Any canoeing parents on here? DS inspired watching olympics!

[Mimififi]

What exactly does it contain in relation to commitment & expense?

We canoe, though dc don’t so much (they do come along for the ride). I think the biggest expense is just a vehicle that can transport a canoe. We have a van, and it just goes on the roof rack, but I can imagine others might need a trailer or simply storage wherever you keep it by water.

You do need to buy permits to access certain rivers or join clubs for some lakes/reservoirs. Then there is the canoe, paddles, vests, waterproof dry bags, etc.

I think the most important thing though is good instruction. Dh did like a 4 day course to get started with some master instructor who like trained Bear Grylls or someone equally famous. It was really beneficial. It’s a bit like all the idiots who think because they can afford a paddle board and know how to inflate it, that they can safely SUP out to sea. You do need to know what you’re doing to do it safely especially if taking kids out.

Our dc love it though. I’m not much of a canoeist. I’m more in the water than on it. But it’s a nice way to get out and away from all the distractions of modern life.

Join a club. There are lots of different styles of paddlesport so try them all. With a club all you'll need initially is clothing you don't mind getting wet. Then you can progress to a buoyancy aid.

Some disciplines you might want a wet suit. Or even a dry suit.

We used to race (marathon) and the race season was 1-3 nights training a week (optional) then about 7-10 Sundays racing between March and June. If you also sprint there are regular meets in Nottingham.

Slalom and white water racing had similar training but races were further away to get to appropriate water.

Then there are boats, paddles, helmets... You can spend crazy money but you don't need to commit much initially.

You may not want to read this, but the big event in UK canoeing is the Devizes to Westminster. It is the equivalent of climbing Everest, and happens around Easter. For juniors (over 16 only) the course is completed over four stages, with overnight camps. The adult marathon takes 24 hours. It's nearly as tough on the support crew as the paddlers.

You don't need a permit or licence in Scotland. There's recreational canoe and kayak, and different competitive disciplines like sprint, marathon and slalom. As someone said upthread, your best bet is to find a local club. A lot of them will slow down a bit from now until springtime.