 
• Outdoor Paddling – This depends a little on the weather; usually we suggest leggings of some sort, for example tracksuit trousers, and on the upper body a long sleaved top.  Ideally these items will be synthetic fibres as they will keep you warm even when wet.  During very hot weather shorts, t-shirt and sun cream will suffice.  The Club will then loan you outer clothing to keep the wind off and keep you warm.

All other specialist gear, such as boat, paddle, buoyancy aid, spraydeck, helmet etc will be provided by the Club for you to use for the session.

What else does the Club do?

The COVID Lockdowns have restricted our activities since 2020, but we are now starting to return to normal activity.  In addition to the Monday night sessions we have Canoe Polo training 3 times a week at Albert Avenue site.  We also have regular flat water trips, trips on the Sea and white water trips on various rivers around the UK.  We have sessions in Kayaks, Canoes and Stand Up Paddleboards.  During the warmer months we also run SUP Yoga sessions on the outdoor pool.

Our YouTube Channel will give you a better idea of these activities: https://www.youtube.com/kingstonkayakclub  Please subscribe to our channel so you can see the latest videos as they are published.

How do I keep in touch with what the Club is doing?

Our primary form of communication is through the weekly Newsletter.  This is where we advertise trips, show activities that have taken place and anything else you need to know.  You can sign up for the newsletter via our web page : https://www.kkc.org.uk/  On the right column you will see the Mailing List.  Enter your email address and click Subscribe.

As mentioned above we have a web page to tell the World about the Club : https://www.kkc.org.uk/

We have a Facebook Group which allows members to communicate and share photos.  Not everyone is on Facebook, so this is an additional communication method rather than the main channel.  https://www.facebook.com/groups/KingstonKayakClub

What is British Canoeing?

British Canoeing is the sport’s national governing body.  There is a lot of information about what they do on their website : https://www.britishcanoeing.org.uk/  They also provide a free membership which is certainly worth looking at : Join Us Here | Four Flexible Options (britishcanoeing.org.uk)

We hope this answers the majority of your questions, but please feel free to contact us if you have anything specific.  Looking forward to seeing you on the water.

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