Re: [Paddlewise] Leader Requirements

From: John Winters <735769_at_ican.net>
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 1998 06:30:26 -0500
Chuck wrote;

> 
> 
> Just to keep things moving along, here is another question: Does your  
paddling club have any formal requirements for leaders in terms of skill,  
experience, etc., or can anyone lead a club trip who volunteers? If the  
club has leader requirements, what are they? What about leader training?

The two clubs I belong to have a slightly different approach to trips.
There are no leaders. There is a trip organizer. The organizer decides
where he or she wants to go and then lets out the word about time and
location as well as some idea of the skill level required and the maximum
number of people for the trip.

The organizer can refuse to let a person go if;

a) he doesn't like the person.
b) he doesn't think they have proper equipment.
c) he doesn't think they have proper skills.
d) he is just feeling irritable.

The idea is that the organizer is nothing more than a person who shouts
"Hey, anybody want to paddle out to the Bustard Islands with me?"

The organizer is not required to have any skills but they are expected to
have properly equipped boats even though no one checks. 

I think they feel the key word is "organizer" as opposed to "leader". 

Whether one becomes responsible just because the trip was advertised in the
club newsletter or because one is a member of the club has not been tested
in court.

I am the only member that I know of who has a personal  waiver. The club
has a waiver form they expect people to sign but I feel that that implies
some form of responsibility so I refuse to use it.


Cheers
John Winters
Redwing Designs
Specialists in Human Powered Watercraft
http://home.ican.net/~735769/
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Received on Fri Feb 20 1998 - 03:33:49 PST

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