Canoe Open Water Leader Assessment

This assessment runs on various dates. Please contact us to enquire.

A canoe open water leader will be running trips on windy days on large lakes. They will take groups on great sailing journeys or exciting open water crossings in canoe.

On an assessment candidates will be expected to be able to:

• Plan and lead an inspirational journey in a way that encourages independence and development of the participants.
• Paddle their canoe at a good standard in the top end of the remit (force 4).
• Rescue tandem and solo canoes whilst maintaining good group control.
• Lead a downwind sailing journey.

Prior to an assessment you will be given the opportunity to contact the group members to gather information about their ability, equipment needs and aspirations for the day. The group will have at least 4 participants in a mix of tandem and solo canoes.

Pre-requisites for assessment:

• Prior to assessment all candidates must register with British Canoeing.
• Full National Association Membership.
• Valid (within 3 years) 2 day British Canoeing recognised First Aid Award.
• Valid (within 3 years) Safeguarding Training recognised by British Canoeing.

Location:

This course will take place in Cumbria. For the majority of our courses the meeting points / venues will vary depending on weather conditions and water levels. The most commonly used lakes are Ullswater, Derwentwater and Windermere. Favourite spots would include Glenridding at the southend of Ullswater, the river Eden north of Penrith, Middle Derwent near Keswick, Lune near Kirkby Lonsdale, Kent through Kendal and the Leven near Newby Bridge.

What does this certification allow:

Canoe Open Water Leaders are certified to guide participants across expansive open water areas. These excursions might occur on flatwater, no further than 500 meters from the shore, and in wind conditions up to Beaufort force 4 (13-18 mph), capable of producing 1-4ft waves and numerous white-caps. While leaders have discretion over group sizes, a large group typically consists of six solo canoes or five tandem canoes.

This qualification is applicable across various open waters in the Lake District, such as Windermere and Ullswater, and extends to other locations like Kielder Water in Northumbria, Llyn Tegid (Bala Lake), Llyn Padarn near Llanberis, Lake Vyrnwy in mid-Wales, and numerous Scottish lochs, given the right conditions. Additionally, some tidal estuaries are also suitable under certain circumstances

The Training:

The assessment for the next step after the training which is bookable on a separate page and is available on 5-6 October and 4-5 December 2023 and 18-19 January 2024. You can find this at the bottom of this page: Canoe Open Water Leader Training.

Submit a booking request to register your interest today, you can ask any questions you may have before paying!