Paddle Smart from the Start

​Trip Preparation & Planning

When getting ready to schedule your next trip, be sure to use the following safety guidelines to help ensure a safe and enjoyable excursion:

Pre-trip Planning

  • Know the waters to be paddled. River and coastal guide books and topographic maps are valuable references in trip planning. Plan alternate routes
  • Set-up a shuttle. Calculate the distance and time. Consider stops and a lunch break, along with put in and take out locations
  • Equipment - What you take with you on a trip is all that you have to survive and rescue yourself. This includes water, food, maps and charts, rescue equipment and extra clothes
  • File a Float Plan with someone who will notify others if you don't return on time
  • Paddle within your, and your group's, abilities and limits on Water Behavior and Etiquette
  • Be a competent swimmer with the ability to handle oneself underwater, on moving water, and in surf or current
  • Have a properly fitted lifejacket (Personal Flotation Device - PFD), and WEAR IT!
  • Keep the craft under control. Do not enter a rapid unless reasonably sure you can navigate it or swim the entire rapid in case you capsize
  • Keep a lookout for hazards and avoid them. Watch for fog, especially on coastal waters.
  • Know your emotional and physical limitations
  • Group members need to constantly assess the behavior of others in their group
  • Respect the rights of anglers and land owners when paddling.


Know the Conditions

For Flatwater

  • Remember to watch for water and weather changes - beware of fog
  • Keep an eye out for other boat traffic
  • Pay attention to all safety warnings
  • Be sure you are visible

For Whitewater and Rivers

  • Stay on the inside of bends - Beware of strainers!
    Strainers are fallen trees, pilings, undercut rocks or anything else that allows the current to flow through it while holding you. Strainers are deadly
  • Walk around low-head dams
  • Watch for and avoid hydraulics (water recirculating back on itself)
  • If in doubt, get out and scout!

Pre-Trip Planning For Coastal Areas

    • As you travel away from shelter, make sure you have the necessary skills to travel back
    • Watch conditions for winds and fog
    • Understand wave height, wind speed (Beaufort Scale), fetch and how it will impact your travel
    • Stay aware of all boat traffic and traffic patterns
    • Learn re-entry techniques BEFORE you need them, know how to re-enter your boat and how to assist others back into their craft
    • Stay apprised of tidal currents and their affects on you and your boat
    • Watch for landing in surf or or passing through the surf zone to shore