Welcome to Exeter Canoe Club
Home > Club Coaching 2026
The club's volunteer coaches and leaders offer a large range of coaching sessions throughout the year. There are also training courses where the club hires external coaches to offer courses at a more advanced level.
Paddle UK offers a set of personal performance awards. Two general awards which can be taken in any craft, the Discover Award followed by the Explore Award. These are then followed by a large set of discipline specific awards. More information about the awards can be found on the British Canoeing Awarding website: https://www.britishcanoeingawarding.org.uk.
The club offers courses on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings where paddlers can gain the Discover and Explore Awards. We call the courses Beginners and Improvers. The club also offers the chance to work towards discipline specific awards in white water, sea kayak and open canoe. Training for these will take place during club trips and at various weekends throughout the year (weather and water conditions permitting).
Family friendly sessions will take place on Wednesdays. See here for more detail: Family Friendly Guided Paddle
Courses are free for members. You need to join the club within a week of signing up for the course or you will lose your place on the course.
2026 programme - courses start at 1830, please arrive ideally 1800 - 1815 to get your boat ready.
Set 1
Tuesday Evenings (Improvers) 14/4 - 12/5
Booking open
Weekly Touring Paddles - all crafts
Wednesday evenings (Beginners) 15/4 - 13/5
Beginner Kayak (short)
Set 2
Tuesday Evenings (Improvers) 19/5 - 16/6
Booking opens 1/5/26
Sea Kayak Award Basic Skills (6)
Weekly Touring Paddles - all craft
Wednesday evenings (Beginners) 20/5 - 17/6
Beginner Kayak (short)
Set 3
Tuesday Evenings (Improvers) 23/6 - 21/7
Booking Opens 1/6/26
Weekly Touring Paddles - all craft
Wednesday evenings (Beginners) 24/6 - 22/7
Beginner Kayak (short)
Set 4
Tuesday Evenings (Improvers) 28/7 - 25/8
Booking Opens 1/7
Weekly Touring Paddles - all craft
29/7 - 26/8
Wednesday evenings
No courses
Please note
~ Taster – I have never been in a boat before.
# Beginner – I have been in a boat once or twice but am a real beginner (see below; if you can do these, then you aren’t a beginner!)
*Improver – I have paddled a bit and can do the basic skills – Forward, backwards, sideways, turning, stopping, swimming with a boat. Session will be on the canal.
@Touring Paddles – These are not coach-led sessions but are club activity. Grab a boat, and go for a paddle in a group.
@@ Please note,
Sea Kayak basic skills, this is working toward ensure the skills needed for the sea kayak award are there. There is a large step between Improvers and award.
Sea Kayak Award cannot be completed solely on the canal. Assessment is ongoing so participation in trips on the estuary/sea will all work toward the award.
Canoe award cannot just be completed on the canal due to the skills needed. This is where some of the fun of canoeing comes out! Sailing, poling, moving water, to name some. This will involve some weekend trips.
