Level 3 - Paddle UK British Canoeing SUP Safer Paddlesport Course

The British Canoeing SUP Safer course is intended for all SUP Paddlers wanting to cover a broad introductory safety course with current rescue skills, background info and techniques for stand up padd…

Level: Grade 0 - This means it is a flat paddle and should be within most people’s abilities.

£69

4th July 2026
9.00am
Duration: 4 hours

SUP Safer Course offers a compact safety and rescue structure course relevant to Stand up paddle boarding

Options: Hire of drysuits or wet suits can be provided

What's Included

Craft
Buoyancy Aid
Bank Based Briefing
Dry Bag
Paddles
Professional Coaches
Certification Fee
Activity Equipment

What else we can provide on request

Waterproofs
Hire of Wetsuits
Hire of Drysuits

Requirements

Suitable for ages 14+ Anyone under the age of 18 needs to be accompanied by an adult 21 years and over.

Dates

(4 hours)

Timings

Start 08.45 - 12. 45

Duration

4 hours

Included

Craft
Equipment
Buoyancy Aid
Dry Bag (if needed)
Instructor
Waterproofs

What you will need to bring

Bring comfortable clothing such as gym wear, shorts, a t-shirt or wetsuit, along with a pair of water shoes, or old trainers. Bring a towel and a change of clothes. No special equipment or clothing is required. We have waterproof's available and you can hire a dry suit by arrangement on a first come first served basis.

Canoe Trail offers training on SUP (stand up Paddle Board) key rescue skills needed to operate safely and deal with common emergencies in a sheltered water environment. These skills form the syllabus of the British Canoeing SUP Safer course.

Canoe Trail is an approved provider of the qualification and has practical experience of rescues from years of experience. Our courses provide access to our professional coaching team and tutors, the very best kit on the market with SilverBirch canoes, Red Paddle Co boards, as well as Jobe Paddlesports. More than that it is Canoe Trail’s award-winning style making padding accessible with a friendly and welcoming approach keeping it safe, fun, and sharing learning. The SUP safer course offers broad intro to SUP rescue skills, top tips and a 'prevention is better than cure' ethos. More than that the SUP safer course is a great intro to all things safety for paddlers taking to the water providing confidence and skills to deal with a range of scenarios and incidents. You can download and read the Syllabus here: SUP Safer Course

SUP Safer Course Contents

The objective of the SUP Safer course is to introduce simple and safe skills that can provide the tools to problem solve simple common paddling scenarios in flat/sheltered water by SUP. Participants will learn:

Skills which will enable them to ensure the safety of themselves and others
Appropriate rescue skills which can be used to help themselves and/or others in difficulty

Why take the SUP Safer course?

Are you relevatively new to paddleboarding? Do you want to raise your awareness of paddling your SUP safely? Do you want to learn practical solutions if you get into difficulty? Then the SUP Safer course is for you! Your course will support you to consider safe practices, explore and learn to appreciate the potential hazards…

If you needed any more convincing, the course is completely based around training and raising awareness for SUP rescue skills, with no assessment. Structured to support you, our experienced tutors will ensure you have plenty of time practising, as well as understanding how you can develop skills and experience after the course.

The course takes around 4 hours and will cover 4 modules:

SUP Equipment
Environment and Weather
Planning
Safety on the Water

There will be opportunities to develop and progress your rescue skills and meet like-minded people during the course. Many of our course candidates develop long lasting friendships, connections and contacts.

SUP Safer Course Training Overview

Minimum age: There is no age restriction for the course. Under 18’s can complete coaching and instructor qualifications however they can not run their own sessions until over 18 and must be accompanied by an adult.

Duration: 4 hours of training time with structured practice allowing time for working on skills, providing support and admin time.

Venue: Sheltered water, calm conditions.

Prerequisites

Able to swim in normal paddling clothing suitable for the prevailing conditions
Boat-based candidates must also:
- Have paddling skills at the current Paddle Explore Award,
- Discover / 2 Star Award, or be of equivalent ability due to the paddling environment
- the boat control required to complete the course

A First Aid certificate is not a prerequisite. However, holding a First Aid certificate is strongly recommended for all paddlers.

Good knowledge of practical issues that paddlers may face.

Course Documents
To view the associated documents with this course, click here.

Canoe Trail can provide access to all equipment required for the course.

Equipment

The following is a list of recommended equipment required for the participant in this course to have:
- Towline OR tow system;
- Throwline;
- Webbing (sewn or unsewn sling) and large karabiner;
- Whistle;
- Knife.

The course aims to allow the participants to experience a range of equipment, and to teach/coach the participant in ways to use the equipment as well as improvised systems.

Syllabus and Course content

The course will cover 4 key modules -

SUP Equipment - different boards, paddling equipment and safety equipment

Craft overview, safety considerations and features
Clothing and equipment worn
Additional safety equipment

Environment and weather - dynamnic risk assessments, the environment and changes to weather and conditions

The sheltered water environment
Other environments
Weather considerations
Tide and flow
Water features

Planning - Planning to avoid issues, hazards and risks to avoid

Knowledge, experience and ability
What to expect and what to look out for
Where and how to find help

Safety on the water - practical tiips to stay safe and support others on the water

Getting started safely
Supporting others
Rescue techniques
Calling for help, sustaining yourself whilst waiting for assistance

The Paddling environment

Sheltered water
calm conditions
Not more than 50m from the bank (very sheltered water) and 200m from shore/bank (sheltered water)

*Dates may need to change at Canoe Trail's discretion; this will be notified in advance.

Reviews

Very satisfied with the coaching expertise on offer at Canoe Trail. Learned a lot in one session. Great location, too, well worth driving 40mins to get to for kit & competence.

-- Andrea

Frequently Asked Questions

What if it rains?

Unless you hear from us then your booking will run on the day agreed. Canoe Trail runs watersports, paddling, and adventurous activities throughout the year with people enjoying the river and our woodland campsite during the different seasons. On rare occasions (it only happens a few times a year) we may move or change your booking. This will be in freak weather conditions such as extremely high river flows in spate or during heavy storms with lightning. You can read our full FAQ here.

What should I wear?

We paddle all the year round and believe the old adage “There is no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing”! Participants should wear light (gym style) clothing suitable for getting wet such as tracksuit bottoms or shorts and a top. Jeans are not the best things to wear as they wick water. In simple terms, dress for the weather and check the forecast beforehand. If cold then a thermal top or sweatshirt may also be needed. Hats and gloves are a great way to feel slightly warmer in winter and caps and wide-brimmed hats are also useful in summer to protect you from the sun. You should also bring a change of clothes in the event that you get wet. We do have waterproofs usually available, you can arrange for some courses and trips to hire wetsuits and drysuits.

How does the booking process work?

During the season our hire of canoes, kayaks, and SUPs, and paddle and camp trips are scheduled for customers to book via an automated schedule. Typically Kempston base is open throughout the season 7 days a week whereas Bedford is usually weekends or holidays. At the time of booking you will need to enter medical information, any special requirements and sizes into the booking forms. You will also need to provide contact details and emergency contact details as a contingency. Depending on what you are doing (e.g. camping, expeds, etc), you can book optional extras such as wood (you need to bring your own otherwise), water, grills, tipis and luggage service, or if you're on an exped you can hire hire drysuits. Once you have booked and your information is captured by the system, you will receive an automated email including a QR code and parking information to help you arrive in good time for your booking and get checked in. See our Terms & Conditions - www.canoetrail.co.uk/terms-and-conditions

Why can't I select a date to book?

Our schedules are automated and are linked to the calendar and available resources. We have over 260 craft available (canoes, kayaks and SUP’s) so you can drop us a line if you want a date that you cant see. Our Kempston base is throughout the season every day whereas Bedford is only weekends and holidays. There is a cut off time of 30 mins prior to each time slot, so if you are making a last minute booking then call us and we can help!

Do you offer private bookings for a group?

Yes we do offer group, club and private bookings for all watersports including kayaking, canoeing, and SUP. As well as whitewater courses, qualifications, and our expeditions. Please contact us to discuss a private tailored booking for your team, friends and family. We run taillored sessions for youth charities, schools, family and friend groups, corporate and other groups to learn outdoor activities.

What happens if we're late?

You will need to arrive 10 mins before your booking time to allow for registration etc. If you arrive late, please note that you may not be able to do the trip you booked and may have to do an alternative route. In some cases, you may not be able to paddle on that day. If you are running late then please let us know ASAP by calling our mobile number. Please contact us to let us know if you are going to be late. Our staff work on tight schedules to load kit and reset trailers for the day. On expeditions and trips we aim to share our beautiful surroundings, wildlife and vistas with the group and cover the distance. We will travel at the speed of the group so occasionally an injury, participant struggling or inclement weather may affect our finish time. On courses we aim to start on time for the entire group to cover the course syllabus. occasionally an injury, participant struggling or inclement weather may affect our finish time.

What happens if I need to postpone?

When you make a booking you are reserving the equipment and space for your booking , your seat and place (as you would with an airline) and although we have multiple craft (over 300 ) they are not all available at every location. Please do let us know if you are going to have to postpone and in some instances with notice we may be able to move your booking in our calendar with an admin fee. Closer to the booking we are not able to accept a postponement.

Do I need a licence for a canoe, kayak, or SUP?

A common question we get asked is whether you need a licence for paddling canoes, kayaks or SUP's. The answer on rivers and navigable waterways is yes. As Canoe Trail we buy licences through our National Governing Body Paddle UK to cover all of our watersports activities. We recommend buying Paddle UK membership with many benefits including river licence and also discounts with key brands. The Paddle UK licence also allows access to certain private watersways such as Cambridge Backs, Norfolk Broads and waters managed by the Environment Agency. Other options for licences include the Canal and River Trust where you can purchase a 30 day Explorer Licence (this is limited to water controlled by them). You can also purchase licences for specific waters controlled by the Environment Agency such as River Thames, River Medway and Anglian Waterways. So to summarise Paddle UK is the best membership for access to the majority of waterways. Hire companies such as Canoe Trail provide the licence when you rent the canoe, kayak or Stand up paddle board.

How fit do I need to be?

You don’t need to be super fit to paddle, but a bit of stamina helps, especially around locks. Our 1-hour and half-day hires don’t include any locks, so there’s very little lifting. Full-day hires usually involve at least one, where you’ll need to move your craft a short distance on land (they do make great picnic spots though!). All of our routes for hire are considered 'Grade 0' meaning they're a great choice for beginners and we’ll give you plenty of tips before you head out. If you’re unsure, just give us a call. For expeditions then we often use the analogy of walking in the hills for a day with a light rucksack, its not lung busting effort but it does require up to 6-7 hours paddling in the great outdoors. We can provide guidance for customers on building Paddlefit endurance ahead of bigger trips.

Do you take photographs?

We aim to take pictures at the start of your trip and post these to our social media for your ease of access. If you take pictures of your paddling trip please tag them with #canoetrail, @canoetrails (Twitter/Instagram/TikTok), Canoe Trail on Facebook/Trip Adviser.

How to find us. Transport? Parking?

The more rural locations have lay-bys and small car parks available. Please allow time for parking so you are not running late. Parking in Bedford can be more of a challenge but the council does have their own designated parking locations, please have a look online for the closest one to your start point and prices.

Do I need to be able to swim?

Participants should be confident in and around water although they do not need to be swimmers. We will provide all safety briefings and equipment for the day, including a buoyancy aid for all paddlers.

What are the golden rules for learning to SUP?

The golden rules for learning to SUP are of course lengthy but simple top tips can really help. 1) ensure your board is inflated correctly and the right size for you 2) wear a buoyancy aid as personal floatation 3) understand leashes and in particular quick release leashes where there is a risk of snagging 4) learn board position and skills kneeling as well as standing to determine best position on the board 5) Stand up on the board with the paddle at 90 degrees across the board with feet in a strong and stable position, keep soft knees and legs to reduce wobble 6) where you look will improve your stance and balance so avoid looking down at your feet and board 7) the paddle is your stabiliser so use it to balance when engaged with the water 8) learning to SUP paddle if you need to adjust your stance then put the paddle vertical in the middle of the board to make a tripod with your feet and shuffle your feet about 9) Learning to use your weight to drive the paddle into the water by semi squatting and ensure rotation from your supper torso to paddle efficiently 10) express yourself, learn to do tail spins and step back turns. Wear a smile.

How easy is it to learn to stand up paddle board?

Like all paddlesport it is realatively simple to get onto the water to have a go at stand up paddle boarding or SUPing within minutes and a few hours you can nail the basics, paddling forwards, stopping and turning. The majority of SUP's on the market are inflatable offering space and weight saving benefits and have a fin underneath to help them track or go in a straight line. People usually start on their knees for convenience and then learn to stand up. Once stood up then the paddle becomes part of the stabilising motion as you paddle forwards etc. To avoid wobble then soften your stance, knees, ankles and body to reduce shaky legs and the 'Elvis look'. Top tip use your paddle like a tripod in front of you to shuffle your feet around to balance your feet either side of the central handle. On our hre sessions then a simple briefing means people are out and about paddling within minutes. You can speed up your learning curve by joining one of our SUP Intro sessions with 90 minutes with a professional instructor. Mastering SUP Skills such as step back turns, walking the board, guide stance and cross deck manouevres can take a life time to master. Always wear a buoyancy aid and learn safety and rescue skills including self rescue is important.

How can I learn canoe, kayak and SUP safety and rescue skills?

There are various courses that include an introduction to safety and rescue courses including the Paddle UK Discover which offers and some self rescue techniques and also the PSRC (PaddleSports Safety and Rescue Course ) which is a great 1 day course with a mix of theory, practical skills and lots of rescue including deep water rescue, unconscious / entrapped, self rescue and others. There is also specifically the SUP safer course which is a SUP specific skills include prone paddling, self rescue and rescueing others. Kempston Outdoor Centre is a great venue to learn safety and rescue skills with over 300 craft and professional coaches.

What is the best qualification for learning to stand up paddle board?

Try tackling the our Intro to SUP course which is 90 minutes of stand up paddle boarding tution from a professional paddlesports coach. In that time you will learn to launch the SUP, stand up, self rescue, step back into the guide stance, paddle forwards, turn your board and steer. Its the perfect into to paddle boarding in Bedford based from Kempston Outdoor Centre. You can also book independent lessons or alternatively join our 3 x 3 week block course with three levels, level 1, 2 and 3 which include the Paddle UK, Start and Discover Awards and also the SUP Safer Award as the Level 3. If you want to progress further then Canoe Trail can also provide the Open Water SUP leader award, Paddlesports Leader or Touring Leader (both of which can be chosen on SUP's) or the Paddle Sports Instructor or SUP Instructor options.

Hire FAQ's

What's the difference between a kayak and a canoe?

If you're not sure of what each craft is, then read our guide here.

Are the trips guided?

There are no guides or instructors needed for hire. This is simply a hire where you paddle out and back to our launch point. We recommend our preferred route, however, you are free-range and able to explore the river.

What if it rains?

Unless you hear from us then your booking will run on the day agreed. Canoe Trail runs watersports, paddling, and adventurous activities throughout the year with people enjoying the river and our woodland campsite during the different seasons. On rare occasions (it only happens a couple of times a year) we may move or change your booking. This will be in freak weather conditions such as extremely high river flows in spate or during heavy storms with lightning. You can read our full FAQ here.

How does the booking process work?

We use a live booking system that will assign you the relevant craft and resources. Once you have confirmed your booking date, it is not then transferable and non-refundable in the same way you book an airline seat. Bookings are to be paid in full at the time of booking and are non-refundable. There will be no refunds for early returns, poor weather, or non-usage as per our general terms & conditions.

Location

Kempston Outdoor Centre, park at the Mill Car Park