I’m looking to hire a kayak for a few hours around dorset/hampshire. I’m a novice, no kit, sea or river fine with me. Nothing too expensive. Weather looks good tomorrow so hope you dont have to book in advance?

you could try Wareham Boat Hire, failing that there is quite a few canoe/kayak shops in Poole and Bournemouth. Pretty sure there is a company who do kayak safaris along the coast of the Purbecks too.

Your brief is too vague, there is loads of options

Christchurch

Poole (lots of options, but these are the ones I use)

Knowle Beach

Swanage

These are the ones that I either know or have used from East to West. there are probably double that many out there (Boscombe Pier is another potentially good location)

Thanks both,
Your suggestions look good and looks like i will be heading over to dorset way tomorrow based on this, great part of the country.. decision decisions. hmm

Anyone else?

New forest activities in beaulieu do beaulieu river trips/ hire. They also do stuff at swanage iirc. There used to be sit on top hire at southbourne in Bournemouth on the beach in the summer, a mate used to run it.

I went to studland and hired a kayak, excellent day.

Will certainly check out some of the others.

Might try a SUP.. do these things generally move slower than a Kayak?

Andy Biggs in Gosport do them.
5mins from Stokes Bay

Dobo depends on the kayak and paddler! But certainly a decent sea kayak will have no issue beating a sup. Some of the sit on top barges may be less so (speed is partly linked to length – so longer = faster).