Yak Shack Review 2026: How to Rent Paddleboards & Kayaks on the South Coast

If you fancy going paddleboarding or kayaking but don’t own all the gear, Yak Shack has come up with a great solution. Self service paddleboards and kayaks, rentable from hot spots along England’s south coast, and Scotland. I’ve been to three of them now, so here’s my Yak Shack review of the process.

Using Yak Shack is easy. You book online, turn up at your chosen Yak Shack location, unlock your equipment using a code sent to your phone and head out onto the water. No arranging to meet someone, no transporting a giant paddleboard around and, most importantly, no having to inflate and deflate the thing yourself.

On Sunday we tried the Yak Shack at Hamble Foreshore, on the River Hamble in Hampshire. I went on a paddleboard, while my son and partner went out in a kayak. It made for a brilliant morning on the water.

In my quest to try one of the Yak Shack shacks, I’ve been to two others over the last few weeks too.

So, here’s my Yak Shack review, along with everything you need to know about how Yak Shack works before you book.

What is Yak Shack?

Yak Shack is a self-service kayak and paddleboard rental company with hire stations along the UK coastline. Rather than going into a traditional watersports centre, the boards and kayaks are stored in a rack at the water’s edge and secured with smart locks.

You can either book your equipment in advance or, if there’s availability, turn up and hire something there and then.

The whole system is designed to make getting out on the water as easy as possible. You don’t need to own a paddleboard, find somewhere to store one or work out how you’re going to fit a kayak in the car.

Just turn up, unlock and paddle.

Where are the Yak Shack locations?

YakShack has rental locations around the UK, including Hamble Foreshore, Shoreham-by-Sea, Eastbourne, Netley, Colwell Bay and Dorchester in England. And Loch Ness, Loch Oich and Loch Lomond in Scotland.

The equipment available varies between locations. Some have paddleboards and single kayaks, while others also have double kayaks.

You can check the current YakShack locations and availability on the official YakShack website.

How does Yak Shack work?

There’s nobody standing at the YakShack waiting to check you in. It’s designed to be completely self-service.

The basic process is:

1. Go to the YakShack website/app.
2. Choose your location.
3. Select the paddleboard or kayak you want.
4. Choose your date and time.
5. Pay for your booking.
6. Turn up at the Yak Shack.
7. Use your phone to scan and unlock your equipment.
8. Get your equipment out of the rack.
9. Head onto the water.
10. Return everything in time for you session end, and secure it again.

It feels a little unusual the first time because you’re expecting someone to appear and tell you what to do, but once you realise it’s basically a giant watersports vending machine, it makes sense.

As you can see in my Instagram video you’re sent a suggested route, and given any unique tips for that particular area, which really helped us out. Just felt good to have confirmation we were doing the right thing!

Booking your Yak Shack vessel

You can book your session before you arrive through the YakShack online booking system.

I’d recommend booking in advance if you’re planning your visit for a particular day, especially if you need more than one piece of equipment.

There are only a limited number of boards and kayaks at each location. At Hamble Foreshore, for example, YakShack currently lists two paddleboards and two single kayaks, so you don’t necessarily want to rely on turning up and finding what you need.

You can also use YakShack more spontaneously. If you arrive and equipment is available, you can use your phone to book and unlock it there.

How much does Yak Shack cost?

Prices depend on the location and equipment you choose. When I hired ours, the paddleboards were £16.50 an hour and the double kayak was £22.

The price per hour can also work out cheaper if you book for longer, depending on the location.

I’d recommend checking the YakShack website before your visit for the latest prices rather than relying on these figures, as hire costs can change.

What do you get with Yak Shack?

One of the big advantages of using YakShack is that you don’t need to bring a car full of watersports equipment with you. The equipment is stored ready for you at the launch point, making it much easier than bringing your own paddleboard or kayak.

If you check out my Instagram video you’ll see I was at Colwell Bay on the Isle of Wight raring to go with my friends. We were thrilled to have Yak Shack paddleboards as we’d never have fitted enough in the car for the four of us. Unfortunately it was just windy to hire them out when we got there though. But, on the plus side, at least we hadn’t tried to squeeze in four paddleboards to the car, only to not use them!

Yak Shack is especially useful if you like the idea of paddleboarding but don’t do it often enough to justify buying your own board, paddle, pump and all the other equipment that comes with it. Or have space to store.

It also makes trying kayaking or paddleboarding while travelling much easier. You could potentially find a YakShack location while you’re away and get onto the water without bringing any equipment from home.

Using the Yak Shack at Hamble

The Hamble Yak Shack is in a great spot for paddleboarding in Hampshire at Hamble Foreshore. There’s a Ringo car park right next to the shack (and toilets), which makes the whole thing even easier. From there, you’re straight onto the River Hamble.

Hamble itself is a lovely little village too, so I’d allow some time before or after your paddle to have a wander around rather than simply driving home afterwards. We had a pretty spectacular cheese and bacon turnover at Pirate Pasties after our paddle sesh.

Using the Yak Shack at Colwell Bay

When we visited Colwell Bay, we awkwardly parked above the shack in a kind of layby as a member of the public said we’d be fine.

What we should’ve done was carried on a little to the Colwell Bay Long Stay Car Park at PO40 9NP. Then it’s just a short walk to the Yak Shack (above) where you can just lift your paddleboard down to the beach.

The famous ‘The Hut’ is here, but we went for delightful affogatos at Colwell Captains Cabin Cafe instead. They do the Isle of Wight’s speciality Minghella Ice Cream.

Using the Yak Shack at Royal Victoria Country Park

I’ve been to Royal Victoria Country Park many times, but this was my first walking down to the beach. I managed to park in the car park right next to the beach and it was just a short walk over to the Yak Shack.

Is YakShack good for families?

Yes! Depending on the age and water confidence of your children of course. I loved it for Reggie as it was low commitment, low drama – if he didn’t like it, we’d go back and hadn’t had the faff of inflating boards or transporting kayaks.

He’s 4 and pretty confident being around water but had never been in a kayak before. I took a life jacket especially for him as the ones provided are only for 40kg and above. I would not have taken him out on the water without this.

With younger children, I’d keep the adventure relatively short and stay close enough to the launch point that you can easily get back if they get cold, tired or decide that kayaking is suddenly the worst activity anyone has ever invented. Obviously we took snacks for a half way kayak picnic, and a dry bag with dry clothes as well as dry clothes and towels in the car – just in case.

What should you wear for your YakShack experience?

What to wear depends on the time of year, weather and what you’re hiring. On a warm summer’s day you might be comfortable in swimwear, shorts and a quick-drying top. When it’s cooler, you’ll want more protection. Check out my article on paddleboarding in winter for more advice.

I’d avoid anything heavy like jeans or thick cotton clothing that becomes uncomfortable and difficult to move in when wet.

Water shoes are useful too, particularly when you’re getting in and out. Although I was fine barefoot, I liked it. My partner had full on trainers on though.

What should you take with you?

I’d keep your belongings to a minimum. Yak Shack did provide a small dry bag for phones, which was very helpful, meant I didn’t have to keep opening the one I bought which had clothes in.

Useful things to bring include:

• Water
• Suncream
• Sunglasses with a strap
• Hat
• Towel
• Change of clothes
• Waterproof phone pouch
• Dry bag
• Snacks, particularly with children
• Water shoes

I’d definitely recommend having some sort of waterproof protection for your phone. You need your phone for the self-service side of YakShack, but phones and rivers aren’t exactly a dream combination. You won’t be able to check your equipment back in if you don’t have a working phone.

Is Yak Shack suitable for beginners?

The concept itself is very beginner-friendly because YakShack removes a lot of the faff involved in getting onto the water. However, it’s important to understand the difference between easy equipment hire and a guided paddleboarding lesson.

Yak Shack is self-service. You’re independently hiring equipment and heading onto open water. As you see on my video, I bottled it with the wind speeds in Hamble because I was by myself and having not been paddleboarding much lately, compared to a few years ago, I decided 14km winds were too much for me (Yak Shack blocks the boards at 16km). And on the Isle of Wight we got as far as watching the safety briefing on the sign in before deciding the wind was too crazy that day too.

If you’ve never been on a paddleboard or kayak before and aren’t confident around water, I’d recommend having a lesson or guided session first. You need to be comfortable controlling your craft, understand basic water safety and be able to judge whether conditions are suitable for you.

The best thing about Yak Shack

For me, the biggest selling point is convenience. I do own a paddleboard but this was an easier option with a child given I didn’t have to pump it up, or transport it. It’s also good if you’re on holiday and don’t want to use all your bootspace on your board.

With Yak Shack, the equipment is already sitting there waiting for you.

It also makes spontaneous adventures much easier. You don’t have to commit to buying hundreds of pounds’ worth of equipment just because you fancy spending a couple of hours paddleboarding.

For families in particular, I like the flexibility of it. You can make paddling part of a bigger day out rather than it becoming an entire logistical operation.

Are there any downsides?

The self-service element that makes YakShack so convenient won’t suit everybody.

If you want an instructor, someone to show you how to paddle or a guided tour of the area, this isn’t really what YakShack is designed for.

You’re also at the mercy of the British weather.

A beautiful sunny day doesn’t necessarily mean perfect paddling conditions, so you still need to check wind, tide and water conditions before heading out.

And because each YakShack only has a limited amount of equipment, I’d book ahead if you’re travelling any distance or visiting as a family or group.

My Yak Shack Review

I really liked the concept, and the execution. Yak Shack takes away one of the biggest barriers to paddleboarding and kayaking: the stuff.

There’s no buying equipment, storing it, transporting it, pumping anything up or trying to squeeze a kayak into your shed afterwards. You can simply decide you fancy a paddle, book your equipment and turn up.

I also liked being able to combine paddleboarding and kayaking. I could go out on the paddleboard while my son and partner had their own little kayaking adventure alongside me.

It’s a fun way to spend an hour or two outside and see somewhere familiar from a completely different perspective.

Would I use Yak Shack again?

Yes. Absolutely. Already planning it and Reggie has asked multiple times.

I think it works particularly well for occasional paddleboarders and kayakers who don’t want the expense or hassle of owning their own equipment.

I’d also look out for Yak Shacks when travelling around the UK. Being able to hire a kayak or paddleboard directly beside the water without having to organise a traditional hire centre makes it very easy to add a paddle to a weekend away.