Other boating

In addition to sailing and power boating, there are a number of other forms of boating and water sports. Among the most popular of them are canoeing, rowing and windsurfing (or boardsailing).
More details of these forms of boating can be obtained from the specialist organisations listed below. Most of them involve smaller craft for one or two people; another activity is dragon boat racing where a larger boat is crewed by some 20 people.
For rowing, canoeing and dragon boats, the power to move the craft is provided by moving a blade or paddle through the water, while for wind surfing, as the name implies, the wind in a sail is the source of energy.
Competitions form quite an important part of these activities, especially for rowing and dragon boat racing.

British Canoe Union www.bcu.org.uk/
British Dragon Boat Racing Association 01295 770629
Amateur Rowing Association www.ara-rowing.org/

Canoe Focus
Canoeist
Paddles
Regatta
Boards
Windsurf Magazine

Find a local group or club for the type of water sports that interests you (see organisations above).
See if there are introductory sessions or classes at your local club, AE centre or nearest water area.
Consult books or magazines on different types of water sports.
Check in your local library/paper for more information.

All these activities are done by people in a wide range of ages, and both sexes. However they do require a degree of physical effort and they are most commonly done by younger people, and on inland waters.
Apart from dragon boat racing, all these activities can be done on your own. But rowing is often also done as crews of two, four or eight, while even individual canoeists often go out in groups. Those in the same small boat need to have approximately the same physical ability as each other.
Many of the people involved in these other forms of boating belong to a club or group based at the local water area.

The boat or board itself and the associated oars, paddles or sails are the obvious essentials. This equipment may be individually owned or hired from the club or specialist at the local water area.
Canoeists and windsurfers often wear wetsuits, especially in the winter. Rowers have light sports wear, and often special shoes.
Where the individual owns the boat, it will have to be transported on a vehicle or trailer to the water area.

There are facilities for canoeing, rowing and wind surfing on many inland waters and some coastal area.
Apart from the water itself, there is a need for ease of access from the land to launch boats and boards, and a place to store them when not in use.