We are looking forward to having you join us on the water.
So you can better plan and prepare for your booking we have collected a few of the most common questions we get asked about our group programs.
If you have any other questions please do not hesitate to contact us.
Before you book your rental
Lessons and most Tours only run if people are booked in, so it is absolutely necessary to reserve.
For rentals, we also recommend reserving a kayak before coming to our location.
Especially on weekends, it gets very busy, so in order to guarantee a rental, you should reserve ahead of time.
Reserving online also allows you to already fill out our waiver which will speed up your check-in process.
Before sending renters out on the water we will give you a quick pre-launch talk where we briefly go over the basics of how to paddle and where to go.
However, this is not a lesson.
If you want to take a lesson on how to kayak including what to do it you capsize please consider signing up for our Beginner Kayaking course.
We are happy to rent a sit on top kayak to everybody, including paddlers going out by themselves.
If you want to use a sit-inside kayak and want to go out by yourself you must have taken a lesson where you learned solo capsize and re-entry within less than 3 years.
We will ask you to explain and/or demonstrate a solo capsize and recovery in order to rent a kayak unaccompanied.
If you cannot do so, we are able to rent you a sit-on-top kayak instead or you may be able to join a Tour (availability dependent).
If you would like to learn how to perform a solo capsize and recovery please ask about Beginner Kayaking Course or book a private lesson.
Children are permitted in our kayaks but must be accompanied by an adult. There must be one or more adult for each child under the age of 16. Based on age and size, children may be required to go in a double kayak with an adult.
Please call us to clarify any restrictions to avoid disappointment.
You can, but for anyone under the age of 19 you must have our online waiver signed by a legal guardian before you come.
Alternatively, guardians can download and sign our Parental Consent Form and you can bring that with you.
Surfskis are very fast, fitness-oriented crafts.
As they are quite fragile and fairly tippy we require anybody who wants to rent a surfski to have taken a Try Surfskiing lesson (or have equivalent knowledge and experience).
Yes, we sell Gift Cards through our website. You can custom choose any amount you want to give and the Gift Card will be emailed to the lucky recipient.
Gift Cards are a wonderful gift for somebody you know who wants to take a lesson but you don't know their availability. Just give them a gift card and they can book online at their convenience.
How to prepare for your activity
If you are going on a rental, taking a tour or an intro to kayaking lesson we recommend you wear or bring:
- Quick dry clothing (and bring a change of clothing just in case)
- Warm fleece sweater or light athletic jacket
- Toque, if it’s cold out
- Comfortable shoes for in the kayak that can get wet (sport sandals, neoprene booties or old running shoes work best)
If your lesson involves planned capsizing (all lessons except intro to kayaking) please wear or bring:
- Towel & bathing suit for under a wetsuit (provided for the course)
- Synthetic, quick-dry or wool top
- Warm fleece sweater or light athletic jacket
- Toque, if it’s cold out
- Comfortable shoes for in the kayak, your shoes will get wet. (sport sandals, neoprene booties or old running shoes work best)
For more details on how to prepare please refer to our "Preparing for you Kayaking Program" page
For tours, rentals and lessons we recommend you bring:
- Warm change of clothes for after paddling
- Water Bottle, Snack or lunch
- Sun hat, Sunscreen, Sunglasses (with strap)
For more details on how to prepare please refer to our "Preparing for you Kayaking Program" page
In almost all our programs the kayak is included free of charge.
There are very few upper-level programs where the kayak is not included in the fee (such as our Level 2 course), but if a kayak is not included it will always be clearly noted under the course rate.
If you have your own kayak, you are absolutely welcome to bring it for the course. We often find it is beneficial to learn the skills in your own boat. But we also understand that it might be a hassle to bring it and as the use of our kayaks is included you are very welcome to use our boats.
If you have a specific boat model or type that you would like to use you are welcome to reach out to us beforehand and we can do our best to have that model ready for you for the course.
Yes, at least part of you will get wet.
In order to get into the kayak you will have to step into the water, so your feet (sometimes up to your knees) will get wet for sure.
Also, there often is water dripping down from your paddle, so often your leg and thighs will also get wet.
There always is the chance that you may capsize as well.
Please be prepared by wearing footwear that you can go in the water with as well as clothes that you don't mind getting wet in (quick-dry clothing is preferred). We also recommend bringing a change of clothing.
For a full list on what to wear and what to bring please refer to our page on how to prepare for you kayaking program
When you book online you will receive a confirmation email with a link to sign our online waiver.
Alternatively, you can find our online as well as pdf waiver here
We have a limited number of unsecured cubbies available where you are welcome to leave items you do not want to take on the water with you.
We are not able to hold on to your valuables. We recommend you leave them at home or in the car. Alternatively, you can bring a drybag with you so you can take them on the water. We also have drybags available for rent and for purchase on site.
Washrooms are located in the main Sailing Centre building. They are on the second floor.
As it is a bit of a walk from us to the building we recommend stopping there before coming to us, so you can save time.
There also is a water fountain in the Sailing Centre building in case you want to fill up your water bottle.
Please note that the washrooms are gendered. We have more information available under the "accessibility" tab about single-user and gender-inclusive options.
We are located right within the Jericho Sailing Centre compound at 1300 Discovery Street in Vancouver. Check out our locations page to see our exact location and for information on how to get here.
As we typically experience some wind here at Jericho Beach we always recommend paddlers go into the wind.
In the summer months that typically means heading west along Spanish Banks.
Sometimes we get an easterly wind in which case you can paddle east towards Kits Beach.
Before sending you out on the water we will provide you with directions to go and with an estimate of how far your can typically get.
If you want to read up more on where to go and what to expect check our article on Paddling in English Bay in our resources section.
Accessibility Information
We welcome anybody to come kayaking with us. No matter what your body type, your age, your fitness, your experience level, or your background we are happy to have you join us and will make sure you will have a good experience!
If you have any specific concerns or questions please do not hesitate to reach out to us by email or phone and we would be happy to talk with you and how we can make sure you feel comfortable joining us.
Our kayaks can typically fit paddlers up to 300lbs, and/or about 6'2".
If you are unsure whether our kayaks will fit you feel free to drop by and try sitting in one before committing to a program.
The models we have for larger folks are the Castine 145 and a Necky Pinta for single kayaks, and a Current Design Double Vision for double kayaks.
You are welcome to give us a call and request one of those models beforehand if you feel that they will be a better fit for you.
Yes, we are more than happy to welcome you to book a rental with us.
We have written information that we can provide to you either before coming down or on-site so you can get all the information needed before going on the water.
We are also happy to work with you and support you in any way we can.
If you think you might benefit from some extra support or would like to request our written information beforehand please get in touch.
We will do our best to accommodate anybody who wants to come kayaking with us.
We are located on the beach, so paddlers will need to get through fairly soft sand to the kayak which unfortunately makes it hard for wheelchair users.
But we have had a number of paddlers with crutches join us on the water. We are more than happy to safely store your mobility aid for you while you are on the water.
If you are not comfortable going out by yourself or want some tips and tricks on how to make kayaking accessible for you please don't hesitate to reach out.
If interested we are also happy to set you up with a private lesson.
We have single-stall non-gendered changerooms available right at our location.
Washrooms as well as showers are available at the Jericho Sailing Centre building at the west side of the compound. The washrooms are gendered. However, during the summer months a single-user non-gendered porta-potty is available outside. In the winter months a single-user washroom is available inside the building across from the 'regular' washrooms. If you need directions to a non-gendered washroom feel free to ask our staff and we would be happy to help you.
The showers are inside the gendered washrooms and are only accessible with a key card. If you would like to shower please ask our staff for a key card.
There is a single-user outdoor shower stall available with hot water which is outside the main entrance of the Sailing Centre building (on the left side).
We are actively working with the Sailing Centre to improve the signage on the washrooms to make it more gender-inclusive. We are also developing a long-term plan to build single-user washroom and potentially also shower facilities inside the building.
What if your plans change
Our cancellation policy depends on the program you booked. Please refer to our Cancellation Policy page to see the notice we need in order to cancel your booking.
In any case, we do appreciate it if you could let us know sooner than later if you are planning to cancel so we can give your spot to somebody else if possible,
Call us as soon as you know you are going to be late and we will try to move your reservation, however, on busy days there may be people booked after you so your rental time may be reduced, as your 2 hours start at the time you booked your rental (NOT when you get on the water).
Lessons and Tours have to run when scheduled but do call us as we may be able to accommodate you depending on the circumstances.
We send out rentals rain or shine. However, our opening hours are weather dependent. We also, do not send out renters if it is too windy, so we sometimes might have to close down for a couple of hours.
If we do have to close rentals we will call everybody who is booked in to let them know.
Lessons and Tours also run rain or shine. We only cancel if it is too windy or if there are other safety concerns.