Clothes

Dress for the weather.  We'll be outside, obviously, so if it's a chilly day in April you'll dress differently to a sunny day in August.  Everything you wear will at least get dripped on, and might get very wet indeed!  Man-made materials are generally better than natural ones as they dry faster and remain warm when wet.  Some suggestions include:

Bottom Half

• tracksuit bottoms
• shorts
• leggings
• walking trousers
• wetsuit / neoprene bottoms(not required, but OK if you have one)
• NOT OK: jeans.  They chafe dreadfully when damp and are really heavy when wet.
• NOT OK: Suits.  Skirts.  Pantomime horse costume.

Top half

• gym top
• t shirt
• rash vest
• wetsuit (not required, but OK if you have one)
• thin fleece (depending on weather)
• thin waterproof, e.g. pac-a-mac.  These are great to keep the wind off.  (depending on weather)
• hat (depending on weather).  Sometimes to keep the heat off; sometimes to keep the heat in!
• NOT OK: thick winter coats  
• NOT OK: cotton sweatshirts

Shoes

• beach shoes / sandals
• old trainers
• wetsuit booties
• flip-flops / crocs (although these are not ideal as they float away if you fall in!)
• NOT OK: school shoes
• NOT OK: wellington boots
• NOT OK: workboots.  Stilettos.  DMs.

Anything else?

• change of clothes.  Everything you wear on the water will get damp as a minimum.
• towel.  See above.
• sun cream (depending on weather)
• drink (depending on weather, and how long your course / trip lasts for)
• packed lunch (depending on how long your course lasts for - it will be listed on your course / trip details page if you need lunch)
• sense of adventure.  NOTE: this is more important than all the rest put together!

Questions?

Hopefully this has given you a good idea of what to wear.  You won't need to buy anything new - whatever you have in your wardrobe will be fine!  If you've still got questions, drop us a line and we'll do our best to help.

If you're already a competent paddler and would like to join the Club, please see our membership options here.

{loadmodule mod_acymailing,Course Waiting List}

We're always looking for new members to join our friendly and growing Club!  We run regular courses to introduce people to paddling, and this is the main point of entry to the Club.  Once you've completed our Beginner Course, you'll have the basic skills to control the boat, and can come along on Club trips, join in on the regular paddles on Wedesdays and Sundays, and generally have fun on the water with us!  Passing the course will also get you a nationally-recognised British Canoeing Discover Award!  Please note that all novice paddlers must attend one of our beginner courses.  If you're already a competent paddler, please see below for how to join.

What about kids?

Glad you asked!  Our legendary Junior Paddle Club is the best, wettest and most fun way to get them on the water!  Running every Tuesday evening from May to October, our fully-qualified and insured leaders will make sure your child has the absolute best time they can.  There's a one-off training fee of £45, plus annual membership fees of £36 & British Canoeing fee of £30 - there are no extra or weekly charges.  We provide boats and watercraft of all kinds, paddles and safety equipment, together with high staffing ratios and bundles of laughter.  See our calendar for dates and to book your spaces!

How do I book a course?

All the courses are listed on our Calendar page.  Choose a date that suits you, and click on the course to get to the sign-up form.  Our courses consist of 8 hours coaching, either in 4 x 2-hour sessions, 2 x 4-hour sessions, or a one-day session. They currently cost £65 for adults and £45 for children.  (That's just £65/£45 for the whole course - not £65/£45 each session!)  Click here to see a list of courses currently planned.

Who can join the courses?

Anybody!  We regularly teach paddlers from 8 to 80 years old, and also have facilities for disabled paddlers.  Our Clubhouse has both male & female changing rooms (with warm showers), and we have a wide variety of equipment that can be borrowed.  Most of our courses are for mixed ages with a minimum age of 8, although some sessions - particularly all-day courses - may have different age limits.  This will be clearly listed on the individual course details.  For kids, our legenday Junior Paddle Club is the best way to get them on the water, having fun and confident in a canoe or kayak.  See  our Calendar page for more details. Please do get in touch if you have any questions.  

What if I've paddled before?

Of course, if you're already a competent paddler, you're welcome to join in straight away - just get in touch and we'll arrange for you to meet one of our coaches.  They'll take a quick look at your basic skills - getting in and out the boat, paddling forward, turning and stopping - and then sign you off to join the club.  You can see our membership options here.

What kinds of paddling do you do?

Maidstone Canoe Club runs an active programme of events in lots of paddling disciplines, and offers coaching, leadership and progression in all of them.  We do a lot of touring, we've got a successful racing team, we go sea kayaking a fair amount, we've got a very active whitewater section, some excellent canoeists, and a growing number of SUP paddlers.  Progression in these is coordinated by our Coaching Development Group, who support new and existing coaches at the Club.  You can read more about these and discover how to get involved by following the links or checking out the "Club" menu at the top of this page.

Who runs the courses?

All our courses are run by one of our friendly, fully-qualified coaches.  They're all volunteers, and love to share their passion for paddlesport.  Coaching at Maidstone Canoe Club is co-ordinated by our Coaching Development Group.  Our coaches all have valid DBS checks and first aid qualifications, and  participate in a programme of continual professional development, ensuring we are always delivering current best practice.

What do I need to bring?

Mostly, just enthusiasm and a good sense of humour!  We provide boats and paddles, together with buoyancy aids and other safety equipment.  We will be outdoors, so wear appropriate clothing for the weather, and please bring a change of clothes and a towel, just in case!  If you're on an all-day course, then you'll also need a packed lunch and perhaps warm clothes at lunchtime.  We've got a helpful "What to Wear" guide here - please do read it before your course!. 

Fantastic!  Sign me up!

Click here to see a list of current courses and sign up.  

More information?

Still got questions?  Get in touch and we'll do our best to help.

During the summer months, the club runs "Fun Sessions" aimed at youth groups and work parties.  These are run by our coaches and experienced paddlers, and the emphasis is very much on experiencing and enjoying canoeing rather than formal instruction.  They are ideal for "team building" but are not too strenuous.  We do make a charge for this of £5 per participant.

Canoes, paddles and buoyancy aids will be provided by the club but you will need a change of clothes and a towel.  Check out our "What to Wear" page for further advice.

Please note that Fun Session bookings must be confirmed by us by email.

Please contact us if you are interested in booking a fun session for your group, or e-mail  funsessions@maidstonecanoeclub.net 

If you're a novice paddler looking to start kayaking or canoeing, please take a look at our "Paddle With Us" page for information on how to join

Experienced / Competent Paddlers

If you're an experienced paddler already, there's no need to do our beginner courses - you're welcome to join the Club straight away.  The best thing to do is drop us a line and then arrange to attend one of our regular paddle sessions or race training sessions for a chat and a paddle.  

Renewing a Membership 

Club membership can be renewed via the British Canoeing Membership Portal.   You will need to sign in and click MEMBERSHIP, and then on the Maidstone Canoe Club tile.  Choose 'Renew or Add your Membership',  select the 'Member' tile then 'Finish'.  Finally, select 'Yes Proceed to Cart' which should take you to the  'Check out and Payment' page. You cannot pay using this page so just click 'Complete Order'. This is unfortunately not a user freindly site so if you have any problems please contact the Membership Secretary who will be happy to sort it out for you. If you already pay by standing order please renew this for the current year and adjust if necessay for any fee changes. 

If you've been away from the Club for a while but would like to renew your membership, please just contact the Membership Secretary to arrange.  Welcome back!

Becoming a member

Membership of Maidstone Canoe Club is open to anybody.

All members must have an "On The Water" membership of British Canoeing (formerly the Canoe England / BCU).  This is because a river licence is required to paddle on the Medway but members of the British Canoeing are exempt under an access agreement with the Environmental Agency.  British Canoeing membership also provide third-party liability insurance.  Application for membership of British Canoeing can be done online at the British Canoeing Membership Page. You can also select Maidstone Canoe Club from the list under MY CLUBS. If you also join British Canoeing the club's membership secretary will have access to your details, email, address and DoB. Alternatively use the membership form option below.

Junior Members (U18) will require a Paddlesport Consent Form signed by parent/guardian.  

All members of the Club must be willing to abide by the code of conduct (and, if applicable, the Junior Code of Conduct and Parents Code of Conduct) of Maidstone Canoe Club and in particular those relating to your safety and the safety of others and the welfare of Juniors.  Details of these, and other club policies, can be found on our Club Documents page.

How to Join / Membership Form

To join, please print out the membership form and return it, with payment, to the Membership Secretary.  Payment details and addresses are on the form.

Membership Fees

The Club's membership year runs from 1st April to 31st March*. The fees are set at the AGM in March.  If you join part-way through the year then fees are reduced - see the membership form for details.  The current fees are:

Family membership is capped at £138.00

*a proportion of the above fees will be charged for those joining partway through the club year. The second page of the application form shows the relevant fees for each month of joining.

**the Committee has discretion to waive membership fees for one year in exceptional cases, for instance in cases of hardship.  If you would like to apply to the Committee for this, please put your application in writing to the Club Secretary.  All applications will be treated in strictest confidence, and would need to be renewed annually if required.