Welcome to the Ribble Canoe Club Training page.
On this page we try to give you a flavour of the many aspects of training, covering both absolute beginners through to really quite advanced and scary stuff, that we can offer. Please remember that all of our instructors, whilst they are fully qualified BCU approved instructors, are doing this because they love the sport and want to pass their experience on to others. They are not full-time coaches and often have other other commitments that may mean there is a considerable juggling act to be able to fit everything in. Be gentle with them!!
| Beginners | 1/2/3 Star Skills | Canoe Training |
Don't know one end of a canoe from another? Don't know the difference between a canoe or a kayak? Never mind, we were all in that position at one time or another, and to be honest there are some of us who still have to think hard about that second question! The important think is, you want to have a go!
Twice a year Ribble Canoe Club runs beginners kayak courses at Fulwood Leisure Centre, usually over two or three weeks with a session on some real open air water thrown in. An experienced qualified instructor will take you through all of the safety aspects, will explain and demonstrate some basic strokes and then will supervise your first steps (paddles?) into the world of canoeing. We think that once you've tried it, you'll be hooked! For the next Beginners' Course see the Calendar/Pool pages. Alternatively, come down to the Hand & Dagger at Treales on a Wednesday evening and talk to our members who will be able to put you in touch with the course organisers.
In the past, students on the beginners course at Fulwood have asked the instructors about the possibility of a follow-on course outdoors, so that they can have a better introduction to river paddling ready to take part in the regular weekend trips.
SO, HOW ABOUT A FLAT WATER (2 STAR SKILLS) COURSE?
Following on from the Beginners’ Course at Fulwood, we run a British Canoe Club (BCU) 2 Star skills course to introduce novice paddlers to the enjoyable world of outdoor canoeing. The course will take participants through some of the skills they would need to pass the BCU 2 Star award.
Because of the sometimes unpredictable weather at these times of the year, the course will not be able to include formal assessment for the 2 star award. However, be assured that anybody who completes the course will ‘have what it takes’ to be able to pass 2 star at a future date – possibly on the River Courses next summer. Contact Brian Woodhouse for more details and bookings.
…OR HOW ABOUT AN INTRODUCTION TO MOVING WATER?
For those paddlers who have already experienced a little outdoor paddling and are looking to move onto the fluffy stuff, we will be holding an informal FREE course to set you in the right direction. Basically the course will provide you with the basic skills to survive, including the art of ferry gliding, breaking in and out of eddies and the techniques required to stay upright on the moving wet stuff.
In addition, if you already have the skills without the confidence, come on down we’ll happily point you in the right direction. Please do register interest in advance.
THE VENUE
Both courses will be based on the River Lune at Halton. Again, see the Calendar pages for details of the next courses. This is an excellent venue with grades of water ranging from a flat grade 1 below the weir at the bottom, to an exciting grade 3 on the rapids upstream, so all abilities can be catered for. The paddling site is close to the car park so it's easy to stop for a break, and it's also a great place for family and friends to come along and watch.
If you’re not sure which course is right for you, get in touch with either Brian or Dave anyway. We can assess your experience, and depending on your individual wishes, abilities and enthusiasm we will make sure you go on the course that is right for you!
Every year around June/July we run a BCU 1, 2 and 3 Star Skills course. The courses are run over three weeks. They start with a pools session at Fulwood Leisure Centre where your BCU qualified instructor will go over all the safety aspects you need to understand, will explain the basic strokes you will be learning, and will give you the opportunity to practise in the safety (and warmth!!) of the pool. The outdoor sessions take up two nights a week (usually Tuesday and Thursday) on some local water, culminating with the assessments which we have recently been undertaking during an organised trip up to one of the lakes in the Lake District.
Most beginners have a go at the 2 Star Award and then come back next year for the 3 Star training. For those who don't quite achieve 2 Star standard, there is a 1 Star award - never mind, it shows you have progressed and there's always next year!
We don't run formal canoe training, however many of our members regularly paddle canoes and can usually be prevailed (ie bought for the price of a pint or three) to instruct you to at least 2 Star BCU standard. Should you want to then go on and take the BCU assessment, the club can arrange for a suitable assessor.