- Trip Participant Responsibilities
- Equip their canoe with:
- a bailer
- a spare paddle
- secured bow and stern lines which will float - painters (4 meters of 9 mm polypropylene rope is required)
- extra flotation if required (it will not prevent a capsize but it could save your boat)
- a spare set of emergency clothing in a waterproof container (a wool toque is recommended even if you are wearing a wet suit)
- Wear a Personal Flotation Device (attaching a whistle and a spare set of car keys is a good idea)
- Tie all gear and equipment so that when the canoe is upside down nothing hangs below the gunwales (otherwise it prevents canoe over canoe rescue and you may lose anything not tied down)
- All club members will inform their guests of these rules
- D.C.C. Additions for Rivers
Where indicated as "Proper river equipment required" and on grade 2 rivers and higher,
the following will be mandatory:
- wet suit or dry suite
- extra floatation
A helmet is also strongly recommended
Suggested optional equipment - throw bag and other rescue gear.
- Additional Considerations
- Be sure to get in touch with the contact person by the contact deadline and indicate your planned attendance.
Otherwise trips may be canceled, postponed, moved to another location, or any number of other details may change.
- Take responsibility for your own safety by using good judgment.
Check the conditions for yourself. Don't paddle beyond your ability.
It is your responsibility to match your ability to the trip you intend to participate in.
If in doubt, don't go. It is better to decline to paddle, than to endanger yourself and others you paddle with.
- Arrive at the meeting spot well in advance of shuttle time. Shuttles leave on time.
- Be prepared to volunteer to shuttle.
- Observe the "lead" and "sweep" boats for the trip and try to stay between them.
Try to keep the boat ahead of you and behind you at all times.
- The well seasoned paddlers should have consideration for the weaker, slower, or novice paddlers.
- At the put in and take out, help others with their boats. Some access points are difficult.
- The put-in and take-out places on river and lakes, are quite often fairly remote.
Anybody with car trouble could be in great difficulty if left behind.
The second last car leaving must make sure that the last vehicle is mobile and on the main road.
- Etiquette And Ethics
- Respect the rights of others boats - be sensitive and courteous.
- The upstream boat has the right-of-way.
- In large eddies, make room for other boaters to enter by either backing off or eddying-out.
- A boat already riding on a wave has the right-of-way but must yield to a boat coming downstream.
- Respect the rights of fishermen.
- The best camper is not seen or heard, and leaves no trace.
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