Over the next few months, we'll be putting together some blogs on the outdoor qualifications and awards that we offer, to help clarify the pathways for progressing your personal paddling or for entering the outdoor industry as a career. Next up, is the British Canoeing Coastal Sea Kayak Award - a new course for Reach Outdoors in 2023! Reach Outdoors is a British Canoeing Delivery Partner and offer a variety of activities and courses throughout the year.

The Coastal Sea Kayak Award is a kayaking award aimed to progress your paddling skills in tougher coastal conditions. The award is put together by British Canoeing (the national governing body for paddlesports in the UK) and it comes under the category of “Personal Performance Awards” which are for developing your personal skills in paddling.

Who is it for and what does the course cover? 

This course is for people who are comfortable kayaking in sheltered conditions who are looking to develop their paddling skills in moderate sea water conditions. This could be because they’re looking to make more coastal journeys in the future, or perhaps wanting to get experience in some tougher water conditions ahead of a Sea Kayak Leader training. Paddlers should have a good amount of experience paddling in a kayak before attending this award.

This award can be done in either a closed cockpit sea kayak or a sit-on-top kayak (for more information on the difference, check out our Sea Kayak Award blog).

The conditions for this course are up to force 4 or maximum 18 mph winds and up to 2 knots (2 nautical miles per hour) of tidal flow.

The course covers similar topics to the Sea Kayak Award, but with a higher remit for conditions and more complex personal paddling skills. The topics are:

• Choosing a location to paddle and the factors that may affect it.
• What kit and equipment you might need
• Safety and rescue
• Personal paddling skills, including negotiating tight spaces, maintaining and changing direction.
• Reviewing a journey for future personal development.

Does this award help me to become an instructor or leader for paddling groups?

Personal performance awards don’t qualify you to lead groups or take people out under your supervision. Another award, such as the Paddlesport Leader or Sea Kayak Leader would be required to lead groups safely. The Coastal Sea Kayak Award is an excellent bridge for instructors between the Paddlesport Leader and Sea Kayak Leader awards as it provides training and experience in the tougher conditions required for the Sea Kayak Leader.

It does not have a formal assessment, but certain criteria do need to be met to get the award. It could be that at the end of your course, you and the instructor discuss a quick development plan for you to work towards to achieve the final bits of the award.

There is no minimum age to do the award, although on our open courses at Reach Outdoors, we do have a minimum age of 14 years old (bespoke courses available on request).

You do not need to be a member of British Canoeing to get this award or take part in the course (however if you wish to get the certificate for the award, there may be an additional certificate fee if you are not a member).

How is the award run at Reach Outdoors?

We run the Coastal Sea Kayak Award over 3 full days. Most of that is on the water, but some is spent in a classroom discussing scenarios, preparation, equipment and conditions. 

We ask that you have previous kayaking experience in sheltered water and that participants are at least 14 years old to attend one of our open courses. If you’re looking to do your coastal sea kayak award in a closed cockpit kayak, you must have some previous experience in a closed cockpit kayak. We run a one-day introduction to closed cockpit kayaking, so book onto one of those first to provide the basics of safety and rescue in a closed cockpit kayak.

If you are under 14 and interested in doing this award with us, please pop us an email. We can put on courses for private groups providing minimum numbers are met.

We provide all the equipment required (e.g. wetsuit, buoyancy aid, helmet, kayak and paddle) but you are welcome to use your own if you’d like, providing they are suitable.

Often, we’ll paddle at different locations on each of the days to give some variety and try to get to the limit of the conditions required for the award. Being based at Goodrington Sands Beach in Torbay provides access to a whole range of coves and beaches, as well as some nearby estuaries.

Our next Coastal Sea Kayak Award is on 20th-22nd March 2023. To book on, visit our online calendar at www.reach-outdoors.com/event-booking or for further dates and prices, visit our webpage.

For further information, or to enquire about other dates, please email info@reach-outdoors.com.

Reach Outdoors is based in the English Riviera. Check out www.englishriviera.co.uk for accommodation providers or other fantastic things to do when you are in the area.

To find full information on the award, and find a provider local to you, visit https://paddlesuptraining.com/courses/coastal-sea-kayak-award/