FAQ : Development days
Curious about what our Development Days involve? We’ve created a dedicated FAQ page to answer all your questions! Whether you're a newcomer looking to get involved, or an experienced paddler wanting to sharpen your skills, this page covers everything—from what to bring and how to sign up, to what to expect on the day. It’s the go-to resource for understanding how these sessions work, who they’re for, and how they can help you progress in the sport. Check it out and get ready to take your surf kayaking to the next level!
Is this event suitable for me?
Even small surf provides a pretty dynamic environment and is a horrible place to learn to paddle a kayak for the first time, so we’d like you to have some kayaking experience before you come. As a minimum, if you’ve got a solid low-brace and can edge a closed-cockpit kayak, then you’ll have a great day of bongo bouncing and surfing without capsizing too often (it’ll happen at some point no matter how good you are). If you can’t edge and do a low-brace then you’ll likely capsize regularly and spend a good part of the day emptying your boat which is tiring and not much fun.
Do I need to be able to roll a kayak?
No – not essential. Great if you can though.
What should I bring?
Bring your usual paddling kit including: Buoyancy aid Helmet Clothing (appropriate for the weather on the day). If it’s cold, then consider a wetsuit for the water and a waterproof changing robe as the beach can feel quite exposed. wetsuit bootees or something similar. Our local beaches do have weaver fish which can (it’s rare but does happen) give a painful sting to bare feet. The sting won’t go through a bootee sole. Waterproof trainers are fine for river kayaks, but surf kayaks have particularly low decks and so a bootee will fit a lot better. a surf boat, a plastic river boat or a playboat Paddle Spraydeck. Lunch, snacks and something to drink. Suncream if the sun is out.
Have you kayaks or other equipment available?
We have a small fleet of composite surf kayaks for you to try on the day. They are flat hulled with wave-grabbing rails and perform much better than round hulled river boats on a wave. They’ll change your experience of surfing. The Wales Surf Kayak Committee is not an activity centre and so we don’t have any committee plastic boats, sit on tops or other kit for loan, which is why we encourage you to bring your own kit. That said, if lack of a piece of kit is preventing you from coming then let us know in advance and maybe one of us might be able to bring some of our personal spare kit for you to borrow.
I’m not sure whether I should book onto the novice or advanced/intermediate groups.
We ask you to book onto one or other of the groups to give us a rough idea of your expectations for initial planning. After watching you surf a couple of waves, we’ll quickly know whether you’re in the right group, and you can change groups at any time on the day depending on your needs and comfort level with the conditions. As a general rule, if you are happy in a grade three rapid, are able to land a sea kayak in 2-foot waves without too much stress or have surfed down 2-3 foot river or sea wave in a river boat and enjoyed it then the advanced/intermediate group is probably for you. If you’re nervous of moving water or only have flat water experience, then you’re better off in the novice group initially.
