Join Devizes Canoe Club

Developing a Passion for Paddlesport

If you are new to paddling or it has been some time since you last paddled, we will ask you to attend an Introduction to Paddlesport course. Over the course you will learn basic water safety, paddling techniques and be introduced to a range of kayaks and canoes.
For Juniors we have Adventure Group on a Saturday to develop their paddling confidence while having fun on the canal.
The Club also runs a series of courses for local schools and colleges as part of our charitable mission.
If you would like to attend an Introduction to Paddlesport course, please use the link below to contact us.

Membership Enquiry

Developing Paddle Skills

Following the Introduction to Paddlesport course, we offer a series of Explore courses that develop your racing skills while building up your confidence in paddling flatwater kayaks or canoes. We have a cadre of instructors and coaches that support our various programmes and training. We can assist you if you want to become a paddlesport instructor, and we offer development pathways for coaches.

Develop Paddle Fitness

To support your development as a paddler, or just as a way of keeping fit, we offer circuit and core fitness training as well as ergo sessions (kayak version of a rowing machine) to either develop paddle technique or enhance fitness.

Quality Club of Choice

The Club’s Management Team and volunteers provide facilities, support and equipment at or above the ‘Quality Club’ benchmark, to enable our safe, engaging and enjoyable programme of paddling and foster the inclusive environment for our paddling and non-paddling members.

Becoming a member

Thank you for your interest in joining Devizes Canoe Club.

We are a diverse and inclusive club and welcome new members from all backgrounds and abilities.

Our members have a broad range of interests from leisure paddling on the Kennet & Avon to representing Great Britain.

Adult (23-64) using club boats	£130
Adult (23-64) using own boat	£110
Senior Adult (65+) using club boats	£80
Senior Adult (65+) with own boat	£60
Junior (8-18) using club boats	£85 + Junior Subs
Junior (8-18) with own boat	£65 + Junior Subs
Young Adult (19-22) using club boats	£85
Young Adult (19-22) with own boat	£65
Ad Hoc Junior (8-18)	Membership fee £20 plus £10 per session
Social (non paddling)	£5
Concessionary Rates	50% discount for adults or juniors in receipt of DLA, UC or Out of Port status

Membership fees are reviewed annually and fees approved for the next membership year at every Annual General Meeting.

We offer a concessionary rate to adults or juniors in receipt of DLA or UC. This will provide a 50% reduction on our published annual membership fees. If you would like to discuss this concession please contact our Club Secretary.

If you have any questions regarding membership, how to join, fees, family membership or anything else, then please contact our Club Secretary.

Renewing membership

If you are a current member, you will receive an email 3 weeks before renewal inviting you to renew membership online and complete a boat storage application if you wish to store your own boat at the club. All you need to do is to renew your membership online by the end of March each year.

If your membership has lapsed, please contact our Club Secretary for further guidance. Membership fees are the same for new and renewing members. If you haven’t paddled for a significant period, we will need to invite you to do a one-to-one introductory session so we can assess the best path for you.

Please remember that our boat storage capacity is less than the annual demand and it gets allocated at the start of the membership year. There is no automatic right to boat storage for current or lapsed members. If you fail to renew on time, there is a good chance your storage slot will be reallocated. If you don’t think you will be able to renew on time you must let us know and we will do what we can to help.

Your first few weeks

Important information for new members

Whatever your age, ability or aspirations, you will find a friendly and encouraging group of people at Devizes Canoe Club, willing to help get you afloat and to enjoy paddlesport.

Once you have joined the club you will be sent a link to our Introduction to Flatwater Paddling Guide. Logged in members can access it here.

The Club site (postcode SN10 1JN) is at Lower Wharf, Devizes accessed by a narrow lane adjacent to the Assizes Court building on Northgate Street Devizes. Please note that there is no footpath linking our site to the main wharf car park.

Some things which are useful to know:

How many members do we have?

We have about 160 Club members, ranging from 8 years of age to well into pension age. These include many families.

When does the membership year start?

Our membership year runs from April to the following March. We don’t reduce the membership rate based on your joining date.

Can I drive to the club and park?

We encourage all members to arrive at the club on foot or by bike. Please do not drive to the club to drop-off paddlers. You may bring a car to the club site to drop off or collect a boat, but cars are to be removed as soon as loading/unloading is complete.

There is no parking on site unless you hold a blue badge. Club members are not permitted to park in private parking spaces near Dundas Court at any time. Public parking is available on-street and off-street at the main wharf car park, in the market place or at Station Road and all are free after 6pm.

The Lower Wharf access road from the public highway is privately owned, and in close proximity to residential properties. The Dundas Court flats have front door access to the roadway. All drivers MUST restrict their speed to 10 mph or preferably less, when using Lower Wharf to access the club.

Can I change at the club?

We have changing facilities, including showers and toilets, though these are limited in scale because we have a small site. We don’t have space for lockers, so please don’t bring valuables with you to the site.

Do I need my own equipment?

As you gain experience and confidence you should plan to purchase your own paddles and buoyancy aid. Club boats are available to suit most paddlers. When you want to paddle independently or away from the club, you will probably want to buy your own boat. Club members can provide advice about what and where to purchase.

I have a boat, can I store it at the club?

We have storage for private boats at the club. It is designed specifically for K1/K2 and C1/C2 racing craft and is not suitable for other types of watercraft. This storage is allocated yearly along with membership renewal, but don’t be afraid to ask as there may be space available.

How will I meet other club members?

We run regular sessions throughout the week. If you are a new paddler or a returning paddler we will introduce you to other members and a suitable group so that you can paddle with members of similar ability.

Will I need to pay for anything else?

As with any sport, there are many items you can buy to aid your paddling comfort and performance. These include paddles, buoyancy aids, paddling specific clothing, GPS trackers, phone holders, drinks systems. The list is endless, but it depends on how much you want to spend and your ambitions within paddlesport.

What COVID/general hygiene restrictions are in place?

We take guidance from our national governing body (Paddle UK) who in turn reflect Sport England and Government guidelines. Members will be advised of any changes to club procedures. We urge everyone to take personal responsibility to reduce the risk of disease transmission when visiting the club. Specifically:

Do not attend the club if you have any COVID symptoms or contagious health conditions.

Continue to follow good hygiene practices, to reduce the risk of transmission.

Please be courteous to other users as they may have differing needs.

We provide hand sanitiser and disinfectant wipes for your personal use whilst at the club.

Help us to maintain a safe environment.

Is your club suitable for disabled people?

We are committed to providing facilities that are suitable for a wide range of people and abilities and several of our paddling members have disabilities.

The club location and club building are wheelchair accessible and include ramped access and a disabled toilet. Other facilities, including our shower and changing building, and stepped launch area are accessible to people with a range of disabilities who are not regular wheelchair users.

The physical constraints of our site and the waterway prevent us from storing watercraft suitable for wheelchair users, although we can refer anyone who needs these specialist facilities with a suitable paddlesport centre.

Keeping in touch

When you have joined the Club you will be invited to join the club’s Facebook page and various Spond groups for paddlers. We use these to stay in contact about sessions and timings.

What you need to know

The Club has achieved Paddle UK’s Clubmark standard, which sets a high standard of policies and procedures for the Club. If you look in the members’ section under ‘Governance’ you will find some essential documents you need to know about as a new member.

These include:
Club risk assessment
Club rules
Safeguarding policy
Code of conduct for members

We organise social events from time to time. These often include summer BBQs, paddling trips, occasional talks and other events. We have an awards evening once a year usually held at a nearby venue.