Discover Poole Harbour Watersports with essential information on lessons, equipment hire, opening times, shop facilities and the Shore Road watersports school. Based in Lilliput, the independent specialist stocks paddleboards, windsurfing and wing-foiling equipment, wetsuits, kayaks, surf gear and watersports accessories. Its seasonal school operates beside Poole Harbour, offering lessons and hire subject to weather and tides. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced watersports enthusiast, Poole Harbour Watersports provides equipment, tuition and local advice.
Poole Harbour Watersports is one of Poole’s best-established watersports specialists, combining a large equipment shop in Lilliput with a seasonal watersports school at Shore Road. Visitors can book lessons and hire for activities such as paddleboarding, windsurfing and wing foiling, while the shop stocks equipment for everything from kayaking and surfing to wakeboarding and open-water swimming. With Poole Harbour’s shallow waters providing a popular setting for beginners and experienced riders alike, it is a useful hub for getting out on the water in Poole.
Shop address: 284-286 Sandbanks Road, Lilliput, Poole, Dorset, BH14 8HU
Watersports school: Shore Road, opposite Tesco Express, Poole, BH13 7PJ
Telephone: 01202 700503
Email: info@pooleharbour.co.uk
Website: https://www.pooleharbour.co.uk/
Shop opening: Daily, generally 9am-5:30pm
School opening: Mainly April-October, approximately 9am–5pm, weather permitting
Poole Harbour Watersports is one of the longest-established watersports shops in the country and has built its business around both equipment retail and getting people onto the water. The company describes its Lilliput store as an “Aladdin’s cave” of watersports equipment, with staff offering specialist advice across a wide variety of disciplines.
The business has two distinct locations: the main retail shop on Sandbanks Road and its watersports school beside the harbour at Shore Road.
The Poole Harbour Watersports School operates from Shore Road, directly beside Poole Harbour.
Its main season runs from approximately April until October, with peak-season opening generally between 9am and 5pm. Activities are dependent on weather and tidal conditions, so booking ahead is recommended.
The school can sometimes accommodate walk-ins, but advance booking gives visitors the best chance of securing their preferred activity and time.
Stand-up paddleboarding is one of the most accessible ways to get onto Poole Harbour, and the school offers both tuition and hire.
Poole Harbour’s relatively sheltered and shallow waters make parts of it particularly popular with people learning watersports, although conditions still vary according to tide and weather.
Wetsuits are available to use with activities where required.
Poole has a long association with windsurfing, and Poole Harbour Watersports offers both equipment and tuition for the sport.
The shop stocks windsurf boards, rigs, sails and accessories, while the school provides an opportunity for beginners to learn the basics in the harbour environment.
More experienced riders can also visit the shop for specialist equipment, repairs, spares and advice.
Wing foiling has become another major part of the Poole Harbour Watersports offering.
The shop stocks complete wing-foil packages, boards, wings, foils and accessories, while the team also provides local guidance about suitable conditions and places to ride.
Because wing foiling requires specific skills and suitable weather, visitors planning a lesson or session should discuss their experience level with the school when booking.
The main shop in Lilliput carries a particularly broad selection of equipment.
Current categories include:
The shop also carries smaller components and replacement parts, making it useful for experienced watersports users as well as beginners buying their first equipment.
The Lilliput shop is currently open seven days a week from approximately 9am until 5:30pm, excluding some bank holidays.
The watersports school is mainly open from April to October, around 9am–5pm, although opening is weather dependent.
During winter, the school may still be able to provide pre-booked activities by arrangement.
Advance booking is recommended for all watersports lessons and equipment hire.
Although the school may sometimes accept walk-ins during peak season, availability depends on staffing, weather, tides and existing bookings.
Visitors should contact the team on 01202 700503 if they are unsure whether conditions are suitable.
Watersports sessions are subject to weather and tidal conditions.
The school checks conditions as part of the booking process and may adjust sessions where necessary.
This is particularly important for activities such as windsurfing and wing foiling, where wind strength and direction can significantly affect whether a session can operate safely.
Wetsuits are available for use with watersports activities, helping visitors who do not already own specialist equipment.
The retail shop also stocks wetsuits and a large selection of equipment for people who want to buy their own kit, including boards, foils, paddles, kayaks and watersports accessories.
The main shop is located on Sandbanks Road in Lilliput, between central Poole and Sandbanks.
The watersports school is in a separate waterfront location at Shore Road, opposite Tesco Express and facing directly onto Poole Harbour.
Visitors booking a lesson should therefore make sure they travel to the Shore Road school rather than the Lilliput retail shop.
Poole Harbour Watersports is particularly useful because it combines tuition, hire, retail and local expertise in one business.
Beginners can book a lesson without already owning equipment, while more experienced paddleboarders, windsurfers and foilers can use the Lilliput shop for specialist kit, replacement parts and advice.
As watersports sessions depend heavily on weather and tides, visitors should book ahead and check conditions before travelling to Shore Road.
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