Huntsville Canoe Club

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Huntsville Canoe Club
Trip Leaders Seminar
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Huntsville Canoe Club
Organization

• Over 150 Members
• Run by President and Elected Board of Directors
  In Accordance
• With By-Laws

Annual Schedule

• 50 Scheduled Paddling Day Trips
• Dozens of Pick-Up Trips
• Organized Camping Trips
• Overnight Paddling Trips
• Pool Roll Practice Sessions
• Organized Picnic Trips
• Occasional Cooperative Trips With Other Clubs

To ensure that HCC members have the most
enjoyable and safest paddling experiences
possible and that sufficient leaders are
available to maintain the clubs aggressive
paddling schedule, the training of new trip
leaders is of paramount importance.
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Trip Leader
A trip leader functions like a prime minister.
He is the first among equals. He needs to
maintain a schedule and sense of order without
being dictatorial or overbearing. He needs to
have enough flexibility to effect changes that
can be caused by a wide variety of outside
influences from weather to accident or injury.
Trip Leaders Duties

• Schedule Trip
• Organize Trip
• Manage Trip Operations
• Take Care of Clerical Portion of Trip Sign-Up
  Sheet / Trip Report
• Duties can be Distributed Among Two or More
  Persons

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Trip LeaderContinued

• Training
• Trip Leaders Seminar
• Swiftwater Self-Rescue
• Advanced Swiftwater Rescue
• First Aid
• CPR
• On-the-Job Training

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Trip LeaderContinued
Required Equipment

• Seaworthy Boat Appropriately Outfitted for The
  Trip
• Paddling Clothing Appropriate for the Coldest
  Weather
• Expected on the Trip
• Safety Equipment Appropriate for the River to be
  Paddled

Nice to Have Equipment

• Cell Phone
• Gazetteer
• Compass
• GPS
• Extras Clothing, Spray Jackets, Boat Straps,
  PFDs, Paddles

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Trip Scheduling
Trip Planning Meeting

• Held in October and April
• Official Club Trips are Scheduled Up to 6 Months
  in Advance
• Prospective Trip Leaders Should Attend

Pick-Up Trip Planning

• Usually Spur-of-the-Moment It Rains, We Paddle
• Group Arranges Informal Trip at Club Meeting or
  Other
• Get-Together
• Self-Appointed Leader Calls Friends to Arrange a
  Trip
• Leader Should Notify the Cruisemaster

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Trip SchedulingContinued
Trip Selection

• Volunteer to Lead Trips that are Within Your
  Paddling
• Comfort Zone
• Know the River You are Going to Paddle
• Know Where the Closest Emergency Services
  (Hospital) Are
• Make Sure Trips You Volunteer to Lead Will Fit
  Into Your
• Schedule (Social, Business, or Otherwise)
• If You Have a Scheduling Conflict, Find a
  Replacement as
• Early as Possible

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Trip Organization
The Month of the Trip Place Announcement in the
Newsletter
At the Club Meeting Before the Trip

• Announce the Trip Give Difficulty, Location
  and Time of Meeting
• Place, and Alternatives
• Pass Sign-Up Sheet to Members

Two to Three Days Before the Trip

• Check the Weather Forecast and River Level
• Call Each Participant Verify the Capabilities
  of the People you
• Dont Know
• Encourage Individuals Who may not have the
  Capability for your Scheduled Trip
• To Consider an Alternate, Less Difficult,
  Scheduled Trip, if Available
• Consider Alternative Destinations Based on the
  Groups Capabilities,
• Potential River Level, Weather, Etc.

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Trip OrganizationContinued
The Night Before the Trip

• Check the Gauge Again
• Check the Weather Forecast Again
• Call the Participants if a Change Appears
  Imminent

The Morning of the Trip

• Check the Gauge Again
• Check the Weather Again
• Drive to the Meeting Place

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HCC Unofficial Meeting Places

• Points South (Locust, Mulberry, Etc) Hardees,
  South Parkway
• Points East (Ocoee, Hiwassee, LRC, Etc)
  Hardees, Gurley
• Sand Mountain (Short, Town, Etc) McDonalds,
  Hampton Cove
• Alternate / Additional Short Creek Rangers
  Station
• Wednesday Evening Paddle Captain Ds, Madison

The meeting time should be set early enough in
the day to ensure that the group will be off the
river well before sunset.
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Trip Size

• 1 Go Home and Clean out the Garage Never
  Paddle Alone
• Even on Flat Water
• 2 Make Sure the River to be Paddled is Well
  Within the Comfort
• Zone of Both Paddlers Consider Paddling
  a Less Difficult River
• if Necessary or Go to a River Where You
  Know There Will be
• Other Boaters
• 3 or More Generally OK
• Large to Very Large Special Arrangements on
  the River May be
• Necessary Lead / Sweep, Buddy System,
  Etc.
• Very Large Splitting the Trip at the Meeting
  Place May Be
• Necessary Perhaps Even Going to
  Separate Rivers if Parking
• at the River Presents a Potential Problem

Regardless of trip size, the capabilities of
each individual paddler must be taken into
consideration. A change of venue should be
considered to accommodate the capabilities of the
people in the group
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Ground Operations / LogisticsGoing to the River
At the Meeting Place

• Await the Stragglers Call Them if Necessary
• Make Sure Everyone has Filled in The Sign-Up
  Sheet
• Consolidate Boats for the Trip to The River
• Further Verify in Person the Capabilities of the
  New Paddlers
• and Check Their Equipment
• Make Sure Everyone Knows the Route to the River
• Swap Cell Phone Numbers and Try to Make Sure
  That Each Car
• has a Phone
• For Long Drives, Prearrange Rest and Lunch Stops
  

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Ground Operations / LogisticsGoing to the
RiverContinued
Drive to the River

• Lead the Way
• Make Sure Everyone Makes the Correct Turns at
  Intersections
• Pull Over and Wait, If Necessary
• If You Need to Stop for a Break, Make Sure Your
  Intentions are
• Clear to the Others Well in Advance
• Dont Speed

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At the Put-In

• Check the River Level at the Put-in and Make a
  Final
• Decision on Whether to Paddle or Make a Change
• Unload Your Own Boat and Gear
• Help Others Unload Boats and Gear if Necessary
• Arrange Shuttle Maximize the Number of
  Vehicles
• at the Take-Out
• Make Sure the Group Knows Which Vehicles Will
• be at the Take-Out
• Before Running Shuttle Make Sure the Drivers
• Know the Shuttle Route
• Verify That All Gear Has Been Unloaded and Items
• Needed at the Take-out Will be There

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Shuttle

• Follow the Standard Driving Rules
• Make Sure That Vehicles at the Take-Out are
• Secure and Will Not Obstruct Boat Loading for
• Others Using the River
• Verify that Everyone has Car Keys and Items That
• May have been Forgotten Spray Jackets,
  Camera,
• Water Bottles, Etc
• Return to the Put-In

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River Operations
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River OperationsTrip Leaders Special
Considerations

• Size of group
• Strength of group
• Physical condition of group
• Water level
• Weather
• River difficulty
• Access
• Time of day and length of run
• Additional gear that may be needed
• Maps, GPS, Phone
• Location of nearest hospital
• Take river safety instruction
• Know basic 1st aid and CPR

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At the Put-inGear and Outfitting Review

• Boat, Sprayskirt
• Floatation
• Paddle(s)
• PFD, Helmet
• River Shoes
• Wet/Drysuit
• Long johns and sweaters
• Hat, scull cap
• Gloves
• Rescue Gear, 1st Aid Kit

• Gear bag (camera, extras)
• Glasses
• Lunch and water
• Off river clothes (towel)
• Off river food and drinks
• Maps, GPS
• List of phone numbers
• Trip Signup sheet

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At the Put-inAdditional Leader Gear

• Spare clothes / splash gear
• Spare food and water
• Duct tape
• Flashlight
• Fire starting kit
• Saw
• Leatherman tool
• Space blanket(s)

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At the Put-inRiverside Chat

• Name of river, length, classification, water
  level
• Description of difficult rapids and which to be
  scouted.
• River hazards (strainers, undercuts, dams,
  pylons).
• List alternate take-outs and evacuation routes
• List goals of trip (play, teaching, first decent)
• Group organization (lead, sweep, buddy, safety)
• River signals with whistles, paddles (stop, go,
  left, right, OK). Never point to obstacles.
• Swimming techniques (passive, aggressive,
  strainers, foot entrapment)
• Who has never paddled this river (or at this
  level)?
• Who is in a new boat?
• Medical issues? Where is medicine?
• Who has what gear throw rope, 1st aid kit,
  rescue gear

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Organizing for the River

• Lead-Sweep
• Buddy System
• Experienced-Inexperienced
• Where to put the Safety
• Where to put the Newbees

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Finally on the Water

• Watch people getting in
• Encourage warm-up play and rolls
• Watch people at first rapid
• Who will have trouble
• Who should scout/walk rapids
• Who should hike out now
• Encourage boat swapping and instruction
• Consider splitting up into multiple groups

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River Rules / Courtesies / Considerations

• Stay behind lead boat and ahead of sweep
• Keep the group together, one stop all stop, one
  go all go
• Down stream traffic has right of way
• Dont crowd the rapids, eddies, and play spots
• Play hard, but be considerate
• Have safety boat in the water or rope handy at
  play spots
• Take sufficient rest breaks
• Allow group to move at groups pace (as time
  allows)
• Take regular head counts to ensure the group is
  still together
• Ensure everyone knows where to scout, portage,
  take out

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At the Rapids

• Ensure everyone knows what is ahead
• Discuss rapid route and layout
• Consider scouting method boat, land
• Where to place safety?
• Who will go first, last?
• Handling the timid

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Handling the timid

• Talk about the route
• Discuss the points of interest
• Talk about the swim potential and how/where to
  swim safety
• Talk through the safety plan
• Encourage them to watch others go first
• Suggest someone run their boat
• Support any decision to walk, even help carry

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Rapid Recovery

• Initiate rescue plan (Reach, Row, Throw, Go)
• Recover people first, then gear
• Encourage self rescue
• Offer clear instructions
• Assist swimmer with gear
• Dont crowd the rescue
• Be prepared for Plan B
• Assist swimmer with boat dump
• Allow adequate time for recovery (prevent next
  swim)
• Monitor number and severity of swims
• Monitor for exhaustion and/or hypothermia

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At the Takeout

• Make sure everyone knows where to take out -
  which bank, etc
• Make sure everyone gets there and gets out
• If a long flatwater paddle is required, wait for
  the stragglers
• If a long carryout is required, ensure that
  everyone knows the route
• Help others, if necessary, after you have carried
  your boat to the loading point

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Ground Operations / LogisticsAt the Takeout /
Return
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Ground Operations / LogisticsAt the Take-Out /
ReturnContinued

• Run Shuttle if Necessary
• Help Others Get Their Boats to the Loading Point
• Assist With Boat Loading as Required
• When Everything is Loaded, Scan the Area for
• Forgotten Items
• Make Sure Everyones Car Starts
• Head for Home Same Road Rules

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Reporting

• Post the Location and Description of any River
• Hazards on the Local Internet Forums (Pictures
• Might be nice)
• Optional Write the Trip Report for the
  Newsletter
• Or Assign it to Someone in the Group. Be Sure
  to
• Include Pictures
• Turn the Trip Sign-Up Sheet in to the Club
• Secretary If There Was an Injury, Accident or
• Other Unusual Occurrence. Retain a Copy for
• Your Personal Records

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Summary
Water can be a dangerous medium for humans. It
is the trip-leaders responsibility to help his
friends have a most excellent, enjoyable,
adventure on the river, while helping to ensure
that operations run smoothly and risk is
mitigated as much as possible.
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Bibliography

• HCC New Paddlers Guide
• WWW.Alabamawhitewater.com
• http//www.princeton.edu/oa/paddle/rivplan.shtml
  
• http//www.americanwhitewater.org/
• http//www.huntsvillecanoeclub.org/
• Smith, Monte, Southeastern Whitewater Fifty of
  the Best River Trips from Alabama to West
  Virginia, Pahsimeroi Press, 1995.
• Nealy, William, Whitewater Home Companion,
  Volumes I, II, Menasha Press,
• 1993