Kayak Navigation Courses

Coastal Navigation & Tidal Planning (Online course)

Join Derek Hairon for our new online British Canoeing Coastal Navigation & Tidal Planning (CNTP) course. Derek will share his top navigation tips based on over 41 years of sea kayaking in Europe, North America, and the waters around Jersey, the island of the 12m tides.

Our course is designed for sea kayakers, paddle-boarders, open-water swimmers, coastal explorers, divers, small-boat users, and low-water explorers. It’s also ideal for anyone who wants to increase their knowledge to have a safer experience around the coast.

During this live and interactive online course (usually spread over five classes) we’ll explore how to use and interpret;

Weather forecasts and swell.

Tide tables, tidal range

Tidal Streams, tide rips, races overfalls, and eddies

Maps, Charts, interpreting coastal and offshore features

Trip Planning

Upon completing the course, a British Canoeing certificate of attendance is awarded. This course is a prerequisite for the Sea Kayak Leader award.

The resources and access to a video of each class are available via file share. If you do not have access to a printer, so long as you book at least ten days in advance, we can post materials to you on request (the UK only).

To ensure you get lots of tutor time and interaction, places are limited to a maximum of 6 people.

Cost; £100. BC members price; £95

See our booking page for 2023 course dates.

Courses comprise four 2.5 hours (with a break) of online modules via GoToMeeting.

Contact Derek for additional dates and custom Coastal Navigation & Tidal Planning courses.

Read the British Canoeing Coastal Navigation & Tidal Planning syllabus.

Coastal Navigation & Tidal Planning (classroom-based)

Develop your sea kayak trip planning and navigation skills on this practical shore-based course.

Suitable for kayakers, divers, small boat users, or anyone who wants to understand more about the tides and coastal navigation around Jersey and elsewhere.

The course includes weather, tides, chart work, trip planning, and estimating tide streams, so you can select the best times and places to go afloat.

Option to add this course to the Sea Kayak Leader (SKL) training (moderate water/4 star training).

2023 Dates. See our booking page.

This course can also be run on demand. Email me for other dates.

Online VHF Marine Radio Course for Kayakers

We’ve partnered with Le Mourier Charters in Jersey to offer the Royal Yacht Association (RYA) online VHF marine radio course.

The VHF marine radio is an essential safety device for anyone who plans to go sea kayaking. Using your VHF correctly could be a lifesaver in an emergency.

Before completing your Sea Kayak Leader assessment, you must be familiar with and understand the UK licensing requirements if you are based in the UK.

Once you have completed the training course (and have downloaded the paperwork!), you can arrange a 1½ hour theory and practical assessment in Jersey with Le Mourier. Charters.

If you are attending our Sea Kayak Leader training or assessment course, this is an ideal way to obtain your VHF marine radio certificate.

Online RYA VHF Short Range Radio Certificate (SRC) Course. This is an excellent option. Sign up for the online VHF course here and arrange your assessment when you attend one of our courses in Jersey with Le Mourier.

Sea Kayak Navigation. Putting Theory into Practice

Level: To get the most from the course, you should have some sea kayaking experience. It is suitable for sea kayakers who want to develop their on-the-water coastal navigation skills or tune up their existing knowledge and techniques through practical water-based scenarios.

Join us for two days of practical sea kayak navigation to turn theory into reality around the scenic coastline of Jersey.

Day one covers the British Canoeing (BC) Coastal Navigation and Tidal Planning course. We’ll then move onto the sea to apply your sea kayak navigation skills with a selection of on-the-water challenges.

Develop your map/chart reading skills and navigation techniques. Practice using transits, assessing speed and drift, allowing for tide streams and cross tides, micro navigation, and perhaps paddling in low light/darkness.

Email me for dates.

Sea kayaks and essential navigation equipment are supplied at no extra charge.

Open Water Navigation Training

A 1-day (non-certificated) shore-based course for paddlers undertaking open-water journeys (including to islands over two nautical miles from shore) in areas of strong tidal movement of 3+ knots and winds up to force 5.

The course will give you the skills to plan and navigate safely in advanced waters and is a prerequisite for the Advanced Sea Kayak Leader (5-star) training.

Candidates wishing to attend this course must have completed the Coastal Navigation and Tidal Planning course or equivalent.

Derek can also run non-certificated training and refresher sessions.