What’s included? | Membership fees | Try Before You Join | Boat Storage | Questions?
What is included in your membership fee?
Your annual membership fee provides the following benefits:
- Use of a large range of club boats and equipment when you want to paddle.
- Coaching from our team of volunteer coaches, in all disciplines, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.
- Leadership from volunteer club leaders and coaches on club trips.
- Coaching at pool sessions (there is a fee for the use of the pool, which goes toward the cost of the pool hire when we can find a pool!)).
- Membership of Exe Water Sports Association (EWSA), which includes use of the club facilities, including clubroom, bar, classroom and changing rooms with showers.
- Associate membership of Paddle UK, which includes public liability insurance whilst undertaking a club activity.
The only fee we would ask you to pay on top of this is a certification fee at the successful conclusion of your course, should you wish to receive it. There are separate charges for pool sessions, and training courses with external providers.
Membership Fees
All our membership and bookings are handled via a system called WebCollect. Our fees can be found on the membership page. The membership form will appear once you select the option you want.
We do offer a concessionary membership; more details can be found on the above link.
Thinking of joining, but not sure? Try before you buy!
Not sure if it’s for you? Never been in a Canoe / Kayak before?
We allow 1 free taster session, with one of our qualified coaches, to help get you on the water. We will ask you to fill in a visitors form and bring it with you., You can download one from HERE.
Interested? Contact us via our enquiry form and we can arrange this for you. This may be as part of a small group. We also have 2 specific taster afternoons – these can be booked HERE
If you have paddled before but want to learn more, the Beginner (Discover) or Improver (explore) courses are designed to help you progress in your paddling. You need to become a member to attend these.
After your taster sessions we would expect you to join the club if you wish to continue paddling with us.
Existing club members are asked to ensure that any potential new members who they assist to paddle in a club boat have completed the Visitors form and post it in the postbox inside the racing shed.
Boat storage
The club has storage facilities for a limited number of privately owned boats, but they are popular. Consequently, membership does not include an automatic right of storage.
Allocation of a space is determined by the boatswains and there may be a waiting list.
Racks are made available to members who use their boat regularly (e.g. at least once a fortnight). If you are not using your boat at this frequency, you may be asked to remove the boat from the shed and store it elsewhere.
The club does not hold insurance for privately owned boats in the shed, so please purchase your own insurance. Paddle UK gives a good deal on this – see the Craft insurance page on the Paddle UK Website
Public liability insurance
The Club carries public liability insurance for club activity via the Paddle UK insurance scheme. This insurance includes member-to-member cover, which is not always available with other insurance policies.
When members are paddling outside of club activity, they are not covered by the Club’s insurance policy. Accordingly, the Club requires certain members to hold their own public liability insurance and to provide details of it to the Club. Exe Water Sports Association (EWSA) also requires all people launching from the Club premises to hold public liability insurance. EWSA’s Water Safety rules and Routines can be found HERE
Public liability insurance may be obtained by holding On The Water membership of Paddle UK or by alternative cover. If alternative public liability cover is held the member is required to provide to the Secretary a copy of the insurance policy cover note and the conditions of the insurance showing that it includes paddling.
The members who are required to hold their own public liability insurance are:
- Members who are authorised coaches or leaders.
- Members who store their own boat in the Club boatshed.
- Members who use club equipment outside club activity.
- Members who have a boatshed key.
- Members who launch from the pontoons at the club premises.
If you are a Paddle UK Member, we do ask you to link yourself to Exeter Canoe club on the Paddle UK website.
Questions?
Can I take a friend or other family member out with me?
This may be possible. Please see the information on the Visitors page
Can I take a boat out whenever I want without asking permission?
So long as you are competent in the craft’s use and you have your own public liability insurance then yes, as long as it doesn’t clash with a Club Session/Trip.
Please stay on the canal / estuary between Mill on the Exe and Turf Locks (please only paddle on the estuary if you are competent and have done so previously as part of a led group).
Can I take the boat away to paddle elsewhere?
It is likely the answer will be yes, so long as you are competent in the craft’s use, have asked permission from the relevant boatswain/lead coach and it doesn’t clash with a normal coaching session/trip. There is more information on page 15 of the Operating procedures for paddlers
As our SUPs are still quite new, these can currently only be used on the canal. Sorry.
Do I have to have Paddle UK Membership?
No, but please see the public liability insurance section above for situations in which members may choose to become members.
When is our coaching season?
We normally start coaching around Easter and do 5 week sessions running through to about the end of August. The nights start drawing in then, and we don’t coach in the dark. We don’t do formal coaching outside of this period. Racing will continue training, Recreational side will carry on paddling on a social scale.
I have a son/daughter who wants to paddle. Can they?
Yes, this isnt normally a problem. Please do have a look at our Junior Paddling page. We are normally running family-friendly paddles on a Sunday whilst the weather is conducive. Depending on age, they may be able to join in the adult coaching sessions.
Do you offer taster sessions?
Yes. We tend to offer these during our coaching season. we are planning to offer sessions a few weeks before our ‘Beginner (discover)’ courses go live on our system to give you an opportunity to try the sport before deciding to go for it. Unfortunately once the last published taster session has been run, we don’t offer additional taster sessions as we have no courses to offer you to move onto- Sorry.
Do you hire boats?
Unfortuantely no. There are, however several Hire companies around the Quay.
How much are your courses?
Our courses and use of club equipment are included in your membership! the more you do, the more you learn, and the more you get out of your membership fee.
How do I become a member?
We use a system called Webcollect to deal with our membership and bookings. This link will take you to our subscriptions page, choose the subscription relevant to you, and add to basket and checkout. You will be asked to sign in or sign up. This should then take you through to the membership form for completion. you will then have the option of paying via BACS or Direct Debit (preferred).