BCAB Paddlesport Instructor

The CAG Adventures British Canoeing Paddlesports Instructor Course has been built to help support you develop your understanding and knowledge around delivering paddlesports to your client group. 

Course Breakdown

From our chosen craft we will learn skills and techniques which will allow us to run taster sessions for groups in multiple craft. The main focus will be on how we run safe and enjoyable sessions where our students learn the basics of paddlesports. Assessment is done throughout the course with opportunities for candidates to deliver sessions.  

What’s else is included…?

We know that after you pass your Paddlesports Instructor you’re only at the start of your instructing journey. 

To help you, we’ll always be on the end of the phone and in our CAG Adventures’ Private Facebook Group. Which we set up to help mentor, support and guide to you through this exciting and challenging journey. 

We’re also committing to your development by making your tutor available to come out and mentor you in person once a year over the next 3 years, where all we’ll ask from you is to cover fuel costs and any expenses of them coming out to see you. 

Candidates must hold a Foundation Safety and Rescue Training and be at least age 14, along with home nation membership.

So what else do you need?

You’ll need to start thinking about equipment. During the course, we are able to supply you PFD’s, boats/boards, paddles and rescue equipment that you need for the course, but it’s well worth starting to think about getting these things for yourself as they’ll help you when you’re out in the real world. As a minimum we recommend you get yourself;

1. A PFD - better known as a buoyancy aid, one with pocket is really good!

1. Good paddling shoes - something that can get wet and grips when on slippy surfaces, most importantly they should cover your toes, that little bit of protection makes a massive difference when someone drops a boat on them!

1. Rescue Equipment - you don’t need much but as a good start a sling and karabiner will help you solve 101 problems when working, a throw bag and a tow line can also be useful. 

1. Paddling clothing - you could go all fancy with drysuits, wetsuits and a like, but there’s nothing wrong with some appropriate layers for the conditions and waterproofs over the top.

Day 1

We'll start our day working out what we need and how to use it when taking groups out, we'll get out on the water and learn through play.

We'll also start our rescue assessment

Day 2

We'll learn to solve many the challenges we face as Paddlesports Instructors, followed by a short journey to help contextualise our learning.