Proposed Guidelines for CHOTA Trip Coordinators

Requirements to be a Trip Coordinator

A Coordinator of a CHOTA Canoe Club trip must meet the following criteria:

• Be a CHOTA Club member.
• Have basic canoeing or kayak skills and experience which qualify him/her to coordinate a club trip, and be able to make decisions necessary for safe and successful conduct of the trip.
• Touring Trip Coordinators should be experienced at towing and have appropriate towing equipment.
• Whitewater Trip Coordinators should be experienced at rescue and have appropriate rescue equipment.
• Be prepared to handle conditions such as hypothermia, bee stings, cuts and bruises that are likely to be encountered while paddling.

Planning a Trip

A club member wishing to plan, schedule, and coordinate a club trip should complete the following steps:

• Select a trip to lead, research, and scout the trip (if necessary).
• Determine equipment and/or clothing to be required for the trip based on anticipated conditions.
• Write a description of the proposed trip that includes a trip rating along with gear and skills required.
• White water trips should be rated as class I – VI using the American Whitewater Safety Code rating system (see http://americanwhitewater.org/content/Wiki/safety:start)

o Touring trips should be rated as suitable for beginner (no paddling experience required), intermediate (easy paddling conditions, able to wet exit, re-enter with assistance, knows basic strokes), advanced (may involve paddling in open waters and negotiating hazards, self-rescue ability), or expert paddlers (involves paddling strong currents, large waves, or remote locations)

• Description should be submitted to the touring or whitewater trip chairperson trip for approval.
• If the trip is in a remote location, consider providing a float plan to someone who will contact authorities if you are overdue. Be sure to contact him or her when the trip is completed.

Review and Approval of Proposed Kayak Trips

CHOTA trips must be approved by the appropriate trip chairperson. Touring trips are approved by touring trip chairperson. Whitewater trips are approved by whitewater trip chairperson. Chairpersons are responsible for ensuring that trip coordinators are qualified to lead the proposed club trips. A trip or activity may not be promoted or presented as a club trip unless it is approved. The chairperson will have the trip posted on the club website.

Screening of Trip Participants

Trip Coordinator is responsible for screening trip participants to ensure that they have the required skills and physical endurance. The coordinator should not allow anyone participate in a CHOTA trip if they lack the required skill or stamina or their equipment or clothing is not safe and otherwise appropriate for the trip. The coordinator can set a maximum number of participants and not accept additional people when the maximum number of people have signed up. Additional participants can be placed on a waiting list and added to the trip if space becomes available.

Conducting a CHOTA Trip

At the put-in:

• Assess water and weather conditions.
• If necessary consider alternate route or canceling trip.
• Have participants introduce themselves
• Review trip plans, including destination, routes, stops, and safety issues.
• If there are inexperienced paddlers, explain the Universal River Signals (see http://americanwhitewater.org/content/Wiki/safety:start) and what to do if they capsize.
• If the trip includes inexperienced paddlers, remote locations, or hazardous situations, an experienced paddler should be designated the trip sweep. The sweep will be the last boat in the group, makes sure that slower, weaker paddlers keep pace with the group, and communicates with the lead boat to ensure that the group stays reasonably close together.
• Discuss procedures for keeping the group together, scouting, and setting up throw ropes at difficult rapids.
• Determine if anyone has medical or personal constraints.
• Make sure that all participants have required equipment.
• Inform the group about where safety equipment (spare paddles, tow rope, first aid kits, etc.) is located.
• Have all participants sign the CHOTA Trip waiver.

While paddling:

• Know where everyone is, keep group reasonably close together to facilitate assistance if needed.
• Assess skills and identify paddlers and who potentially may need help.
• Take charge of any rescues.
• Determine need for changes in trip.
• Set pace and determine when to take breaks.
• Make sure that no one paddles alone or leaves the group. Inform paddlers that leave the group that they are no-longer considered part of the club trip.

Following the trip:

• Account for all participants
• Submit roster of people who participated on trip to the touring or whitewater trip chair person. Include any comments regarding participants or conditions that may be useful information for future events.
• Submit a write-up of the trip to the Newsletter Editor
• If there is an accident or incident involving any medical attention, evacuation or outside assistance, contact the club president immediately. Also prepare a written accident report and send it to the club president.

Equipment

On all touring trips, trip leaders should carry a spare paddle, tow system, paddle float, emergency signal devices, a flashlight, bailing pump, and first aid kit. Each group should have at least one compass, appropriate chart or charts, tide information, current weather forecast information, and basic repair materials (at a minimum, a roll of duct tape).

On all white water trips, trip leaders and sweeps are required to carry a throw rope, carabineers, and first aid kit. All participants must wear a helmet on class II and above trips.