Camel Ski School

What Camel Ski School does

Camel Ski School is a privately-held watersports centre operating from a single pontoon on the Camel Estuary in Rock, North Cornwall, United Kingdom, founded in 1977 and owned by Charlie Toogood since 2001. The school delivers paid recreational and instructional sessions across waterskiing, wakeboarding, wake surfing, paddleboarding, kayaking, towable fun rides, multi-position boarding, and private boat charters, with prices ranging from £26 to £40 per person per session and £360 per boat charter. It also runs higher-value structured courses including a three-day Kids Waterski Course (£240), a half-day Skills Academy Clinic with video analysis (£120), BWSW Level 1 and 2 Instructor and SBD2 Boat Driver certifications, and a bespoke Super Yacht Training programme for professional deck crew. Supporting revenue streams include an on-site Après Ski Café and a Shopify online shop selling equipment and branded apparel.

The school's core intellectual asset is the proprietary 'Camel Ski Way' — a six-level coaching progression system combining land-based instruction, on-water practice, and video analysis — claimed to get 98%+ beginners up on their first session. Service quality is anchored by Toogood's credentials (UKCC Coach and Assessor, SBD2 and ICC Assessor, Kite Surf Instructor, ISIA Ski Teacher, Commercial Yachtmaster with STCW, and 20+ years RNLI service) and reinforced by AALA and BWSW accreditations. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via a website booking system, telephone, and walk-in at the pontoon, with BWSW handling enrolment for instructor certification courses; marketing spans Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, email newsletter, and earned media on TripAdvisor and Google (4.8/5 from 100+ reviews). Customer segments span individual holidaymakers and families (primary), aspiring watersports professionals, superyacht deck crew, and youth participants aged 8-17, with approximately 1,000+ guests served annually.

Name

Camel Ski School

Legal name

Camel Ski School

Website

https://camelskischool.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Camel Ski School is a privately-held watersports centre on the Camel Estuary in Rock, Cornwall, offering paid instruction in waterskiing, wakeboarding, wake surfing, paddleboarding, kayaking, and boat charters, plus BWSW instructor certification, a Kids Waterski Course, and superyacht crew training for recreational families, youth, and maritime professionals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Newquay

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Activity Sessions: One-time paid sessions for watersports activities including waterskiing, wakeboarding, wake surfing, paddleboarding, kayaking, towable fun rides, and multi-position boarding. Prices range from £26 to £40 per person per session.
2. Boat Charters: Private boat charter hire at £360 per booking, allowing groups to explore the estuary independently.
3. Professional Training Courses: Paid instructor and boat driver certification courses including BWSW Level 1&2 Instructor Course (£595 to BWSW) and SBD2 Boat Driver Course (£200 to Camel Ski).
4. Kids Waterski Course: Three-day intensive course for children aged 8-17 at £240 per child, combining practical water sessions with classroom instruction.
5. Skills Academy Clinic: Half-day advanced technique clinic with video analysis led by Charlie Toogood at £120 per person.
6. Super Yacht Training: Bespoke training program for superyacht deck crew covering safety, coaching, and driving for towed watersports. Delivered by Charlie Toogood.
7. Café Sales: Après Ski Café generates revenue from hot and cold drinks, toasted bagels, pastries, cakes, and snacks.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Camel Ski School delivers paid watersports activity sessions and certified training courses on the Camel Estuary in Rock, Cornwall. Core sessions include waterskiing, wake surfing, wakeboarding, towable fun rides, paddleboarding, kayaking, multi-position boarding, and private boat charters. Structured courses cover BWSW Level 1&2 Instructor certification, SBD2 Boat Driver licence, Kids Waterski intensive, Skills Clinic with video analysis, Super Yacht crew training, and a Refresher Course. The school also operates an on-site Après Ski Café and an online branded equipment shop.

Product overview

Camel Ski School is a watersports activity provider offering a diverse portfolio of towed water sports (waterskiing, wakeboarding, wake surfing), inflatable rides, paddle sports (paddleboarding, kayaking), and boat charters on the Camel Estuary in Rock, Cornwall. The school operates a modular service model combining pay-per-activity sessions with structured coaching courses including instructor certification (BWSW Level 1&2), kids intensive programs, skills clinics, and professional superyacht crew training. Supporting services include an on-site Apres Ski Cafe and an equipment/clothing retail shop. The school has been operating since 1977 and is accredited by British Water Ski & Wakeboard Federation and holds AALA licensing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Waterskiing Surface water sport session where participants are pulled behind a boat on two skis or one mono ski. Suitable for beginners with training bars and ski trainers available. From £35 per session with equipment, wetsuits, and buoyancy aids included.
• Wake Surfing Towed water sport where participants ride the wave created by a boat without bindings, dropping the rope once up on the wave for a surfing experience. £40 per session.
• Wakeboarding Towed sport using a short rectangular board with boot bindings, similar to snowboarding, pulled behind a boat. £35 per session.
• Towable Fun Rides Inflatable rides such as banana boats, chariots, and sofas that participants sit or kneel on while being towed behind a boat. £26 per person per session.
• Paddleboarding Stand-up paddleboard (SUP) activity using a buoyant board and paddle to navigate the Camel Estuary, available as single boards or giant Monster SUPs for groups. £28 per session.
• Kayaking Watercraft activity using narrow kayaks with double-ended paddles for one or two paddlers to explore the Camel Estuary at their own pace. £28 per session.
• Multi Position Boarding Flat board with handles towed behind a boat allowing participants to start lying down, progress to knees, and eventually stand up for wake skate-style riding. £35 per session.
• Boat Charters Private boat hire for groups to explore the Camel Estuary at their own pace, with options for picnics from the Après Ski Café. £360 per booking, capacity up to 10 people on Highfield Rib and Axis Boats.
• Waterski/Wakeboard Instructor Course BWSW Level 1&2 Certificate course teaching how to coach beginners through advanced water-skiers and wakeboarders, covering risk assessments, delivery skills, boat driving, and customer service. Course fee of £595 payable to BWSW. Camel Ski has been running BWSW coaching courses for over 20 years.
• Kids Waterski Course Intensive three-day course for aspiring waterskiers aged 8-17 combining practical water sessions with classroom tuition on technique, boat skills, tides, weather, and first aid. £240 per child per course, capacity 5 students per course.
• Skills Clinic Half-day clinic with Charlie Toogood combining video analysis, practical water sessions, and classroom feedback for intermediate skiers wanting to improve technique. £120 per person, capacity 5 per clinic.
• Super Yacht Training Bespoke professional training program for superyacht deck crew covering safety, coaching, and driving aspects of towed watersports, including ballast management and wake shaping.
• SBD2 Licence Course Ski Boat Drivers 2 qualification required for towing waterskiers on coastal waters, offered as part of the instructor course. £200 payable to Camel Ski.
• Refresher Course Course for those with their own boat who want to ski or explore the estuary with guidance and safety oversight from Camel Ski instructors.
• Après Ski Café On-site café providing breakfast, morning coffee, hot and cold drinks, toasted bagels, pastries, cakes, and snacks with outdoor seating overlooking the Camel Estuary.
• Camel Ski School Shop Online shop selling watersports equipment and Camel Ski School branded clothing via a Shopify storefront.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98%+ of beginners successfully get up on first session with Camel Ski Way methodology
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• British Water Ski & Wakeboard (BWSW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCamel Ski School is accredited by and delivers courses for BWSW, including Level 1&2 Instructor Certification and SBD2 Boat Driver qualifications. The school follows BWSW coaching guidelines and policies, and has been running BWSW coaching courses for over 20 years.
• Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA)coreOthersLicensed adventure activity provider under the Activity Centres (Young Persons) Regulations. Accreditation demonstrates compliance with safety standards for adventure activities.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• The Wave (Bristol): Artificial inland surfing and bodyboarding lake in Bristol offering pay-per-session recreation plus lessons and a cafe/retail village. Comparable destination-style watersports site with sessions, instruction, F&B, and retail — though focused on surfing rather than towed sports.

Direct peers

• Grafham Water Centre: Cambridgeshire-based outdoor activity centre offering watersports instruction (sailing, windsurfing, paddleboarding, kayaking) plus instructor training. Comparable single-site multi-activity watersports school with a strong teaching and certification focus.
• Hove Lagoon Watersports: Long-running South Coast UK watersports school offering waterskiing, wakeboarding, paddleboarding, kayaking and instructor courses from a single sheltered-water site. Closest like-for-like analogue: coastal/sheltered-water instruction, BWSW-accredited courses, mixed consumer and trainee customer base.
• Fox Lake Watersports: London-area cable wakeboard and watersports park with lessons, sessions and equipment hire. Comparable as a UK recreational watersports operator running structured lessons and recreational sessions for beginners to intermediates.
• New Forest Water Park: UK watersports centre offering cable wakeboarding, paddleboarding, kayaking and inflatable rides from a single inland site, with BWSW-affiliated instruction. Comparable as a multi-activity, pay-per-session watersports school with a recreational + learning mix.
• Heron Lake Watersports: Surrey-based watersports school running waterskiing, wakeboarding, paddleboarding and instructor training from a sheltered lake. Comparable multi-activity instruction model and BWSW instructor course delivery at a single site.
• Ultimate Watersports: UK watersports school providing waterski, wakeboard and towable sessions plus instructor training. Comparable in service mix (towed sports + instruction + courses) and direct-to-consumer booking model.

Regional players

• Southampton Water Activities Centre: Regional watersports centre providing sailing, kayaking, paddleboarding and powerboating courses and sessions. Comparable on structured lesson delivery, RYA/governing-body courses, and family/beginner recreational programming, in a different UK region.
• Plas Menai Watersports Centre: Welsh National Watersports Centre delivering courses and sessions in sailing, kayaking, paddleboarding and powerboating with a strong instructor-training focus. Comparable on the instructor-course side and on the multi-activity session model, but operates at larger scale and a different UK region.

Broad incumbents

• Liquid Leisure Windsor: Large UK watersports destination combining cable wakeboarding, aqua park, and instruction. Comparable activity stack (towed/board sports + lessons) and cafe/retail layer, but operates at materially larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/camelskischool
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@camelskischool
• Facebookfacebook.com/camelwatersports
• Instagraminstagram.com/camelski
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/camel-ski-school-ltd

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Camel Ski School