SOT coaching for BCU 3 star

Sit-on-top kayak coaching in Southern England for BCU 3 star sea seems to have been in short supply.

Andy Benham, author of Discover Kayak Fishing visited Jersey in 2011 having found it difficult to get SOT kayak coaching in the UK. Things have improved with a couple of centres running courses for Sit-on-tops in the UK.

I think we can say we are the pioneers and have run SOT courses for over 7 years. My book was published just as Sit-on-top kayaking was taking off.

Mainstream paddlesport is taking a while to catch up with the popularity of the sit-on-top kayak. It was heart breaking to hear a speaker from Battle Back at the Canoe England coaching conference recount how, after a kayaking trip, an impaired paddler bought a kayak. They went to their local canoe club only to be told that they could not join the trips. This was not due to their impairment, but because they had a Sit-on-top kayak!

We had a great time and Keith from Jersey Bass Guides joined in the fun.

Read Andy’s article: “Passing the BCU 3 Star…on a Sit-on-top”

Information about Sit-on-top coaching and kayak angling safety courses in Jersey.

By Derek Hairon

About derek

Derek Hairon is a British Canoeing level 5 coach (sea) and sea kayak leader guide and assessor.
Derek is the first nationally endorsed British Canoeing accredited guide in Jersey. The British Canoeing kayak guide endorsement supports and recognises the additional skills required when fulfilling a guiding role on sea kayak tours and expeditions worldwide.
Over 49 years of sea kayaking experience. Expeditions to circumnavigate Ireland by kayak, Outer Hebrides, Aland Islands, Faeroe Islands and Alaska. Plus, lots of sea and surf kayaking in the UK. White water-kayaking expeditions in Nepal to paddle the Tamur and Marsyandi Rivers.
Derek wrote Sit-on-top Kayak. A Beginner’s Manual (Pesda Press). It is now in its second reprint and is also translated into French. He is the author of the Channel Island and South East Coast Sea Kayaking guidebook (Pesda Press).