Learn to Kayak

Learn to Kayak

Time for a new Adventure ? 

Welcome to our Learn to Kayak Course. 

“You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great” – Zig Ziglar

This course is run over 6 Tuesday evenings or as a weekend course and will cover all the skills needed to paddle safely on flat water including basic self rescue skills.  No experience needed.

All specialist equipment is provided, you just need old runners, togs and a towel.

Canoeing Ireland Level 2 Kayak Skills assessment included.

**All courses are run by qualified Canoeing Ireland Instructors**

Graduates of this course will be eligible to join our Kayak Academy and are welcome to come and join us on our weekend river trips and weekly evening sessions.

River Trip locations include the Slaney, the Barrow, the Suir, the Nore in Kilkenny city, sea kayak trips and many more

We provide:

  • Kayak and Paddle 
  • Wetsuit – due to Covid sizes must be pre booked.
  • Buoyancy Aid
  • Helmet
  • Fully qualified Canoeing Ireland Kayak Instructor 

What to bring:

  • something to wear under the wetsuit, ie swimming togs or shorts and T- shirt
  • towel
  • old runners that will get wet
  • any relevant medication, eg inhalers etc..

Massive thanks to Susan and her team from @gopaddle.ie for a fantastic outing for Ferrycarrig Rowing Club yesterday.

We split into 2 groups and done a 2 hour scenic tour of the Slaney and Boro rivers.

Everyone had a great time and really enjoyed the tour in a safe and relaxed atmosphere.

Ferrycarrig Rowing

I would say that it's worth every second of your time, and if you didn't want to try it then I guess you're one of those people that don't like FUN because you're guaranteed to have a blast.

Kayak Academy Member

The GoPaddle Academy is a real community of paddlers with awesome support from Sue and all the instructors. Always willing to help with skills and done with amazing patience 😊
Actually the paddling community that I have met in the South East are all amazing, warm, friendly, welcoming, encouraging, pretty awesome 😊

Kayak Academy Member

If I were to recommend the kayak academy to a friend I’d just be honest and tell them how brilliant it is. The enthusiasm, dedication, and friendliness of everyone in the academy, and the sport as a whole is something very unique and not seen in many other sporting communities. It truly is an honour to be a part of such a great sporting community.

Kayak Academy Member

It has changed my life and way of looking at life! Kayaking!

Its active, it’s lazy, it’s calm, it’s busy, it’s surfing, it’s swimming, it’s visiting caves, it’s isolation, it’s social, it’s group fun, it’s quiet, it’s loud, it’s laughing until you cry, it is facing your fears, it’s travelling, it’s sightseeing, it’s warm , it’s freezing, it’s a new perspective.

IT’S AN ADVENTURE!