paddling guidelines

Paddler's Responsibilities

Commitment

  • If you say you will attend a trip, don’t be a no show.
  • If you do have another commitment come up unexpectedly, notify the trip leader right away.
  • Don’t leave the trip leader and the rest of the group wondering if you are late or a no show. 

 

Be Honest About Your Abilities

  • Check to see if you possess the skill level (see Trip Levels), gear or attire to complete the trip safely. Do not sign up for a trip that you are not capable of completing. You will endanger yourself and the entire group.
  • The scheduled difficulty level of the trip is the difficulty level of the trip under normal circumstances. The weather can push a Level 2 trip to a Level 3 trip.
  • If you feel uncomfortable with the agenda, sea conditions, or have a health problem say something either privately to the leader or to the group.
  • If you say nothing, then the assumption is that everyone is fine.
  • If the trip looks like it’s more than you can handle, it’s OK to bail out or lobby for a change.
  • Don’t be afraid to speak up and voice your concerns. 

 

Day Paddle Checklist

  • PFD (Required to be worn on the water)
  • Whistle (Required)
  • Visual signaling device (mirror or CD/flare) (Required)
  • Water (Required) & snack/food
  • Spare paddle
  • Paddle float
  • Bilge pump
  • Spray skirt
  • Sunscreen
  • First aid kit
  • Spare clothes 

 

Sunset Paddle / Night Paddle Checklist

  • Same list as the Day Paddle
  • Headlamp/flashlight (Required)
  • Coast Guard approved navigation lights — A 360 degree visible white light and a Red/Green navigation light) (Required)
  • Emergency strobe light (Recommended)

 

Cold Water Paddle Checklist

When the water gets cold, hypothermia becomes a real danger. Cold water saps heat faster than cold air. Proper thermal protection is Required

  • Dry suit with fleece or polypro underneath
  • Head wear (a fleece or wool hat, neoprene hood)
  • Hand protection (neoprene gloves, poggies, etc.)
  • A change of warm, dry clothes stored in a dry bag
  • Submersion in cold water can cause a paddler to inhale water and drown instantly. Submersion in cold water for a few minutes radically reduces a paddler’s ability to assist in their own rescue and can disorient a paddler even if they can roll.

 

Be On Time

  • Time and tide wait for no man. Try to arrive 30 minutes before the put-in time.
  • The put-in time is the time you and your boat should be ready to hit the water.
  • It’s also the time when the trip leader will do a head count, review the trip and assess the group and any concerns.
  • Being early will give you time to meet others in the group and to lend a hand to help others with their boats and gear.

 

During the Paddle

  • The use of alcohol and drugs on club paddles is prohibited.
  • Stay with the group. We paddle together to enjoy each other’s company and support each other in case of a mishap.
  • Personal responsibility — each participant is responsible for his/her own safety. Never blindly follow anyone into a situation you are not sure is safe.
  • Know how to rescue yourself and to assist others in a rescue.
  • A change of warm, dry clothes stored in a dry bag.
  • In an emergency situation, the person performing the rescue is in charge. Give them space and do as they say.
  • If you are having trouble, inform the trip leader.
  • Look out for others in the group. Look for signs of sunburn, fatigue, seasickness or dehydration and help out when you can.
  • If you choose to leave the group, tell the trip leader.

 

Don’t forget to thank the Trip Leader! They have given their time, organized the trip, fielded phone calls and answered e-mails and tried their best to make the trip a good time for everyone.  

Trip Leader's Responsibilities

  • If you say you will attend a trip, don’t be a no show.
  • A trip leader is a trip organizer and a volunteer, not a guide. Trips are a cooperative effort. 
  • The trip leader can cancel the trip if conditions warrant such action at any time.
  • The trip leader can examine each participant’s qualifications, equipment, clothing, food, and water and can refuse participation to those who are unqualified or improperly equipped.
  • The trip leader can set and vary the pace and the route, as needed, and turn the party back short of the trip objective, if conditions warrant such action.

    TRIP LEVEL GUIDE

    Be sure to choose trips that are a match to your skill level, endurance and possible weather conditions you should be prepared to handle.
    READ TRIP LEVEL GUIDE

    LONG ISLAND PADDLERS FAQ

    Everyone is welcome to become a member of Long Island Paddlers! 

    We are an active social club of over 300 members. Attending events is a great way to meet other paddlers and outdoor enthusiasts, whether you are a seasoned paddler or new to the sport.

    We are not a commercial outfitter, however. Club trips are run by our volunteer Trip Leaders, and at their discretion tend to cover between 8 to 15 miles and last 3 to 6 hours, with varying wind, wave and tidal conditions. 

    All Club Trips are rated by skill level and endurance requirements. Every attendee is responsible for understanding and meeting our minimum Paddling Guidelines. And every attendee is responsible for understanding and rating their own skill level accordingly.

    We hold several skill-building sessions every year, at our Annual Spring and Fall Club Picnics and Winter Pool Sessions. These sessions are a great way to build your confidence, sharpen your paddling skills and learn assisted- and self-rescue techniques with ACA-Certified instructors. 

    Beginners/Novices are also encouraged to sign up for our Buddy Program, which pairs you up with a more experienced member to help set you up with appropriate gear, basic paddling skills and more. Contact us to find out more…

    Everyone is welcome to join Long Island Paddlers!

    Club trips are run by our volunteer Trip Leaders, and at their discretion tend to cover between 8 to 15 miles and last 3 to 6 hours, with varying wind, wave and tidal conditions. And are therefore mostly rated a 1/2 or 2+. Any trip rated beyond a 1/A on our Trip Levels Guide, will be beyond the your capacity to keep pace with the group by virtue of the material, contour and length of the boat itself.

    Most club members who start out with an inflatable or sit-on-top kayak and realize how much they enjoy the sport quickly upgrade to a sit-in boat. There are many affordable models on the market and our Club Classifieds are a great place to score a used boat!

    We do occasionally run casual trips, for example our Photo Kayaks are focused on meandering in flat water areas where we look for wildlife and slow down to take photos along a shorter journey. Members with cameras or with slower boats, and even those just looking for a zen-like day often join these trips. 

    Everyone is welcome to join Long Island Paddlers!

    Club trips are run by our volunteer Trip Leaders, and at their discretion tend to cover between 8 to 15 miles and last 3 to 6 hours, with varying wind, wave and tidal conditions. And are therefore mostly rated a 1/2 or 2+. Any trip rated beyond a 1/A on our Trip Levels Guide, will be beyond the your capacity to keep pace with the group by virtue of the material, contour and length of the paddleboard itself.

    We do occasionally run casual trips, for example our Photo Kayaks are focused on meandering in flat water areas where we look for wildlife and slow down to take photos along a shorter journey. Members with cameras or with slower boats, and even those just looking for a zen-like day often join these trips. 

    Not really but yes! You will find members who do just about every variety of boating and outdoor activity there is!

    Every season, we do run at least 1 or 2 whitewater excursions to the Delaware Water Gap! 

    And several members do surfski, but they do this on their own with others who have the very specialized gear and skills required.

    When you bccome a member, you can quickly find others who share your interests in niche boating like surfski, as well as other sports like biking, hiking, skiing & snowboarding, surfing, camping and world travel.

    Sorry no. We are 100% volunteer run. We do not have a location nor do we rent kayaks or any other type of gear. However, we do have a small Shop at all of our meetings! We sell Long Island Paddlers T-shirts and hats and a few other items like kayaking gloves and lights for night kayaking, boat ID stickers, etc.

    Yes, of course! We will keep track of when you join and make sure your benefits are available to you.

    Of course! But the conditions have to be just right of course and there are only a few members who have the necessary gear and the skills to do so, so trips are very infrequent. 

    Read more about Cold Water Kayaking on our Resources page.

    We run approximately 40 trips per season from late April until early December! Club Trips take place nearly every weekend in the summer.

    Club Trips take place all over Long Island from the Queens border to the Hamptons, North and South Shores, across the Great South Bay, into the Sound and on the rivers and protected harbors and inlets. 

    We also run several off-island excursions to the Adirondacks, to Assateague Island Park, Bannerman’s Castle on the Hudson River, whitewater kayaking along the Delaware Water Gap and beyond!

    Check our Google Calendar  to get an idea of upcoming trips. Just keep in mind, most trips get posted within a fairly short notice of a week to a few weeks.

    Sorry, no… but we encourage you to become a member so you can list your item AND join trips!

    One of the many benefits of becoming a member is enjoying a level of safety among friends that is not experienced with open platforms like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. Members are welcome to list items for sale, trade or for free on our private Meetup group or on our private Facebook Page. 

    Welcome to Long Island! 

    You can spend a lifetime living on Long Island and never explore all of its waterways! Not only are there many options for types of waterways including flat water rivers, protected harbors and inlets, open bays, the Long Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean, but trying to figure out how to get to the water and deciphering parking rules can be overwhelming! We know and we’ve all been there. 

    When you join trips, all the details including parking, carry distance and on-site facilities will be provided, which is a great way to learn your way around the Island, one club trip at a time!

    Members also get access to our Put-In Map, which has been years in the making, with new put-ins being added every year. We do our best to keep the map updated as parking regulations sometimes change over time, especially since COVID. 

    And of course, our events are fantastic social gatherings for all members to share information with each other about put-ins, gear and all things kayaking.

    Long Island Paddlers is a great way to familiarize yourself with put-in locations all over the Island AND learn advanced skills while you’re at it!

    Long Island is unique in the NYC-Metro area in that there are many elements to learn and look out for, including tides and currents, high-traffic boat and ferry channels, shallow marshes during low tide, open areas that are susceptible to high winds and more.

    Joining Club Trips is a great way to learn about all of these elements, one location at a time. And as a member, you have access to our Put-In Map, which has many of these elements, hazards and things to know before you go!

    Wanting to take your skills to the next level? Becoming a Trip Leader is a great way to learn invaluable skills from ACA-Certified members, while also ensuring that the our club has a robust season of trips for all members to choose from. Contact us to find out what’s involved in becoming a Long Island Paddlers Trip Leader!

    Yes! of course. 

    All Club Trips are rated by skill level and endurance requirements. Every attendee is responsible for understanding and meeting our minimum Paddling Guidelines. And every attendee is responsible for understanding and rating their own skill level accordingly.

    Every attendee should be able to get in and out of their boat, be able to comfortably paddle for up to an hour with only short breaks and handle variable weather conditions should unforeseeable changes happen during a trip.

    Yes! of course. Family Membership includes all children under the age of 18. Any adult children 18 or older must join as a regular member.

    All Club Trips are rated by skill level and endurance requirements. Every attendee is responsible for understanding and meeting our minimum Paddling Guidelines. And every attendee is responsible for understanding and rating their own skill level accordingly.

    Every attendee should be able to get in and out of their boat, be able to comfortably paddle for up to an hour with only short breaks and handle variable weather conditions should unforeseeable changes happen during a trip.

    Tandem boats are always welcome. 

    You will have to paddle with your pooch on your own time, sorry 🙂

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