FAQ

• Each of our cables can accommodate a maximum of 4 slots/riders per hour-long session, which equates to a minimum of 15 mins water time per person if the session is fully booked. Sometimes less than 4 people book for each hour-long session, so we divide the hour by how many people are in each session. If fully booked, the 15 mins of water time per person is usually broken up into two outings of 7-8mins to give rest time in between and to watch others ride and to chat with the coach.
• PLEASE NOTE: Sessions start on the hour each hour and we ask that you arrive 30 minutes before your session starts in order to check in and get ready to ride.

Please book onto the BLUE cable which is the one with lots of open water and without obstacles. Beginners should NOT book onto our Gold cable until they are told they are ready to do so by an instructor. Our system 2.0 cables offer beginners the easiest and quickest way to learn how to wakeboard and our coaching staff are on hand to provide 1-2-1 guidance to get you up and riding quickly.

YES. Although you will be provided with safety equipment including a buoyancy/impact vest and helmet you must at least be water confident and able to swim a minimum of 25 meters. We don’t want anyone to get into a panicked state on the water.

Yes. Click Here. We often host both large and small groups of corporate bookings and are happy to create something bespoke if required.

Yes, it is, so please feel free to use your own equipment. All that we ask is that riders remove fins from their boards when using our obstacles.

Our minimum age for wakeboarding is 10 years old.

Please Click here.

Just something to wear under your wetsuit, swim trunks, or bikini and a towel. Wetsuits and wakeboards for hire via our booking system if you don’t have your own.

Yes, we do!

The Royal Victoria Dock is an inlet of the Thames River which is filtered by a sand bar at London City Airport. The water is some of the cleanest around and the entire Dock is dedicated to leisure, sport, and recreation activities with regular safety tests being carried out by the regulatory bodies in the area. We have a thriving community of wildlife that has gradually been reintroduced to the docklands area and are proud to maintain the area for people to enjoy the docks and the watersports we provide.

Yes. The beach bar at WakeupDocklands is a fully licensed premises with a variety of cold soft drinks, beers, wines, spirits and snacks.

There are several areas around the docks, to view the wakeboarding and paddleboarding activities here at WakeUpDocklands. During the peak summer months we have a large sandy beach located next to our park and our beach bar is right on the waterfront so you can enjoy the action from the comfort of a deck chair or hammock! We also have The Oiler Bar which is an old Navy refueling vessel, now serving as a viewing platform for spectators to enjoy a drink and relax upon!

Wakeupdocklands is a British Stand Up Paddle Association (BSUPA) accredited paddleboard center so we follow their professional teaching guidelines and techniques meaning you’ll learn in the fastest, safest way possible!

Yes, due to our accreditation with BSUPA, our paddleboard lessons are only suitable for adults (ages 18 years and upwards). We respectfully ask visitors not to book younger paddlers into our scheduled lessons. Child-friendly sessions accompanied by parents can be requested by emailing us at the following address: [email protected]

We offer 2 types of lessons. An intro to paddleboarding lesson lasting 60 minutes and is designed as a basic introduction to the sport. We then offer a 2-hour lesson known as the BSUPA Ready to Ride course which is designed to make you more independent and hopefully able to go out on the water without instructor supervision in the future.

Please follow the instructions to book paddleboarding on our online booking system.

Yes, but you must be in possession of a BSUPA Ready2Ride card or equivalent certification of proficiency before we can allow you access to the docks. If you don’t have one of these, please book one of our courses online.

Yes, all SUPers must be leashed to their board and wear a buoyancy aid or PFD, (personal flotation device), at all times. Anyone found to be removing their safety gear whilst out on the water will not be permitted to paddle at our location.

You can then reserve equipment hire via our paddleboard booking system.

Yes! Some days paddleboarding is unsuitable in the docks due to adverse wind/weather, vessel movements, or other activities taking place in the docks. Upon arrival, you should check in at reception and discuss daily restrictions and weather conditions with the duty manager before taking to the water.

Our address is as follows- if you are traveling by public transport use our city mapper [link.][1] The Shack, Western beach Royal Victoria Dock, London E161AG.

We advise people to use public transport wherever possible, as we do not have allocated parking onsite at WakeUp. If traveling by car, a small amount of paid parking can be found on Dock Road, located a short walk away. There is also paid parking at the Crown Plaza Hotel and Excel Centre nearby. We respectfully ask that no customer vehicles are driven onto the dockside, as there are no vehicles permitted on the permissive footpath around the Royal Victoria Dock.

No, we do not. High-speed vessels are not permitted in the docks.

No. There is no public right of access to the docks so don’t just turn up expecting to paddle with your own equipment. Swimming is strictly prohibited outside of the Open Water Swim Club located next door. More info about swimming can be found here: https://loveopenwater.co.uk/

Not at our location. Fishing is not permitted in the Western Beach area of the Royal Victoria Dock.

Of course! We welcome everyone and anyone from all backgrounds and are always looking at how to improve and do not tolerate discrimination at our venue. We are aware that our booking software has limited gender options – this is something we have raised multiple times with our provider to amend for future versions, but currently, we are stuck with it. Let us know if there’s anything else we can improve on!