Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
ABOUT TK WATERSPORTS™
TK Watersports™ provides a five star rated kayak and paddleboard hire service across the Plymouth Sound National Marine Park.
Darren and the team at TK Watersports™ can’t wait to meet you.
Rated 5 stars on our own website, on TripAdvisor, Facebook and Google by our customers, we are Jetscene Ltd, the new owners of TK Watersports, operating in the Plymouth Sound National Marine Park area (the UK's first National Marine Park), and all our local rivers.
Paddle the four local rivers around Plymouth, Saltash, St. Germans, Millbrook and Torpoint, or go kayak surfing at Bantham, or explore the sandy beaches of the Cornish Coast. For that longer trip paddle from Saltash to Calstock and back on the wonderful River Tamar.
Why not go further afield and try exploring Exeter Canal and stopping off for a pub lunch at Double Locks! Why not wonder along the coastline of Wembury and Heybrook Bay in South Devon or the beaches around Torbay, or paddle the River Dart. Kayaking, or paddleboarding, the choice is yours and Devon and Cornwall are your playground!
We provide top quality kayak and paddleboard hire, trips and excursions. Plus we only use the very best equipment from Islander®, Wavesport®, Perception®, Gong Sups, Palm Equipment®, and Aztron.
We’ve now been operating for over ten years and in 2021, we celebrated our tenth anniversary.
About TK Watersports
At TK Watersports™ you’ll find a highly reputable Plymouth Sound National Marine Park based kayak hire and excursion company with years of experience providing safe, insured, top quality sit on kayak, and paddleboard hire. All of our kayaks and paddleboards are fitted with GPS trackers provided by Vodafone®, and we pride ourselves on keeping all our kayaks well maintained in first class condition, and updated. In fact, we’ve invested over £25,000 in new equipment over the last three years!
Paddlesports is overseen and governed by British Canoeing, and we follow their guidance. We provide comprehensive safety briefings from our in-house team of highly experienced and fully trained instructors and guides, who are trained by our in house former SAS instructor Pete Bray! We carry £10 Million of Public Liability and £1 Million of Professional Indemnity Insurance for your peace of mind.
So you can rest assured that your hired kayak or paddleboard from TK Watersports™ is a safe vessel from which to explore the water. After all, we’ve been doing, what we do since we launched in August 2011 as Tamar Kayak Hire, becoming TK Watersports in 2014, and owned by Jetscene Ltd since 2023. We have seen our competitors come and go as our attention to even the smallest detail and great customer service cannot be matched!
From our headquarters in Plymouth, we operate from the first Saturday in April to the last Sunday in October each year, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK (subject to the weather, wind and tide conditions). Please note we do not operate from 1st November to 31st March each year.
To book your kayak or paddleboard hire give us a call on 07462 427327 today!
Your highly experienced instructors and guides, Plymouth, UK based watersports instructors Darren Evans, Jacob Whittaker, and Pete Bray, with guides Linzi Taylor, John Griffiths, and Simon Tucker, all look forward to paddling with you.
Our Current Fleet
Our current GPS tracked fleet of boats consists of -
- SIX 9’ 8” / 30” Calypso Sport single seat sit on top kayaks from Islander®,
- ONE 12’ 8” / 32” two seater Scooter Gemini sit on top kayak from Wavesport®,
- ONE 11’ 9” / 25” Dancer single seat traditional style sit in kayak from Perception®,
- ONE 12’ 6” / 33” / 6” Chip Cruise paddleboard from Gong,
- ONE 11‘ 11’“ / 32” / 6” Titan 2.0 paddleboard from Aztron,
- ONE 11’ 2” / 36” / 6” Polaris fishing paddleboard from Aztron,
- ONE 10‘ 10” / 32” / 6” Mercury 2.0 paddleboard from Aztron,
And we also have one road trailer that can hold 8 boats! Kayaks and paddleboards above are measured in length / width / thickness.
At TK Watersports™, we don‘t cut corners on your safety. We also have a selection of the finest top of the range buoyancy aids, dry tops, cags and paddles in both left handed and right handed varieties, all from the leading manufacturers, Palm Equipment.
All our kayaks are British made using high quality HDPE polyethylene. The Islander kayaks are made at the Palm® factory in Clevedon, just outside Bristol and the Wavesport and Perception kayaks are made at the Gaybo factory in Brighton! You can find out how our boats are made by visiting the ‘How Our Kayaks Are Made’ page on this website.
How it all started and what makes us different from the others!
Our current CEO, Darren Evans has been kayaking for well over 35 years, learning to kayak whilst still at school, then joining the Port of Plymouth Canoeing Association, followed by a short spell at the Tamar Canoe Club. His first kayak was a fibreglass sit in boat, and a few years later he purchased a custom made Wild One plastic sit in kayak, built to Darren’s specifications by Wild Things of Cornwall.
Darren purchased a new sit on top kayak in 2011, the Islander Calypso Sport and his family and friends asked if they could go kayaking with him, utilising his kayaking and teaching skills. This lead to Darren purchased more Islander Calypso Sport sit on top kayaks to allow his friends to paddle with him, and from this, Darren saw a gap in the market where he started hiring out the kayaks, thus TK Watersports™ was born.
At the time the business started, there were two competitors in the Plymouth area, so Darren researched to find out what TK Watersports could do differently. We were, and still are, the only company to deliver the kayaks to your chosen launch location, your holiday accommodation or to you at your home, and we collected them at the end of your hire. We also always ensured that the conditions were suitable for your hire, and that all paddlers were fully briefed and guided. We even utilised a GPS tracking system from Vodafone so we knew where you were at all times, not even our competitors were doing that!
Hiring with our competitors meant you had to go to where they were based and were restricted to where you could paddle. We also found that our competitors were using cheap, brittle and heavy LDPE Chinese made kayaks which crack very easily, along with basic paddles and cheap buoyancy aids.
This was not good enough for our customers, so we extensively searched for only the very best and found a perfect partner in Palm Equipment, with whom we invested well over £30k in the very best gear such as the FX and FXR white water buoyancy aids and Maverick carbon fibre lightweight paddles, along with our finest British made Islander kayaks made of HDPE lightweight and very tough polyethylene plastic. We also ensured that our staff were very experienced and held the relevant qualifications, we only employ the very best instructors and guides who are all fully DBS vetted. Our competitors could not match our very high standards and were soon out of business. To this very day, we only use the very best equipment on the market, and British made where possible, with our staff undergoing continued professional development from our in-house former SAS military instructor.
TK Watersports™ has in 2022, invested over £2,000 in our brand new fleet of paddleboards, completely replacing our old fleet of sups. This time around, we’ve acquired a range of boards to suit all abilities from a 10’6” recreational paddleboard for the lighter paddler to a massive 12’6” paddleboard for those heavier people.
In our first year, yes we may have only had a turnover of less then £1,000, the company has grown to what it is now, turning over in excess of £35k each season, and we’re still growing!
MEET OUR TEAM BASED IN DEVON AND CORNWALL
Managing Director / Chief Instructor (BC472691) / Safety Boat Operator - Darren Evans
Managing Director / Chief Instructor (BC472691) / Safety Boat Operator - Darren Evans
Managing Director / Chief Instructor (BC472691) / Safety Boat Operator - Darren Evans
darren.evans@tkwatersports.co.uk
Hi, I'm Darren, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Jetscene Ltd, the new company that now owns the TK Watersports™ brand.
I’m a British Canoeing Paddlesport Leader, and a local boy through and through, and I have been paddling for well over 35 years with extensive experience of the Exeter Canal, Plymouth Sound and the local rivers. With many years teaching experience, I am also a qualified emergency field medic, and hold the following tickets -
BC Paddlesport Instructor (Kayaks)
BC Foundation Safety and Rescue (Kayaks & Paddleboards)
RYA Personal Watercraft (PWC) Licenced Operator
RYA Marine Radio Operator
CAA Aviation Radio Operator
DVLA PCV licence holder
SJA First Aid at Work
SJA Medical Gases (Oxygen and Entonox)
SJA AED Defibrillation.
I started kayaking whilst still at school which inspired me to join the local canoeing club, the Port of Plymouth Canoe Association. When I moved to Farnborough in 1996, I continued kayaking on the River Blackwater, and the canals and lakes of the Blackwater Valley and assisting the instructors at Horseshoe Lake in Sandhurst. I then came back to Devon three years later, taking a new position with the Driving Standards Agency as an ADI instructor and examiner. I left the DSA eleven years later to set up and run TK Watersports™
When I'm not working at TK Watersports™, I‘m on my day job with National Express where I'm a PCV coach driver.
When not working or finding me on the water, I'm either in the air as I'm also a PPL private pilot's licence holder on single engine prop aircraft, or I'm tinkering about in my award winning rose garden where I have a collection of 52 different roses along with 6 fruit trees!
I’m available daytimes, evenings, at weekends and on bank holidays by appointment. British Canoeing coach number 472691
Deputy Chief Instructor - Jacob Whittaker
Managing Director / Chief Instructor (BC472691) / Safety Boat Operator - Darren Evans
Managing Director / Chief Instructor (BC472691) / Safety Boat Operator - Darren Evans
jacob.whittaker@tkwatersports.co.uk
My name is Jacob Whittaker, a University of Plymouth student with skills and experience in the outdoor industry.
In 2020, I began employment with Channel Adventures, an outdoor activity provider who operate in Minehead and Taunton, in the south west of England. I started off as a centre assistant - hiring out paddleboards, bikes and many other forms of kit to the general public for their own use. Last year (2022) I started formally training in outdoor instruction and by the autumn I was able to lead archery, axe throwing, kayaking, rafting, and paddleboarding sessions comfortably on my own.
I am delighted to be taking up the role of Deputy Chief Instructor with TK Watersports from September 2023. I also look forward to expanding the activities and experiences offered by TK Watersports with the start of TK Landsports offering archery, axe throwing and paintballing experiences.
Qualified kayaking instructor
Qualified paddleboarding instructor
First Aid at Work holder
Safety Boat Operator - Simon Tucker
Managing Director / Chief Instructor (BC472691) / Safety Boat Operator - Darren Evans
Paddlesport Instructor / Head of Training - Pete Bray
simon.tucker@tkwatersports.co.uk
Simon is our authorised safety boat operator.
Simon Tucker has been kayaking for over twenty years, full time as sea scout where he won his under 15‘s summer mile and half race. He has done white water kayaking with the Army in 2002 in Canada, sailing with scouts as well jetskiing for many years. He enjoys most water sports and will try anything once happy to help or teach if he can. He always enjoy a good banter. He is ex-army and lived in Plymouth for the last 18 months.
Holds the following certificates.
RYA Personal Watercraft (PWC) Licenced Operator,
Basic First Aid
Paddlesport Instructor / Head of Training - Pete Bray
Guide / Child Protection Officer - John (The Griff) Griffiths
Paddlesport Instructor / Head of Training - Pete Bray
When it comes to kayaking, you name it, former SAS instructor and world record holder Pete Bray’s done it! One of the most experienced kayakers you’ll ever meet, Pete is the third person to paddle solo across the Atlantic, but he’s the first to have paddled West to East, from the USA to Ireland without using sails, and he carried out the trip, SOLO!
We’re pleased to have Pete as part of the team and he’s our Head of Training, keeping our instructors and guides trained and up to date.
Pete also teaches outdoor survival skills holding regular camps on Dartmoor and classes in mountaineering and outdoor survival skills through his own company, PB Adventures.
He also has a passion for motorcycling and loves time riding his Triumph!
Pete even has his own Wikipedia page, lucky man!
Pete is available by prior booking only.
Guide / Child Protection Officer - John (The Griff) Griffiths
Guide / Child Protection Officer - John (The Griff) Griffiths
Guide / Child Protection Officer - John (The Griff) Griffiths
john.griffiths@tkwatersports.co.uk
John, our gentle giant and weekday guide, is one of our most popular guides and great with the kids! A Brummie at heart, John is a real asset to the TK Watersports™ team! John currently assists the instructional team whilst working towards gaining his instructor qualifications.
Originally from Birmingham in the West Midlands, John is an expert in the field of logistics and an keen avid kayaker. To be truthful, he’s a bit of a show off on the water! John may come from a landlocked city but he’s right at home on the water!.
When not working at TK Watersports™ John works as a delivery driver for a well known pizza chain. John is available weekdays.
Guide / Social Media Publicity Officer - Linzi Taylor
Guide / Child Protection Officer - John (The Griff) Griffiths
Guide / Child Protection Officer - John (The Griff) Griffiths
linzi.taylor@tkwatersports.co.uk
Tavistock based Linzi has many years of kayaking experience and is an excellent guide. Linzi is available most Saturdays for a gentle paddle around Calstock, Gunnislake, Morwellham Quay and the River Tamar.
She is also working towards gaining her instructor qualifications with TK Watersports™ and is often assisting our instructors on group paddles. Linzi also provides fantastic ground based support at the annual Paddlefest each year!
Plymouth Based Transportation Vehicle - Quinnie
Plymouth Based Transportation Vehicle - Quinnie
Plymouth Based Transportation Vehicle - Quinnie
Quinnie is our Nissan Qashqai. Well someone’s got to get us from A to B. He’s used to transport our kayaks to customers, and to tow our kayak trailers.
5 STARS - We, a group of 7, booked half a day canoeing experince with TK watersports and thanks to Darren, and Jon, all in all, we had an amazing time! Darren provided a top notch service from booking to canoeing day experience. He provided flexibility on dates and times as the weather was so unpredictable. I, along with my family, had an amazing day learning how to canoe, whilst taking in the beauty of Plymouth! They were all very friendly and kept us entertained while sharing their knowledge of Plymouth with us, which made the experince even more interesting. They even towed the kids when they got tired of rowing! Once again, thank you for this wonderful experience!!
5 STARS - Excellent service from Darren and staff for our family. Darren was very helpful on the phone to guide and book everything and they were very helpful during our first ever Kayaking experience. TK Watersports provided all the necessary equipment/gear for us to make us feel secure and comfortable at a very reasonable price. Highly recommended for anyone who want to give Kayaking a go.
5 STARS - When I phoned up to book a days kayaking Darren was extremely helpful sorting out a route for me and charged a very reasonable price... Had a great day on the water and couldn't ask for better service!! A+
5 STARS - Superb service, and support. They always put safety first and had a jetski and a guide with us to help and teach our group.
5 STARS - Great service. Gave us some recommendations and quick safety tips before heading off. Comes with all safety gear and pouches for valuables. We called the night before, and Darren found us a slot for the next day. Really easy to organise, will definitely Use again, a great day!
5 STARS - Great service highly recommend
5 STARS - I’d highly recommend Darren and co! We had the most fantastic time. What an experience! They were very patient with me and we had so much fun. Hugely knowledgeable and great value too! They even surprised us with sandwiches. Will see you again! Thank you!
5 STARS - Yesterday was our second time using the services of TK and they didn't disappoint. Very reasonably priced hire of quality kayaks, and we all had a great time! 5 star service throughout.
5 STARS - Had a brilliant time earlier this week, thanks Darren. We really enjoyed going over to the island, learning some interesting things on the way and of course learning to paddle - Harry and I were novices but we soon got to grips with it. Great tuition from Darren, the kit was all good and safety was second to none. Would definitely recommend and hope maybe to book again on another trip to Plymouth. Good luck with all you've got planned Darren.
5 STARS - Darren gave us (group of novice kayaker's) a great day out. All his kit is high quality and safe - he was an excellent guide and instructor combining fun, safety and skill
5 STARS - Thanks Darren, great day out kayaking down The Carrick Roads. Great advice & tuition helped me get the hang of it very quickly. Look forward to our next trip out.
5 STARS - Never Kayaked before, Went with TK Watersports . Darren the instructor was very good at teaching the basics of Kayaking to myself and Alison, he offered good advice. and was coaching us on the safety aspects of kayaking. The location was excellent. Exeter Canal . ideal for a first timer. Would happily recommend to others.
5 STARS - Hired 6 kayaks for 6 hours for myself and visiting friends. We all thoroughly enjoyed it! We didn't want a tour guide as I'm familiar with the Plymouth bay, but the option was there. Darren, very friendly, dropped the kayaks off at a beach of our choice, and collected them again at the end. Cash or card accepted for hire. Really good kayaks - comes with free use of late jackets, helmets, waterproof bags, paddles, backrests for kayaks. Would 100% do again!