Kayak Navigation & Sea Kayak Safety Courses

Sea Kayak Navigation

(Formerly the Coastal Navigation & Tidal Planning (CNTP) Course

Join Derek Hairon for our online British Canoeing Awarding Body (BCAB) Sea Kayak Navigation course.

Derek will share his top navigation tips based on over 40 years of sea kayaking in Europe, North America, and the waters around Jersey, the island of the 12m tides.

Our course is suitable for kayakers, paddle-boarders, open-water swimmers, coastal explorers, divers, small-boat users and low-water explorers. It’s also ideal for anyone looking to expand their knowledge and enjoy 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.

Tides, tide races, overfalls and eddies

Surf, Swell, identifying Rips

Navigation for sea kayakers

Optional fifth module: Open crossings

Upon completing the course, a British Canoeing Awarding Body (BCAB) certificate of attendance is awarded. This course is a pre-requisite 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 the opportunity to ask questions and interact with me, places are limited to 6 people.

Cost: £176. BC members’ price: £136

See our booking page for 2025/26 online and classroom-based course dates.

Contact Derek for additional dates and custom courses.

This course is usually four 2½-3 hours (with a break) live online modules via GoToMeeting.

1:1 practical online classes.

If you have completed the BCAB modules online and want more practice in trip planning and navigation, contact Derek to arrange a two-hour 1:1 online class.

More information about the sea kayak navigation course content.

For course dates, online booking and payment, select “Book online.”

Sea Kayak Navigation (Classroom-based)

(Formerly the Coastal Navigation & Tidal Planning (CNTP) Course

This practical classroom-based course will develop your sea kayak trip planning and navigation skills.

Suitable for kayakers, divers and 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 know how to select the best times and places to go afloat.

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

See our booking page for the 2025/26 classroom and online course dates.

£176 per person. BC members’ price: £136

The British Canoeing Awarding Body (BCAB) certificate and the registration fees are included in the price. Some ‘cheaper’ courses fail to mention the certificate and compulsory registration fees.

This course can be run on demand. Please email me for dates or see our online booking pages.

Sea Kayak Navigation. Putting Theory into Practice

Level: To get the most from the course, you should have some sea kayaking experience. 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 Awarding Body Kayak Navigation course. We’ll then move on to the sea to apply your sea kayak navigation skills.

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.

Please email me for dates or see our online booking pages.

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

Sea Kayak Safety and Rescue Training

The Sea Kayak Safety and Rescue course aims to provide paddlers with the key safety and rescue skills to deal with common problems on the sea, in both sheltered and moderate conditions while sea kayaking.

Expect to get wet on this practical and fun day as we work through various incidents that paddlers might encounter afloat.

The Sea Kayak Safety and Rescue course is a 7-hour programme covering:

Sources of information

Safety frameworks

Contact and towing rescues

Self-rescues

Deep water rescues

Dealing with equipment damage/failure

Landing and first aid

Reflection and skills checklist

Certification

There is no formal assessment. A British Canoeing Awarding Body (BCAB) certificate is issued upon your completion of the course.

There is a discount if you have all your kit and kayak.

Custom courses can be arranged. Please email us.

VHF Marine Radio Course for Kayakers

We’ve teamed up with Le Mourier Marine 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.

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

Email Le Mourier Marine for more information