New to the sport? You’ve come to the right place. We will start you off on the right equipment for your size, age and fitness, which will make it as easy as possible for you. Indeed, we’ll go as far as to say that you are almost certainly going to stay dry. Yep, that’s right. You won’t need to put on a wetsuit, or worry about getting wet. You’ll be on a board that is so stable that all you’ll need to do is enjoy yourself. Those are our primary goals for your first session, that you finish dry, and with a big smile, keen to get out for some more.
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Better still – after your lesson you can come down to our Club Night on any subsequent Thursday evening, grab a board and go put your new-found skills into practice, absolutely free! This is included in the price.
Beginner sessions can be up to 5 in a group.
1 person: $80
2 people: $140 ($70 per person)
3 people: $165 ($55 per person)
4 people: $180 ($45 per person)
5 people: $200 ($40 per person)
The format for a beginner lesson is simple. Starting off on dry land, we familiarise you with the paddling and turning techniques, and that all-important first stand-up. Once we’re confident that you’ve got the hang of it, we all get out onto the water, and paddle around for a while in the kneeling position (we call it the ‘safe position’), until you’re comfortable with paddling, turning and generally being on a board. Then we’ll get you up into the stand-up position, and head off for a cruise. The session will normally last about 80-90 minutes all up. Scroll down further for beginner lesson FAQs.
The lesson will take place at the most sheltered, safe piece of water we can find for you. There will be no waves or surf to put you off or make it harder. We guarantee that you will be standing up and paddling in that first session. You may think you have dreadful balance, or are not fit enough to manage it, but the truth is that if you can stand up, you can stand-up paddleboard. We have taught literally thousands of people over the past decade, and have a huge repertoire of tricks and techniques up our sleeve. Not once have we not been able to get someone up and going (and this includes some quite severely disabled or handicapped clients).
If you want to paddleboard, we want you to paddleboard! And we have the best equipment, location, and instructors to make your dreams come true. Click here to make a booking.
Scroll down further for beginner lesson FAQs
Beginner Lesson FAQ
Clothing: On the board, a rash top or teeshirt to keep off the sun, and a pair of shorts is ideal. Tracksuit pants or leggings are OK but you’ll probably get the ankles wet. Please note that you must have some sort of upper body covering, even in high summer.
Feet: Off season, then if you have any wetsuit boots or shoes it will definitely keep your feet warm. They are the only part of you that is likely to get wet. If you don’t have wetsuit boots and wish to wear trainers that’s fine.
Wetsuits? Really not necessary – you’ll overheat, and they soon start to chafe.
Sun protection: A sunhat and sunglasses is well worth having too. We strongly recommend applying sun cream to all exposed areas of skin before the lesson.
Prescription glasses? If you need to wear glasses please ensure you have a SpecSaver or something similar to secure them.
Change of clothes and a towel: Just in case you do fall in, or decide to take a swim to cool off at the end of the session!
Buoyancy Aids: Each client will be equipped with a belt-pack style PFD, for use in emergencies only. If you have a PFD that you are comfortable wearing then please feel free to bring it along – particularly if you prefer to have the reassurance of permanent extra buoyancy should you fall in.
Your sense of adventure: Vital. You’re going to have a fantastic time!
Between one and five students for a beginner session. If you would rather not be put in a group with people you don’t know, then just let us know when you make your booking.
No problem at all. We have boards to fit all shapes and sizes of client! However, we have found that children much younger than 8 should probably have their own lesson, rather than as part of a family group, as otherwise their slower pace will hold everyone else back.
If you are intending to get into paddleboarding as a sport then we’d certainly recommend very strongly that you are able to swim. However, it needn’t stop you having a paddleboard lesson. Please advise us if this is your situation, and we will almost certainly make the lesson a one-to-one (ie just you and the instructor) so that they can be close to you at all times, and keep in shallow water close to the shore. You will of course need to wear a permanent-flotation buoyancy aid, and we will put you on a nice wide stable board, to make it as easy as possible for you.
Youngsters as young as 6 can learn to paddleboard. However, we have found that children much younger than 8 should probably have their own lesson, rather than as part of a family group, as otherwise their slower pace will hold everyone else back.
Yes, absolutely. Please contact us to discuss your particular situation, and we will work out a plan to get you into the water. It will almost certainly be a one-to-one lesson (ie just you and the instructor) so that they can give you their undivided attention at all time. We have assisted many people with disabilites, and it’s our privilege and pleasure to come up with solutions to ensure that you can enjoy the water like everybody else.
99% of our beginner clients don’t get wet. (100% in the last 3 years, as our teaching techniques continue to improve). There is no need to get wet, paddleboarding is not innately a falling-in sport, unless you are in surf or white water. We use extra-stable beginner boards for your first session to make it as easy as possible for you. So hopefully, all that will get wet is your feet.
As for cold, paddleboarding does generate a lot of upper body heat, so you actually don’t tend to get cold. If it’s a cool day then the best plan is to wear layers, so you can start warm, but easily shed a layer or two as you warm up.
While paddling may appear straightforward, there are numerous potential bad habits and technique mistakes which will decrease your efficiency and quite possibly lead to injury. So, starting out with a lesson or two from a qualified instructor, on equipment specifically designed to make the early sessions as productive and painless as possible, is a very wise plan, particularly if you don’t have much experience at watersports, are suffering from any injuries or disabilities, or maybe just aren’t feeling too fit at the moment. The learning curve will be far steeper, you can leave all the worrying about safety and weather conditions etc to your instructor, and you’ll not be picking up any those bad habits (which, once engrained into your technique, are often very hard to shift).
Better still, as there isn’t any one ‘right’ way of paddling (just as there isn’t one right way of walking, running, or any other repetitive motion activity), a good instructor will be able to equip you with the right techniques for you – taking into account your bodyweight, shape, height, age and fitness level. And then, having seen what works best for you, give you good advice on what equipment you should be considering for your first purchase.
Yes. If you don’t sign the waiver, we can’t take you on the water. However, the waiver process is just as much to protect you as it is us. It ensures and acknowledges that we’ve asked you all the right questions and both you and us have all the necessary information to ensure that all safety issues are covered.
We can take cash at the start of the lesson. Bank transfer or PAYPAL payment can also be taken, as long as the payment is completed and cleared before the lesson. Unfortunately we cannot take EFTPOS or credit card.
To start with, you’ll be on the world’s best inflatable paddleboards, the Red Paddle Co Ride range (which comes in various shapes and sizes so that we can match you to the best one for your requirements). You won’t know that you’re on an inflatable board, they’re rock hard, and perform as well (or better) than most solid boards. But they’re very forgiving if you do happen to fall, so you won’t come home with bruises or knocks. And from our point of view they’re exceptionally durable, so if you do happen to bump into a rock or boat or submerged object, we won’t be worrying!.
Your paddle will be a lightweight fiberglass adjustable length paddle, that we can set to exactly the right length for your stature. The blade size will also be determined by your build.
Any other questions? Don’t hesitate to get in touch. Or Click here to make a booking.