ABOUT US
A Unique Club
Chippenham Sailing and Canoe Club was founded on 25 March 1959. Today it's a volunteer run Community Amateur Sports Club with a community exceeding 200 paddlers . We have a small clubhouse with kitchen facilities and boat store at Long Close, Chippenham. A range of club canoes, kayaks and paddleboards is available for members to use on the Avon and club sponsored trips away.
​
We are currently affiliated with PaddleUK and support skills development with certified coaches .
In September 2024 we amended our constitution to reflect the fact we no longer sail - and some changes and a new name etc. will be launched in 2025).
​
Coaching, Social Paddling and Peer Paddling
Our members have a wide range of paddling interests and paddling experience. During the warmer months we meet on club nights (Tuesday/Thursday) for coaching, informal peer paddling, and scheduled social paddles. We strongly encourage completion of paddlesports safety skills including rescue.
​
During the winter months, those with more advance skills tend to self-organise white-water peer paddling in Devon or Wales.
​
At all times, but especially over the winter when fast moving water and cold temperatures can present serious risks, paddlers should take care to assess the conditions, dress appropriately, never paddle alone and paddle within their limits
​
​
​
Pool Sessions
Over the winter months our group of dedicated coaches run pool-based training sessions. The pool is the perfect place to develop a range skills in SUP and kayak.
​
A popular and important pool request is to develop self-rescue skills such as exiting the boat safely after capsizing (and getting back in); using a throw line from the bank... and if you wish, progressing all the way to learning to roll the kayak back up using your paddle.
Trips and Events
The core of our club is informal peer paddling, but subject to demand and coaching capacity we organise day or weekend trips away; and social events.
​
Events are published to members on our booking platform "Love Admin" (download in the App store). Much of the time Love Admin is simply used to support our volunteer coaches in gauging demand for free programmed events
​
In other cases a small payment is required or passengers make a fuel contribution to drivers.
Communications
The club has an "official" facebook page (a closed community for current members) and a wider "Clubhouse" page which is used by anyone with an connection to paddlesports in Chippenham current members, former members, prospective members for chat- check out the mix of the lively informal exchanges, trips reports and quirky snippets from the world of paddlesports...
​
Click on the two images to take a look at them...
Members can also join in the private Spond Community for information about trips, social events etc. It's similar to WhatsApp but tailored for clubs.
Membership &
Event Bookings
The club's event booking, membership admin and payment platform is called LoveAdmin.
We also use it for club announcements via email.
​
The best user experience is the mobile app version... you can download it from the App store.
​