Sea Kayak Leader Assessment Dates

Our British Canoeing Sea Kayak Leader (4-Star)Assessment dates are listed here.

Sea Kayak and equipment hire is included in the price.
Additional sea kayak leader assessment dates can be arranged. Contact us for advice.

The British Canoeing Sea Kayak Leader (formerly called 4 Star) Assessment demonstrates a candidate has the skills to safely paddle and lead other competent paddlers. A sea kayak leader will have the paddling ability, safety, rescue and leadership skills to undertake trips on sheltered to moderate water with a group of paddlers who have basic paddling skills but may not have the experience, to operate in a self-sufficient manner.

Note. The Sea Kayak Leader (SKL) assessment changes in January 2021. The award will offer two routes: a tidal and non-tidal waters assessment option. For most sea kayakers, the SKL tidal waters assessment will be the best option because it will allow you to lead in a broader range of conditions and waters.

The requirement to attend SKL training will cease so paddlers can go directly to an assessment. Currently, I would only recommend this route if you have a lot of sea kayak leadership experience.

In theory, it will be possible to be assessed in one day. However, we will continue to offer a two-day assessment because this allows candidates more time to be evaluated in a range of conditions. A one-day assessment will be available on request.

Sea Kayak Leader Assessment

The sea kayak leader is ideal for sea kayakers who lead groups of 4-5 paddlers on 6-8 mile journeys in moderate tidal waters (winds not exceeding force 4 and sea state 4).

The award is an excellent benchmark of your leadership and sea kayaking skills. We aim to assess you in realistic conditions to allow you to demonstrate your natural leadership on the water.

Many centres and clubs now use the sea kayak leader certificate as a benchmark to indicate that leaders/guides have a good level of kayak and safety skills.

Our sea kayak leader assessment is a great way to benchmark your kayaking and leadership skills in the superb waters around Jersey. Explore Jersey’s amazing coastline of caves, cliffs, rock gardens and surf beaches.

Jersey has a tidal range of almost 12m so the coastline is never the same and there is a huge range of sea kayaking experiences available whatever the weather.

Jersey has a huge range of kayaking opportunities within 20 minutes travelling time. This makes the island an ideal venue for paddlers who want to get the most from their 4-star sea kayak leader assessment.

Add extra days to your Sea kayak leader course

Many paddlers add extra days to get more logbook and leadership time and to familiarise themselves with our local waters.

We can also arrange British Canoeing Guide Modules.

Travel

Fly from Gatwick and UK regional airports. There are also connections from many European airports via Gatwick. In summer there are direct flights from Germany, Netherlands and Switzerland.
High-speed ferry services operate from Poole, Portsmouth and St Malo (France).
Use our kayaks at no extra charge
Make the most of your time on Jersey and use our kayaks at no extra charge. Our kayak fleet includes Valley Nordkapps, Avocets, Aquanaut, P&H Delphin, Hammer, Rockpool Taran, Tiderace Pace 17, Venture Kayaks Esky 15, Epic V5 and V7.

British Canoeing Prerequisites and registration for the sea kayak leader (4 Star) assessment

From January 2021 it will be possible to go directly to assessment providing you have the required prerequisites. Visit the BC awarding website for the latest syllabus.

You must register in advance with British Canoeing by completing the Leader Registration (LR) Form. Allow at least two weeks (longer if overseas) for your LR form to be processed and approved.

If you arrive on a sea kayak leader assessment without an approved LR form you cannot be assessed. No refund of your assessment fees will be made.

Help with the completion of your sea kayak leader registration

We often work with international clients and can help ensure you have the correct pre-requisites in place for your sea kayak leader assessment.

Our French and German-speaking staff can assist you with the translation of certificates into English and advise you in completing your sea kayak Leadership Registration (LR) form. Contact us if you have any questions about completing your sea kayak leader (4 Star) assessment with Jersey Kayak Adventures.

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).