General enquiries & Frequently Asked Questions
The OCA is a group dedicated to the use of open boats for a range of recreational canoeing. We formed more than 60 years ago to promote the sport of open canoeing. We run trips around the country, and offer courses to help canoeists develop their skills.
They are the same. When paddling first became a popular past time at the end of the 19th century everything was simply labelled a canoe. As open canoes are traditionally thought to have come from Canada they became known as ‘Canadian’ canoes. The popular term worldwide is ‘open’ canoe. You may also see the term ‘OC1’ or ‘OC2’ used to mean a specialist solo or tandem whitewater canoe.
The club doesn’t have a base, as it is a national organisation. We have an annual rally over the Mayday weekend, and hold this in a different part of the country each year. At the rally we offer a range of events including water-based workshops, trips, and land-based skills such as first aid, campcraft, camp cooking.
Regular trips are organised by members and notified to the Events Secretary - there is usually something on most months somewhere.
The OCA is affiliated to the British Canoe Union and follows its guidelines and procedures. The BCU licence for waterways is issued to an individual for an individual boat and has to be displayed on many waterways. BCU membership for the club is unable unfortumately to cover this licence. The majority of our members are also members of the BCU as they wish to support their national body and take advantage of the other benefits of individual membership.
If you bring a kayak to an OCA event you won’t be turned away and we are happy to paddle with you! Our trips and training are geared towards open boats, which in many cases will suit touring-style kayaks, but you should be prepared to paddle 10 miles or so, and listen to lots of chat about open canoeing.
Yes, we welcome children. Some trips will be advertised as family events. These are likely to be fairly short, with a longer lunch break. Children should have properly fitting buoyancy aids and you should bring plenty of warm clothes and food that you know they will eat. You will need to take responsibility for your children in the boat(s) - the ideal ratio is one adult per child.
No, we encourage all ages from children upwards. Many of our members are families, single people who like to paddle with others, couples, and many are retired.
We recommend you try canoeing before you purchase a boat. You could join us on a trip or at the rally, you could contact one of the retailers on our website, or you could try one of our affiliated clubs.
To get started, you need a boat, a couple of paddles, a buoyancy aid and where applicable a licence for the waterways you want to paddle on.
Many of our trips are on flat or easy moving water suitable for beginners. Trips advertised as ‘white-water’ are for the more experienced only. You should not expect to be able to paddle very far on your first trip, especially if you paddle solo. You should contact the event organiser if you need advice or information to judge whether the trip is suitable for you.