The Village Canoe and Kayak Club

 

Trip Objective

The primary objective in planning canoe and kayak trips will be to offer club members a safe, diverse, exciting and memorable paddling adventure into the beautiful area waters.  The club's guidelines are to keep these trips within a two-hour driving distance of The Villages and to keep the length of the river trip to approximately 10 miles or 4 hours of “on-the-water” time.Occasional multi-day trips may be arranged.

 

Where we paddle:

The waters of Florida offer magnificent and varied scenery, with opportunities to observe a wide variety of wildlife in a natural setting. You may see an endless variety of birds, river otters, snakes, manatees, alligators, bear, deer, fox, wild monkeys, all kinds of turtles, fish of every size and lots of insects. The water may be crystal clear, spring fed or dark with tannin. The flora varies widely from season to season and is always beautiful.

 

We typically choose rivers, with a moderate current of 1-3 miles per hour, tight curves and an occasional challenge. There may be deadfall or obstructions to circumvent, and there will be spots for beaching, and some marshy areas or wooded shores. The Club may also paddle a river with more difficult conditions and a current over 3 miles per hour, strong sweeps, steep banks, possible rapids and obstructions throughout. Conditions can vary widely, depending on rainfall. The Trip Destination Reports (Trip Plans) on our website will provide the latest possible updates and a recommended skill requirement.  

 

Like most canoe and kayak trips, you must be ready to paddle against the current, carry over an obstruction, encounter wind, rain and possible lightning. The bathroom is often in the woods. Lunch may be on the river, most times at a scenic setting, sometimes in your boat. You may capsize and get wet!

 

Who can be a Member:

Membership in The Villages Canoe and Kayak club is open to all Village Residents possessing a valid Villages ID Card, including seasonal renters. Guests may also participate providing they meet all Villages requirements. See the Club By-laws for full information and restrictions. Annual Dues are set by the Board of Directors and cover the period of May through April. Dues are not prorated.

 

Participant Requirements:

Participants are required to have the strength and conditioning to do a 10 mile trip in a 5 hour period. It is expected that you have the skills required to handle a canoe or kayak. Skills training programs are available and recommended through local outfitters for those who don't feel they meet these requirements or who want to improve their skills.

 

Members must complete a Membership application and sign both a standard Villages Waiver or Liability (regardless of whether you have signed one for another club) and a VCKC waiver of liability prior to participating in any trip. Guests must also sign both waivers. Dues must be current to participate in club events.

 

 

Trip Safety:All participants must abide by all applicable regulations for operating watercraft in Florida, including wearing an approved personal flotation device. Outfitters provide approved equipment with all rentals.

 

Coast Guard regulations require all boats to have Personal Flotation Devices (PFD) for each passenger.  VCKC requires each club member PROPERLY WEAR a PFD when on a club trip.  A first aid kit is carried on each trip should a paddler need first aid. Safety classes will be offered and are recommended to club members to provide training for assisted and self rescue techniques as well as proper entry and exit procedures and paddle strokes.  Information regarding skill requirements and river conditions will be communicated through a written trip plan before each trip so that members are able to judge their own skill level against the stated requirements.

 

Tips for paddling safety:

*Paddle with a buddy

*Know capsize rescue techniques and practice them

*Watch the weather closely - before you start and after you launch

*Never paddle in conditions which will stretch you beyond your comfort zone unless you are    with a buddy who is experienced in those conditions

*Improve your paddling skills

 

Joining a Trip:

Dues must be current to be eligible to participate in a club trip. Sign up and payment for boat rental for an upcoming trip will be done directly with the outfitter listed on the trip plan.  Most outfitters have a limited number of boats, and sign ups will be accepted on a First Come, First Served basis. Sign up for a Club event that has a cost will be done through the VCKC.Net website and payment will only be accepted via Paypal. This helps those responsible for reconciling the trip payments and costs.   Payment must be received by the club meeting date just prior to the scheduled event. Should payment not be completed within the guidelines, members on the wait list will be offered the opportunity to sign up and pay fees. Members are not to arrangetheir own replacement to allow for a wait list review.  

 

On the River:

Some trips will require setting up shuttles.  Information regarding the set up procedure will be included in the trip plan as well as discussed prior to trip.  Please pay close attention to all the information shared to avoid getting lost on the river, missing trip highlights and to arrive at the take out reasonably close to the estimated time to facilitate shuttles, as well as lunch reservations.

  Be considerate of your fellow paddlers, so that all might have a chance to enjoy the beauty of the river in a calm and peaceful manner.  The group will spread out, depending on the skills and interests of the individuals, but please travel with a paddle partner and/or keep another boat in view. This is important for safety purposes. Remember three blasts on your whistle will alert others to a problem.  

 

Trip Guidelines/Cancellation:   Trips and departure times will be scheduled to maximize the weather conditions as well as travel time to put-in points.  Weather issues that can impact the quality and safety of the trip can come up quickly and cause a cancellation with very short notice. Cooler temperatures or rain are not automatically reasons to cancel the trip. Your trip leaders will monitor the weather forecasts for the day of the trip and will notify you as soon as possible, but it could be as late as the morning of the trip when a decision is made to cancel. If we do cancel, every effort will be made to schedule the same trip within a 5-10 day period.  We will contact you via our website or email to see if you can reschedule.  For these reasons it is very important to maintain a current telephone number and e-mail address with the club.

 

Member Cancellation Policy:The Outfitter's cancellation policy will apply. Please be sure to acquaint yourself with the policy. For club events requiring sign ups and payments the following policy will apply: If you need to cancel after you sign-up, there will be a 10% charge applied.  There is a minimum of 48 hr cancellation notice required to ensure a full refund of your payment.  Should a vendor/service provider have a cancellation policy that requires more than 48 hours notice that policy will take precedence.

 

Late Cancellation/No Show Policy:Each paddle trip plan defines a Departure Point and Departure Time for car pooling purposes.  Should a club event require a sign up process,and you decide not to participate, please contact the Trip Leader/event coordinator.  Efforts will be made to offer your reservation to another club member on the wait list.  A Late Cancellation/ No Show has negative impacts on the trip.  A wait listed club member may have been cleared to attend the event. A no-show also causes a delay because the event coordinator may try to confirm that you have decided not to join the trip.  Please be considerate of your fellow club members and notify the event coordinator.  

 

Waivers:There are several waivers required for club members to sign:

    1. The Villages Recreation Department requires all residents and guests to sign a Village Waiver.  This is required only once and is stored in the Club records..

    2. The Village Canoe and Kayak Club requires VCKC members and guests to sign a waiver specific to the activities of the club. This is signed on an annual basis and is stored in the Club records.

    3. The outfitter or concessionaire that provides equipment and services to members most often has a waiver which must be signed before the departure on a trip.

 

Liability Insurance:The VCKC carries a general liability policy that protects the officers, trip leaders and club members during organized activities of the club. This policy provides liability and excess medical coverage as well as legal expenses should a claim or litigation be brought against the club or one of its members.

 

Skills Ratings: These definitions are offered to help you identify your skill level in relationship to the club trip guidelines.

 

River Ratings:This highly subjective rating provides general guidelines for each trip. Please be aware that water levels, tides, and weather conditions can greatly affect any trip.

Trip Difficulty	Type of Water	Waterway conditions	Typical Total Trip Distance	Paddling Conditions	Minimum Skills Suggested	Typical Length of paddle
Easy -suitable for all paddlers with average physical condition	River, protected By shoreline	Mostly straight, few obstacles to avoid. Good water level.	5-6 miles	Wind: < 5mph, no waves, flat water	Novice	2-3 hours
Intermediate- better than average physical condition is desired due to trip duration.	River protected by shore. Open water i.e. Lake, gulf, ocean	River protected by shore. Open water i.e. Lake, gulf, ocean	7-12 miles	Wind <10,  some waves, moving current	Intermediate	3-4 hours
Difficult -competent, experienced boat handling and very good physical condition is desired due to swift currents, obstructions, and long trip duration	River protected by shore. Open water i.e. Lake, gulf, ocean	Numerous twists, turns, many obstacles, shallow water, swift current causes issues.	13+ miles	Wind:<15, breaking waves, strong swift current	Advanced	5+ hours

 Scenery Ratings:Another subjective rating based on personal preference for natural unspoiled beauty. While some developments may be very attractive, these areas would generally be rated poor to fair as they detract from the natural beauty.

 

 

Recommended Items to Bring: Be sure to store all items in watertight containers as well as secure in your boat. 

Water (minimum - 2 quarts of water per person)

Hat   Sunglasses  Sunscreen

Insect repellent

Personal Flotation Device - Required by Coast Guard - (outfitters provide with rentals)

Whistle (required by coast guard)

Rescue rope (minimum 10 ft)

Bailer and sponge

Snacks in waterproof containers

 

Clothing suggestions

Water shoes

Long sleeve shirt for sun protection

Quick dry clothes

 

Miscellaneous

Paddle gloves

First aid kit

Camera (in a water proof container)

Cell Phone (in a water proof container)

Binoculars

Leave a change of (dry) clothing in the car with a towel