You may have read lots of things about paddling and P&DCC. Please take a few moments to read through these points before asking further.
Do you Canoe or Kayak?
We actually kayak. That is with double ended paddles and an enclosed deck.
Canoes are usually open decked, similar to those used by the North American Indians.
Do you have a club hut / storage?
Sadly not. Look at our annual subscription and
you will see why.
Do I need to be able to swim?
Yes, 50 metres in light clothing. Kayaking IS a wet sport and sometimes
people fall in.
In fact there are occasions when we deliberately get in the water. We train (usually
when it is reasonably warm) so that IF a problem occurs we know how to deal with it.
How much does it cost
to join?
Joining Fee for all types is £3.00
Adult (over 18) £8.00
Junior (under 18 next 1st October) £6.00
Family (two or more in same household, one newsletter sent) £14.00 Joining fee £3.00
What do I get as a member?
There are 6 newsletters published via post or
e-mail (February, April, June, August, October, December). These usually contain reports
on trips that have taken place, articles of general interest and details of forthcoming
events.
It allows you to take part in trips that are organised by the club. Please note that some may require additional payment in the form of camp-fees, pool-fees, parking costs or similar. (see What events do you have?)
You can receive training to various levels of competence at little or no additional cost.
You can attend the AGM and take part in the discussions taken that day.
What events do you have?
The club runs many events during the year. These vary in length and
duration. Most take place on the sea although not all will require a sea-kayak. Places
visited outside the Portsmouth area by PDCC organised trips include Northumberland,
Pembrokeshire, Wye Valley, River Thames, St Malo, Salcombe, Exe Descent. Trips have been
organised that involve one or more overnight stops with everything in the kayak. Overnight
events tend to involve camping rather than hotels.
Do I need my own equipment?
It is preferred. We do not have anywhere to store club gear, it relies on
people to be good enough to look after it. There are a couple of kayaks but these are lent
on a first come first served basis and require folks to ask whoever is "looking
after" the kit first.
How much does it cost to buy stuff?
This varies greatly. It does happen that people in PDCC sell gear
occasionally. A request in the newsletter may prompt them into selling. A NEW Sea-Kayak
costs about £1500 but can last over 20 years if looked after. Why not look in the Suppliers page to see who is close to you? There may also
be some equipment in our For Sale page.
Where can I buy STUFF?
Well there are are plenty of places in the UK. Our Suppliers page has most of them. There may also be some equipment
in our For Sale page.
I have never been in a kayak before,
can I join PDCC?
Yes, by all means. However, we no longer have the facility to train people
from scratch. There are now plenty of centres about that teach kayaking, such as Calshot, Portsmouth Schools Sailing
Centre and Woodmill. We DO organise courses
using BCU Instructors so that members can become top-class paddlers if they wish.
Can my family take part?
Yes, by all means. Children under 13 must be accompanied by a parent or
guardian whilst on the water. Some events take place in a fixed location and are great for
families.
It all sounds great, how do I join?
Just click on the Application form, enter
the details in the form and print it out. Then sign the form and post it to the address at
the bottom with a cheque. Sadly we do need a signature as well as the cash.