KEEN TO LEARN TO PADDLE?
JOIN US FOR OUR TRY LEARN EXPLORE COURSES!
PLEASE REGISTER BY CLICKING ON YOUR CHOSEN COURSE BELOW!
TRY ~ LEARN ~ EXPLORE
INTRODUCTORY LEARN TO PADDLE COURSES
Bookings for our Term 1 course are now closed.
The next TLE courses start Term 4 2024
If you love the water and are eager to give paddling a go then we would love to hear from you! Kayaking is a great sport to get into. It offers low impact, all levels of intensity, accessibility for all ages and abilities and a friendly family culture. From social to competitive, there is something for everyone!
How do I get started? It’s really easy to get involved. North Shore Canoe Club is delivering the Canoe Racing New Zealand accredited
"Try Learn Explore" Paddling Programme.
Our Term 1 2024 Courses are now closed. Watch this space for Term 4 courses!
These courses are for all ages from 10yrs and over and run for 8 x 1 hour sessions over 8 weeks.
Current available courses are below. Please click on the course of your choice to book and pay.
Once you have booked and paid for your chosen course, please complete the registration form linked below:
These courses introduce you to paddling and teach you the skills to paddle effectively and safely. It is focused on participant fun and wellbeing, learning paddling skills and building water safety and confidence. The course will complete the first two stages ("Try" and "Learn") of Canoe Racing New Zealand's accredited paddling programme and is delivered by CRNZ accredited coaches and assistant coaches. By the end of one of these courses you should be at the level where you can consider joining the North Shore Canoe Club and continuing to paddle in one of our Development Squads and if you are in Year 7 and 8 at Intermediate you can consider registering through your school for Canoeing at the 2024 ZESPRI AIMS GAMES!
If you have been wanting to learn to paddle then we encourage you to sign up! To register, select from the Courses above based on your age and preferred session day / time. Once you've booked and paid, we will email you a consent/waiver form and then all you need to do is turn up 15 mins before your first booked session is due to begin to enjoy getting out on the water at Lake Pupuke.
Our clubrooms are located at 1A Northcote Rd, Takapuna
What do I need to bring?
Boats, paddles and personal flotation devices (PFD's) are provided. Please note that there is every likelihood that during your first few sessions you may fall out of the boat and get wet. Being comfortable in water and the ability to swim is essential for learning to kayak. Please wear suitable watersport clothing such as togs with a sports singlet/long or short sleeve rash vest and shorts over. Please do not wear long sleeve tops, long pants or any other type of loose fitting clothing. A wetsuit is also fine if you want the extra warmth but usually not needed during summer. Bring along a towel and a change of clothing as you will be able to have a warm shower afterwards!
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We are a disability inclusive club and are committed to providing fun, safe and inclusive paddling. We look forward to welcoming and supporting new members with disabilities.
Please see some helpful FAQ’s below:
FAQ’S
- Where is the club? North Shore Canoe Club, 1a Northcote Road, Lake Pupuke, Auckland
The club is at the end of Northcote road in front of the lake, it is a large shared building and our club is to the left facing the Lake. When you arrive please walk to the front of the club as this is where the boats are stored and our group meeting point. - What equipment does the club provide? Boats, paddles and personal flotation devices (PFDs) are provided.
- Can I participate? Our club Try Learn Explore courses and training squads are suitable for anyone above 10 years of age. No previous paddling experience required. While we aim to cater for all disabilities, during our programmes we may not be able to cater for everyone due to our ability to have suitable equipment and to ensure participants are safe on the water. Therefore, for the purpose of this programme we ask that all participants must be able to swim 200m with a personal floatation device, have a moderate to high level of water confidence, be able to self transfer, seal airways and be able to understand and follow instructions of the coaches. We are committed to ensuring our coaches consider the individual needs of participants and the activities are appropriate to their skill and development level. Where necessary we will make modifications to cater for individual needs. Our coaches have completed CRNZ PaddleAble inclusion education with Halberg Foundation and are dedicated to making the experience the best it can be. If you or the participant you are registering has a disability or health condition, please let us know in the consent form or please contact us with any further information that will assist with our planning.
- Will I get wet? Yes you will get wet, paddling is a water sport. This ranges from splashes to swimming/ floating depending on your water confidence and ability. Will I fall out? While the kayaks are tippy, depending on your ability and confidence we can adapt the equipment to have a much more stable kayak, reducing the likelihood of falling out. However, it is possible you will fall and we encourage this as this is part of the learn program. We encourage participants to talk to their coach about their water confidence level prior to the paddling session.
- Are there bathrooms? Yes, we have two bathrooms on the top floor of the club and two bathrooms downstairs. The downstairs bathrooms are up a flight of 3 stairs. We are renovating the club and will soon have accessible bathrooms.
- Is there accessible parking? Yes, we have 1 accessible park to the left side of the club facing out towards the lake, this is clearly marked. Please contact us if you require any assistance.
- Nervous or have any further questions? Please contact Erina Emery, North Shore Canoe Club Disability Inclusion Committee Member. We are more than happy to talk you through anything that might be worrying you. info@northshorecanoeclub.org.nz
What's next?
Once you have attended one of our Try Learn Explore courses, please consider joining the North Shore Canoe Club as a member if you would like to continue on your kayaking journey. We would love for you to sign up as a member and then you will be able to join in our regular development or social paddling groups depending on what level you are at. As a member you are also eligible to use club gear (boats, paddles and life jackets) for a nominal annual fee in addition to your membership fee. It doesn't usually take long to get the hang of kayaking and many of the paddlers in our development group quickly move on to taking part in canoe sprint regattas and longer-distance races run by Canoe Racing New Zealand at beautiful scenic locations such as Lake Karapiro (near Cambridge) and Lake Tikitapu (near Rotorua). These regattas include a novice category for beginners as well as an U12 category for kids aged 8-12 years old.
Depending on how fast you progress you may eventually want to look at purchasing your own boat and/or paddle. We can certainly give you advice and help you to find the right ones for you!
Whatever level you want to take it to, we are confident you will quickly grow to love paddling! Kayaking regularly will build your general fitness level, strengthen your core, burn fat and increase your cardiovascular fitness and overall stamina. It’s also a lot of fun!