Scout paddlesports permit: water classes, kayaking and what to log
By a volunteer Scout leader
Updated 16 October 2026
3 min read
Paddlesports permits are built around two things: the type of craft and the class of water. Your assessor will want to see you’ve paddled the water you’re asking to lead on. Here’s how it works and what to record.
Please note: this is practical advice from one leader to another, not official guidance. Always check the current Policy, Organisation and Rules and talk to your county or district assessor about their process.
The short version
- Water is classed C, B1, B2, B3 or A. Scout-led paddling on B1 and above needs a permit.
- Kayak permits are issued by water type: open inland, river, sea and surf.
- A kayak leadership permit covers up to eight kayaks or 12 people, whichever is fewer.
- Log every session: craft, water class, wind, sea state, weather and group size.
- Stand-up paddleboarding now needs its own permit.
Water classes
Scout-led water activities on B1, B2, B3 and A waters need a permit. On class C water, only motorised activities and SCUBA need one, although other activities still need Lead Volunteer approval.
| Class | In short |
|---|---|
| C | Safe inland waters under 100m wide where flow has little effect, including swimming pools |
| B1 | Sheltered inland and other sheltered waters where currents and tides create no real danger |
| B2 | Sea up to one mile from shore, sheltered estuaries, large lakes and lochs, Grade 2 inland water |
| B3 | Sea up to three miles from shore, busy ports, exposed estuaries, Grade 3 inland water |
| A | Open sea beyond three miles, dangerous inshore waters, Grade 4 and above |
What your permit covers
Kayak permits, for example, can be issued for any water class and are split by water type: open inland, river (grade 1 and above), sea and surf. A B1 permit in any of these also covers other B1 water types. Since April 2024, stand-up paddleboarding needs its own permit.
- Personal lets a young person under 18 paddle with others who hold a personal permit.
- Leadership lets you lead one group of up to eight kayaks or 12 people, whichever is fewer, staying on the water with them. On B1, it also covers leading canoes.
- Supervisory lets you remotely supervise up to three groups, from in or near a rescue craft, with a designated leader for each.
Permits can be restricted, for example to non-tidal water, a smaller group or a specific location.
What to log each session
- Date and venue, and the water class.
- Craft: kayak, canoe, paddleboard or other.
- Conditions: wind on the Beaufort scale, sea state if tidal, and weather.
- Group size and any non-swimmers.
- Your role: leading, supervising, supporting or paddling personally.
- Rescues and incidents you practised or dealt with.
Building experience
The most reliable way to build experience at a new level, or on a new type of water or terrain, is to support a current permit holder in their sessions. Take on more as your confidence grows, and log every session, noting that you were supporting and who held the permit. When you come to be assessed you can show exactly what you’ve done, rather than relying on memory.
Moving up a water class is where this matters most. Log every session you’ve supported on the class you’re aiming for, with the conditions on the day.
Common gaps at assessment
- Water class not recorded. Without it, a session can’t show the level you’re asking for.
- Only calm days logged. Days with more wind or moving water show how you managed a group when it mattered.
- Craft not recorded. Kayak, canoe and paddleboard permits are different, so note what you were in.
Don’t let it lapse
Adventurous activity permits expire within five years of being granted. When yours expires, you must be assessed and granted a new permit before you can run the activity again, so an unnoticed expiry date can mean cancelled sessions.
Keep logging between assessments. When renewal comes round, you’ll already have years of evidence ready to show.
Log your next paddlesports session in Paracord
Free for one activity type, with unlimited logs. Export a PDF of your history for your assessor with Pro.
