DCSA - Darwin College Students' Association

Darwin College Punt Club

The Darwin College Punt Club maintains a fleet of leisure boats for Darwinians to enjoy, with all current and former college members eligible to purchase annual club membership for a fee of 30 GBP. With six punts, six single kayaks, a double kayak, a canoe and three paddleboards, we are one of the largest private members’ boating clubs on the Cam. The club is responsible for the upkeep of equipment and organises a calendar of events for club members throughout the year.

Quick links: Register / renew membership | Online booking system

Overview

The Darwin College Punt Club is a Recognised Member Organisation (RMO) under the Cam Conservancy holding the right to operate vessels on the river exclusively and solely for its members and guests. Membership costs £30 per season and gives access to all vessels (punts, kayaks, double kayak, canoe and paddleboards) daily for single standard outings. Punts are available throughout the punting season, March – November, while all other boats are available year-round. The Punt Club is governed by the Admiral of the Punts, a member of the executive committee of the Darwin College Students’ Association elected by college members. A corps of club captains appointed by the admiral is responsible for the maintenance of equipment and organisation of events during the season.

Membership

Membership is open to all current and former college members including fellows, students and staff. Membership by payment of a £30 annual fee is necessary for the use of all our equipment and attendance at club events. Both current members and alumni must complete an online registration form to join. Membership fees are non-refundable.

Membership is valid from the date of purchase until 31 December

of the following year, if purchased after 1 September
of the current year, if purchased before 1 September

There is no subscription programme: all members need to renew their membership annually. No discounts or refunds can be given for members joining mid-season or leaving before season’s end.

To join the Punt Club or renew your membership:

Familiarize yourself with our Terms and Conditions by reading through this website and read the Guide to Punting
Join the WhatsApp group in the Darwinians community (for current student members) and the mailing list (all members). This is a very low volume mailing list, with only occasional updates regarding our terms and conditions and the availability of equipment.
Sign up using the online registration form. You will be asked to pay through a PayPal window before completing the form. Note that you do not need to have a PayPal account in order to pay for the membership. Pay with a debit card and use the Checkout as Guest button. IMPORTANT - make sure to complete the form and press the "SUBMIT" button at the end on the page with the message from the Admiral. Without submitting the form, you will not be on the register and we shall not have a record of your sign-up! If you need to resubmit, you should have an e-mail receipt of your Transaction ID that you can use. It can take up to 24 hours before your sign-up is processed. Until then, you might not be able to make bookings on the booking platform.

Bookings

Club members who are current college members, with a CRSid, must book using the online booking system. Alumni club members should register through the same form as ordinary members and can view the booking calendar but must book by email to the porters’ lodge (porters@darwin.cam.ac.uk) and alumni office (alumni@darwin.cam.ac.uk). College ID or any other valid ID for alumni must be left with the porters in exchange for the boat keys.

A single standard outing, bookable daily by any club member,

Can last up to 3 hours
Can include 2 single kayaks or 2 paddleboards or 1 punt or 1 canoe or 1 double kayak.

Punting trips to Grantchester, with a duration of at least four hours, require booking at least 2 single standard outings, with two bookings from separate members.

Current members: to book using the online system, log in with your CRSid, click Schedule > Bookings on the main bar and choose either PuntClub – Punts or PuntClub – Kayaks and paddle boards from the drop-down menu above the calendar to see the availability of the vessels. Click on an available time slot, which will take you to the ‘New Reservation’ page. Enter your chosen time and a name in the corresponding fields and click ‘Create’. The booking should be visible on the schedule and you can click to edit or cancel the booking.

Bookings can be made on the day or up to seven days in advance and are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Weekends are busiest and booking in advance is recommended.

Non-standard outings

Any booking beyond the terms of a single standard outing must be requested from and approved by the Admiral of the Punts. This includes bookings for longer hours and of more boats. After-dark bookings will not be granted to ordinary club members. Bookings of kayaks or paddleboards for families with children should only be made by application to the Admiral.

Rules

Some of the most important rules are summarised here. Our full terms and conditions, which you are expected to read before registering, are available here.

The booking holder must be present at all times during the outing and is responsible for the behaviour of their guests including adherence to these rules. Members are not allowed to make bookings for other persons.
Only the booking holder can collect the key. They must leave college or other valid ID with the porters and only they can return the key in exchange for their ID again.
The wearing of a life jacket is compulsory when kayaking and canoeing.
Paddleboards may not be used by those who cannot swim.
For safety, all punts carry a strict capacity limit of 5 sitting passengers and 1 punter on the till. The canoe takes up to 4 people: one at the bow, one aft and two in the middle. The double kayak is limited to 2 people. All other vessels are to be used by 1 person only.
All bookings need to be entered into the online booking system before the outing starts. No key will be given out without an online booking.
A booking is void if the key for the vessel booked is not collected within 15 minutes of the booked time. After this time the boat will be made available again to all members to book.
Boats are bookable during daylight hours. No boats may be used by ordinary members after dark, and all equipment must be returned no later than 15 minutes before sunset.
Try to keep to the allotted time and be attentive to bookings of equipment directly after yours: late returns are unfair on other members. Latecomers risk suspension from the Punt Club. This is particularly important at the end of the day: all boats must be back before dark. Unpredictable circumstances e.g. wind conditions may cause unexpected delays: if more than 15 minutes late, call and inform the Porters’ Lodge at 01223 335660.
Dogs are not permitted on college premises and on any club vessels.
Check the boats and punt locks for any damage before and after the outing. Report damage immediately to both the Porters and the Admiral of the Punts (dcsa_punts@darwin.cam.ac.uk).
All punt, kayak, paddleboard, and canoe hire, including safety equipment, is at the booking holder’s own risk. The booking holder warrants that both they themselves and all passengers have sufficient training/expertise for the outing (see terms and conditions for more details).

Care and use of the boats: what you need to know for a first outing

IMPORTANT: to avoid damage to the boats

When taking punts up the rollers at Bishop’s Mill Sluice on trips to Grantchester, put the mooring pins (located on chains at the bow or stern of the punts) inside of the punts. Do NOT keep them inside of their holes, because they will be bent and cause damage to the punts. If you damage them, you will be charged for replacement parts and labour.
When using kayaks, make sure to pull up their drop skegs before taking them out of the water when they are out of the water to avoid damaging the skegs (including on the rollers). When in the water, let the skeg down using the pulley on the side of the kayaks to make them track better (keep course in the water).
This document has more details and explanations on how to avoid common errors.

What additional equipment is needed?

For punters: one pole, one punt paddle (used in accidents and emergency situations) and two cushions for every seat, between one and three. Each seat can take 1–2 people. Do not take more cushions than you need: leave some for others! Additional children's life jackets can also be provided for families going on the punts. Contact the admiral (dcsa_punts@darwin.cam.ac.uk) for assistance.

For kayakers and canoers: paddle(s), life jacket (mandatory). Optional dry bags and kayak spraydecks are provided.

For paddleboarders: air pumps are provided and while the paddleboards are kept inflated it is recommended that you check air pressure before going out. Telescopic paddles are provided and paddleboard bags can be made available.

Where is the equipment?

All equipment (kayaks, canoe, paddleboards, life jackets, punt cushions, punt poles, paddles) can be found in our Kayak House, just next to the Old Granary. Please put equipment following the signs and photos that are located there. The Admiral and Captains put an enormous amount of effort into keeping the Club running, and keeping the Kayak House tidy is a huge help in this.

How to steer a punt?

Punting is harder than it looks, but an essential skill for any Cantabrigian! We have a complete guide on the subject, but then the best way of learning is through real experience. The club runs free punting lessons for new students throughout Freshers' Fortnight at the start of the academic year and these are the best opportunity to learn the basics of punting on the Cam. Punt Captains may also be happy to offer lessons at other times of the year, so please contact the Admiral of the Punts if interested.

How much time is needed?

Punting trips down The Backs (to Jesus Green and back, passed the Colleges) typically take a couple of hours depending on punting experience. Trips to Grantchester and back take 4 to 5 hours on average. As a consequence, punt trips to Grantchester are equivalent to two outings per punt, so you'll need at least two members to make the journey. A kayaker can reach Grantchester Meadows in half an hour and Byron’s Pool in an hour and a half. The latest time vessels can be taken out is one hour before sunset and all vessels must be returned and moored before sunset.

How to (un)lock a punt?

Unlocking and locking the punts takes some care. This document has instructions. Punts must be left moored at both ends. Wrap the chain around the post as many times as possible to restrict the movement of the locked-up punts against the buoys whilst still leaving them easy to unmoor. Do NOT chain one punt to another punt.

What to do to remove water from the boat?

If you are using the punts after a period of rain, keep in mind that they are likely to contain water! You should bail the boat (remove water) in this instance.

There is bailing and cleaning equipment within the Kayak House in the black crate between the shelves of cushions (larger blue or smaller orange scoops). To bail effectively, sit/squat/kneel on the flat end of the punt. This will weigh down the boat causing water from the other sections of the punt to travel towards you so you can bail the entire punt from the flat end.

Please do not take the bailing scoops with you on the river. Do NOT use the paddleboard air pumps to try to remove water.

What to do before returning the keys?

Make sure that punts are properly locked and kayaks stowed away with their skegs up. Keep the boats tidy and take any rubbish with you. Return all equipment, following the signs in the Kayak House. If something gets damaged or lost during an outing, report it to the Porter on duty and the Admiral of the Punts as soon as possible.

Activities and Events

Punting has a long tradition in Cambridge and is one of the highlights of what the town has to offer. In addition to being able to take your friends and family out when they visit, membership also gives you the opportunity to sign up to special events such as Hallowe'en night punting, the outings to the Trinity and St John’s May Ball fireworks and to see King's Chapel Choir singing on the river. Other past events include the Punt Race, Bat Safaris around Grantchester and summer picnics in Grantchester Meadows. Many of the photos you can see at the top of this page have been taken during some of these events and more photos can be found on our Instagram. Punting is great fun and a good way to experience some of the unique aspects of Cambridge life.

Group Hire and Chauffeuring

Chauffeured punt tour services with experienced student Punt Captains are available. The usual cost is £20 per punt per hour for a minimum 2 hour, bookable by current College members and Alumni and subject to availability of captains. Please contact the Admiral of the Punts at least one to two weeks in advance of your desired tour date.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF HIRE

Terms and Conditions are available online. In addition, you can get the printed version in the Porters' Lodge. Please contact the Admiral of the Punts if you have difficulties accessing the Terms and Conditions.