PRACTICE INFORMATION
The paddling season (mid-April to mid-October) offers coached practices Tues and Thurs eves and sometimes a Sunday morning when the team practices on its own in a more relaxed environment. You may attend any/all practices.
Tuesday and Thursday evenings:
5:00 PM- Arrive, open trailer, set up, sign in, bring boat(s) in and uncover.
5:30 PM- Warm ups and announcements, load the boat.
6:00 PM- We will make ONE return trip to the beach to pick up latecomers who indicated so on the practice sign up.
7:00 PM- Back on shore, unload boat, cover and moor boat(s), close up trailer.
7:30 PM- Leave site
Sundays 9:30 AM-11/11:30 as lake availability allows—Regattas, Olympic trials, etc. are often held on weekends.
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TUE/THUR PRACTICES ARE CANCELLED VIA TEXT ALERT BY 3:00 pm —PLEASE DO NOT EMAIL OR CALL.
MD practice may be cancelled based on rain (50% chance) and/or thunder/lightning (50% chance) and/or wind (greater than 12 mph winds/gusts). High winds increase chance of capsize; mooring and paddling are very difficult.
Excessive heat/cold or other factors may have influence on practices as well.
ALSO-There has to be at least half a boat (10) signed up to paddle and a steerer/coach available.
We ask for your cell phone number and cell phone carrier on your member registration forms and that information is plugged into a program to be able to send 1 group message in the event of a change/cancellation in practice due to weather or other extenuating circumstance (i.e. road closed, boats sank, trailer gone, ……something bizarre).
PLEASE TRY TO ATTEND PRACTICES REGULARLY; YOUR TEAMMATES DEPEND ON YOU TO BE THERE!
Suggested Items to Bring/Wear You will be on water so be prepared to get wet!
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Sunblock/bug spray
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Water—enough for practice and afterward
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Sunglasses with securing strap
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Hat or visor
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Quick-dry shorts and a tee shirt/tank top
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Water shoes or old sneakers-NO FLIPFLOPS-the beach is small stones, may have broken glass, etc.
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Paddling gloves—some use lifting or biking gloves (we have paddling gloves for sale).
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Jacket and/or long pants (if it is chilly—often windy and cooler at the lake than at your house).
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Change of clothes & dry shoes or sandals
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Towel-to dry yourself and/or sit on in your car.
Note: We have first aid kits and an AED on site with several members trained in CPR.
Practice Sign-Up for Members (& Guests)
We use an electronic program (Sign Up Genius) for practices, races and other events. Practice sign up should be done at least a week in advance but can be completed for any/all dates of the full paddling season. Members not signed up for practice will be seated in the boat only if a seat is available. Guests may paddle up to 2 times for free and must sign a waiver each time.
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All registered members are sent an email invite/link (from Machestic Dragons) and then follow these steps:
Open Sign Up Genius and create a sign in top right of page.
When you Log in, sign up for as many practices as you want and to save selections click Submit and sign up.
Whenever you Log in, a page opens that says “Items I signed up for” and If nothing is listed, then you haven’t signed up for anything yet, did not hit submit, etc. and we won’t see you on any lists.
Practice sign ups determine how many boats we bring in from the mooring and who gets a seat in a boat.
When signed up for a practice you cannot attend--PLEASE DELETE YOUR NAME FROM THAT DATE rather than writing a comment. Paddler numbers are skewed if your name is still there-someone has to read comments/do math.
If you need late pick up on shore (6:00ish we come back once for late arrivals).or if bringing a guest(s) record that in the comment box (little pencil icon) and make sure to click “update my sign up” at the bottom to record the edit.