CCC Sea Kayak Course 2026 Handout

Author

Rich Bown, Beth Wensley, Kathleen Long, Marianne Schimpl

Published

January 1, 2026

1 Introduction

Welcome to the CCC beginner’s sea kayak course! The course aims to take beginner sea kayakers to the point where they can:

  • Join intermediate level club trips (see our trip designations here).

  • Plan and undertake their own trips on the sea, with peers, in simple conditions

We’ll (loosely) we working with the syllabus of the British Canoeing Sea Kayak Award and we’re hoping that all participants reach a level where we can sign them off for this award.

These notes are based around the Sea Kayak Award syllabus and are intended to serve as a reminder and reference for the material that we’ll be covering. There’s no need to read it in detail (or at all!), but you might find it helpful if you’ve forgotten something we’ve covered, missed a session, or are practicing the skills by yourself.

1.1 Syllabus

The Sea Kayak Award is intended for paddlers who can safely plan and undertake trips on the sea in winds up to force 3 and tides up to 1 knot. The award syllabus is available online at the British Canoeing Awarding Body website, and is summarized as a set of skills below. It’s important to note that, whilst the syllabus does contain some paddling skills, the majority of it covers the knowledge required to safely plan and undertake a day’s paddling on the sea. In particular, it’s hard to over-state the importance of being able to synthesize information from maps, guidebooks, tide tables and weather forecasts to come up with a good plan for the day.

1.1.1 Location and Planning

Create a plan for the day, considering wind, tide, swell, other water uses etc.

  • Obtain and describe a wind forecast

  • Understand the impact of wind (including local / topographic effects) on sea kayakers

  • Obtain and describe a swell forecast

  • Obtain times of high and low water and describe the effect of tides on plans

  • (At a basic level - be able to forecast tidal streams)

  • Be able to find and evaluate access and escape options

  • Be able to synthesize the information described above to formulate a plan for a safe day’s sea kayaking

1.1.2 Kit

Decide what to take, and describe other options (e.g. for winter). Describe how you’d repair a boat.

  • Decide what to wear, describe other options

  • Describe different boat designs, their intended uses and how they feel to paddle

  • Describe different paddle designs, their advantages and disadvantages

  • Know what safety kit to take sea kayaking

  • Describe how to perform a simple boat repair

1.1.3 Safety

Deal with a cold casualty, summon help (identifying location), group skills, towing

  • Know how to avoid, recognise and treat hypothermia and hyperthermia

  • Describe equipment and approaches for summoning outside help

  • Be able to navigate along a coastline

  • Be able to work around other water users, including large vessels

  • Be able to communicate effectively with your paddling group

  • Be able to tow both an individual and a raft with an incapacitated paddler

1.1.4 Dry(er) Skills

Paddle forward efficiently, including in wind. manoeuvre effectively in confined spaces

  • Demonstrate effective and efficient forward paddling

  • Be able to maintain direction in winds up to force 3

  • Demonstrate effective and efficient turning of a sea kayak

  • Be able to move the boat sideways

  • Demonstrate entry and exit of confined spaces (rockhopping)

1.1.5 Wetter skills

Brace, self rescue, assisted rescue

  • Demonstrate a brace with the boat off-balance

  • Demonstrate a self rescue in simple conditions

  • Demonstrate an assisted rescue as victim and rescuer, including dealing with loose kit