Canoeing/ kayaking without been able to swim

ITguy2

I'm wondering if it would be advised to take on a sport like this without been able to swim, even if a person could demonstrate skill at the sport itself? Is there much of a danger of drowning?

Zuppy

There was a thread about this before if you want to search.

Different points of view. But I learned to swim five years ago and have been paddling a lot long than that. If your comfortable and don't panic in water your kit should keep you 'safe' (said loosely).

Learning the skills and being conscious of safety is worth a lot in kayaking.

yomchi

most people who cannot swim find staying up in the water long enough to make distance a problem, with your buoyancy aid staying up in water isn't a problem, it's a bit like swimming with arm bands on
What you will need however is confidence in water and that comes from practice, being in the water, rescue swimming and being rescued etc having a good team with you will help as well. But in fairness you never know when you actually might need to swim properly so no harm getting some lessons. In the mean time, don't let the fact that you can't swim hamper your enthusiasm to start kayaking.

Steve.N

When I started paddling I was in the same boat, I wasn't a great swimmer but I had confidence being in the water.
It's all about confidence, confidence that you will be able to self-rescue and know that you'll be able to get yourself out of the water - actually in my experience some of the people I know who are very strong swimmers panic just as much while being stuck in their boats or in a strong current!
The best thing I did was do a River Rescue course with a recognized training center (I went up to Ballymanhon). During a freezing November we spend the day jumping in very fast moving water and practicing the techniques to get you safely out of the current and into an eddie or to the bank - These techniques have very little to do with conventional swimming!
Practice, practice, practice - I spent hours to get my roll and practicing rescuing with my mate in a local lake. Being comfortable underwater upside down and practicing the techniques to get out and to the bank will ultimately what may say your life one day - Oh as well as having a good team around you!