Information

It’s always a good idea, particuarly if you’re planning to visit at the weekend. Our booking system is linked to our availability, so if you book it, it’s yours.

Having said that, we can ussually get you on the water on something! If in doubt feel free to call us on 07730 898802.

We are based on the towpath in West Molesey. It’s an easy place to walk and cycle to and we encourage all our customers to do that if possible – we have plenty of space for bike storage.

If you are driving, the nearest free public parking is at Hurst Park

We do have a limited number of parking spaces here so if you need to drive closer e.g. if you have a lot of kit, young children or elderly relatives, then we’ll try and help. Call or email us on the morning of your visit.

There are many places you can paddle in London and on the River Thames including from our base in West Molesey near Hampton Court.

We have have our very own pontoon providing a safe place to start and end your paddling and a lovely stretch of the non-tidal River Thames to explore!

Further afield there are many inland waterways but always check to ensure access is allowed – a surprising amount of UK rivers still do not allow paddling – read here to find out more.

You need a waterway licence to paddle board on the majority of managed rivers and canals in England and Wales. If you don’t have proof of a waterway licence you could end up with a hefty fine from the waterway authority that manages that stretch of water.

The good news, a waterway licence is really easy and affordable to purchase. Also you get peace of mind knowing that the fee’s from licences help with the long-term protection of the waterways you’ll be paddling on.

You can purchase a waterway licence instantly by joining British Canoeing (if you live in England) or Canoe Wales (if you live in Wales). It’s the most comprehensive water licence available because British Canoeing works in partnership with all the waterway authorities, giving paddlers a licence for 4,500km. This allows you to have just one licence for all the waterways managed by the Canal and Rivers Trust, the Environmental Agency, the Broads Authority and many more. Making British Canoeing membership a very cost effective option for paddle boarders, kayakers and canoeists.

Not all waterways require you to have a licence. For example, you don’t need a licence for paddle boarding on the sea or on some lakes and rivers. However, if like us you enjoy exploring new places then we’d always recommend checking the rules before you go.

BTW there are a range of benefits to British Canoeing membership including discounts at leading stores such as Halfords.

This truly depends on the experience you are after.

There are various amazing places where beginners can get started and Surrey and London are home to some excellent spots, including around our base near Hampton Court.

Easy to get to, plenty of access points to get on the water, lovely sights and some welcoming cafes and pubs to relax in after your paddle!

For a more urban experience the popular central locations in Paddington, Little Venice and Hackney Wick also gain a lot of traction and attention.

If you’d like to experience paddling on the sea the UK has many stunning locations. Always check local conditions including tides and winds, and listen to the locals! – if its an offshore breeze then its best to stay on the beach!

An incredibly easy water sport to learn, SUP can be picked up quite quickly, with many becoming expert paddle boarders in no time at all.

No matter your age or fitness level, paddleboarding is accessible to all.

With the help of our experienced instructors  the basics can be learned with one 90 minute lesson.

Better still, sign up to our SUP Essentials course and develop your skills and paddling experience over four 90-minute sessions.

That depends…

Kayak paddling is often thought to be easier you’re sitting down! Most recreational kayaks are pretty stable and easy to paddle and you use a paddle with a blade at either end which means you’ll travel further, faster with the same amount of effort compared to paddling a board.

Kayaking is great for longer distances due to added comfort.

Having said that, paddleboarding is not hard! Most people are able to stand during their first lesson and start to understand the joys of stand-up paddling.

It’s a relaxing way to spend time with family and friends and helps improve your fitness, both physically and mentally.

The better paddling technique you have, the more you’ll enjoy your paddling, on both kayaks and paddleboards. The best way to learn is to take a lesson or join one of our Paddling Essentials courses.

The basic rule is dress for the weather and local conditions. Take in to account the forecast for the day – if it’s likely to rain or get windy, make sure you have additional clothing in a fully waterproof bag (dry bag).

In cold conditions you might consider a wetsuit or drysuit. Wetsuits are a foam based (typically rubber and neoprene) suit that water sport enthusiasts typically wear when they want some thermal protection without restricting mobility. Wetsuits function by allowing a thin layer of water to enter into the suit, trapping it between your body and the outer suit layer. Your natural body heat will warm up the trapped layer of water, helping you stay warm yourself, while the trapped layer also helps keep more cold water from rushing in and further cooling you down. Wetsuits tend to be less expensive than dry suits, and are much easier to maintain as well, besides coming in multiple styles such as sleeveless or ‘long-john’. Most paddlers who use a wetsuit typically do so in waters that are warmer than 15 degrees Celsius.

Drysuits are made out of thicker, bulkier foam-based materials (neoprene or nylon) that are meant to be worn in colder waters at the expense of some mobility. A drysuit functions by completely sealing off contact with the water, ensuring that everything within the drysuit stays dry when worn properly. While more expensive and more restrictive due to their larger size, they help keep paddlers much warmer than wetsuits, and are also more comfortable to wear overall as the suit itself isn’t tight to wear outside of the seals.

In the spring and summer, layers work well as you can add and remove them to suit the conditions. Avoid materials like cotton and do not wear jeans or other denim clothing – they hold water, and you’ll get very cold, very quickly if they get wet.

If it’s hot and sunny, shorts and a top will be fine, and there’s nothing like barefoot paddling to really get a good feel for your board.

Always take a hat or head covering to protect from cold and sun (if you’re lucky enough to see it!)

Whatever the conditions, try and wear bright colours that enable other people to see you easily. It will help avoid collisions and may even save your live if you get in to trouble.

And always wear your buoyancy aid, also known as a personal flotation device (PFD). It will keep you afloat if you fall in and allow you to catch your breath before you get back on your board. If you lose your board, it will help you stay afloat until you reach dry land or are rescued. A buoyancy aid will also add an additional layer and is particularly good at reducing heat loss in windy conditions.

One of the benefits of paddle boarding is that it works your entire body, not just your arms.

Each stroke you take, you bend your knees, which means you are working your upper and lower calfs, hamstrings, quads and even glutes.

You can expect your arms and back to be working just as hard, which will help to improve your balance and strengthen your core.

When using the correct technique, paddleboarders can expect to work a range of muscles whilst pulling themselves through the water.

The main muscle groups that are being activated during a paddle are your mid back muscles (latissimus Dorsi or ‘lats’), Shoulders (deltoids), Arms (triceps & biceps) and abs. Paddle Boarding is an all-body workout which has more than just the physical rewards, it can also restore your balance and is very calming.

Rather than using just your arms to pull the paddle to your body, you will use your Latissimus Dorsi (lats) and core to pull your body to the paddle.

The lats are the largest muscle in your back and it’s the development of the lats that give the torso a wider, flared shape. 

Your legs keep you standing, but your back lets you stay upright and straight. That’s quite important when it comes to maintaining your balance while standing on your paddle board.

Particularly, your rhomboid muscles are activated when balancing. These upper back muscles go along your shoulder blades and near your sides. The muscles connect to your spine.

The reason these back muscles are called rhomboid muscles is because they’re shaped like a rhombus, a four-sided parallelogram. Your rhomboid muscles include the rhomboid minor muscle and the rhomboid major muscle.

While paddling, your trapezoid muscles (traps) in your back are also helping you stabilize and strengthen your shoulders.

As mentioned above, SUP really is an effective full-body workout.

It’s one of the ways paddle boarders can burn a significant amount of calories. For instance, on a light and easy paddle on calm water, you can burn right around 300-to-400 calories. On a more vigorous paddle, such as a cross-training SUP workout incorporating yoga or something really rigorous like SUP racing, you could expect to burn over 750-to-1,000 calories!.

But SUP is not about weight loss, it’s about fitness and clarity of mind with the added benefit of strengthening your body by keeping it active.

Regular paddleboarding sessions and trips can be just the same as going to the gym or riding a bike.

You can expect paddleboarding to increase your core strength as it works the abdominal muscles whilst also strengthening your arms, legs and back.

But it’s important to remember to keep a balance in any exercise routine. Other activities such as running, cycling, swimming and working out at a gym will help improve your aerobic fitness and strength, which will help your paddle boarding.

You can burn twice as much calories as walking with paddleboarding.

On average, you might burn anywhere from 300 to 400 calories based on a light, recreational paddle.

On a more vigorous paddle, such as a cross-training SUP workout incorporating yoga or something really rigorous like SUP racing, you could expect to burn over 750-to-1,000 calories!

The amount of weight a paddle board can support is genrally determined by it’s size – the bigger the board, the more weight it will support.

The average 10’6″ paddleboard can support approximately 110KGs

However, there are boards that can support much more, so it’s just a matter of finding the right board for your size.

Likewise, a lighter paddler might find an average 10’6″ board too cumbersome to paddle and there are smaller boards that would be more suited.

Most definitely! Paddlers can expert to burn a lot of calories, have fun and build-up core muscles all at the same time. 

There are also special lessons dedicated to working out with a paddleboard, for example SUP Yoga.

You can paddle on your knees and you can paddle sitting down (but perhaps, it will be better opting for a kayak in this instance).

However you chose to enjoy your experience, we’re with you.

Paddleboarding has become a family experience with parents taking children and even dogs!

Learning to swim is a fantastic investment of your time! It is an excellent, very low-impact sport, easy to access and will give you confidence in and on the water. It may even safe your life!

You can use a kayak, but as there is a chance of you falling into the water you should wear a life vest and always paddle with someone.

A question we get asked often by our visitors, the paddleboard is designed for bare feet to grip, so shoes will not be essential. So, when it is warm you can go bare foot no problem.

However, in the colder months, you might want something to keep you a bit warmer like neoprene boots.

Kayaks are mostly considered safe to use and are not easy to tip over. The recreational and touring kayaks we use here are extremely stable.

However, that does not mean that they can’t capsize! But it will really depend on the type of boat, the conditions, your experience and the type of water you are planning on paddling in.

We cover capsizing and recovery in our Kayak Essentials course.

Most SUP damage can be repaired and it’s always worth checking. It’s quite easy to mend simple punctures and most boards are supplied with a repair kit. Check online for advice.

If the damage is beyond your diy repair skills, don’t despair! Pick up the phone and call these guys 

SUPs are amazing bits of kit and a great way to get out on the water BUT they are an environmental nightmare when thrown away!