Watersports Hire FAQ

No prior experience is necessary. The Polkerris team will give a safety briefing on the beach before you set off and will help you to get started. We always have a safety boat on the water whilst hire is running whose role it is to help keep you safe. If you'd prefer more of an understanding of paddle boarding and personalised tuition before going out, we'd recommend booking a lesson with one of our instructors.

For single kayak and paddle board hire, the minimum age for hire is 12 years old. The minimum age for any person on a double kayak is 6 years, accompanied by someone aged 12 years or over. A safety briefing is always provided and a safety boat is on the water at all times while hire is out. While the hire area is a mile long, there is no need to explore this whole area and you can stay closer to shore and in the harbour if the tide is in.

The meeting point for all hire is the Beach Hut, at the bottom of the slipway in front of the Rashleigh pub. The Polkerris team will be there to greet you and get you kitted up ready for your hire slot. Please try to arrive around 5 minutes before your hire slot, to ensure you can make the most of your hour on the water.

Our hire area is roughly a mile long. This allows you to paddle along the coastline towards the Gribbin or towards Par Sands. Our allotted hire slots are an hour and this is the perfect amount of time to explore the hire area. Occasionally if the water or sea conditions dictate we will minimise the hire area for your safety.

Yes, you’re welcome to stop off at one of the little coves along the coastline! Buoyancy aids must be worn at all times while on your board or kayak and will be fitted on the beach so please make sure you keep these on.

Where possible, we’d recommend wearing a watch or taking a phone in a waterproof bag. However, the safety boat cover will know when you’re due in and can let you know when it’s time to head in.

We'd recommend booking in advance to ensure that you're able to get out on the water when you want to. However there is occasional availability on the day, just check in with our team at the shop, give us a call, or check our online booking calendar for availability.

Buoyancy aids are included. You'll receive a safety briefing on the beach before you set off, outlining the hire area and advice on the current conditions. Safety boat cover is included with all hires. Wetsuits are not included but can be rented for the day.

Wetsuits aren't required and we'd recommend wearing whatever you're comfortable in. The water can be cold and you should expect to get wet! Wetsuits are available to hire separately for the day and can be booked online.

We'd recommend leaving your valuables in the car or in a safe place where possible as we don't have any on-site storage facilities.

There are public toilets available. We’d recommend arriving ready to go on the water. Our changing and shower facilities are reserved for lessons.

Unfortunately, dogs are not permitted on any hire kit and there is a seasonal ban on dogs on the beach. However, there are other hire places, such as Fowey River Hire or Falmouth River Watersports that do permit dogs on hire kit.

We keep a close eye on the weather conditions and will endeavour to let you know as soon as possible if the conditions are not suitable. Occasionally we have to rearrange on the day if conditions change. We will always try to rearrange your session for you where possible.