Welcome to Canoe Paddling There are a lot of reasons people are drawn to canoe paddling. Over the years you hear them all: I always wanted to try it; My friends said to come try it; I need the exercise; I like the water; I like the competition; I thought it would be exciting. By far and away, however, the most common reason novices have for paddling is: "It looked like fun." Canoe paddling is fun, but it is also is hard work. To do it well, you need a good (and patient) coach and a personal commitment to learning all you can about paddling technique, your role in the crew, and the dynamics that move the boat. You also need to commit the time to practice. Like any other skill, excellence comes from practice and the experience you gain from practice. As a sport, canoe paddling is one of the least expensive. The only personal equipment you really need is a T-shirt, a pair of shorts and a paddle which is a lot cheaper than a tennis racquet or a set of skis or scuba gear or a surfboard. Canoe paddling is a team sport. Each member of a crew has a job to do, and the crew as an entity has a job to do. Individual commitment is necessary to have a successful crew, but individual effort alone will not make a crew successful. The successful crew is six people for Outrigger or 20 people for Dragon Boat, totally synchronized and blending together to make the boat glide through the water. Unlike baseball or football where the team plays a game and each individual has a role in the game, the paddling team is a single unit that is only as strong as its weakest member. In an ideal crew, each paddler should be able to sit any seat including steering. Note: More detailed information on such topics as: paddle sizing; training; steering, etc. is available in the club binder in the storage cabin. ABOUT OUR CLUB "Come paddle beautiful Okanagan Lake with us!" OUR 2008 EXECUTIVE: President: Denys Lawrence Vice President: Lorellei Sullivan Secretary: Donna LePape Treasurer: Shawn Tozer Race Director: Lorellei Sullivan CORA Rep:TBA Outrigger Rep:TBA Member at Large: TBA COACHES: Rec/Novice: Linda Woodman Open Women: TBA 2008 PRACTICE SCHEDULE: Click Here Our Background The Vernon Racing Canoe Club was founded in 1992 by Cheryl Skribe and Harold Shim. The original focus was Dragon Boat Races with the purchase of two baby dragon boats. Since that time, with the help of many keen paddlers, the club has grown in numbers and focus and now includes Outrigger Canoeing for Juniors up to Senior Masters. OUTRIGGER CANOEING A BRIEF HISTORY: It is believed the outrigger canoe originated in the region of Indonesia, spreading outwards with the migration of its people into Samoa, (the birthplace of Polynesian culture) and also Micronesia and Melanesia. Although there is evidence that it existed in other parts of Polynesia, contemporary outrigger canoe racing has its origins in the Hawaiian Islands. It is the Hawaiian outrigger canoe which is principally used internationally for racing. It is common practice to use the original Hawaiian names to name the parts which make up the outrigger framework; the spars (iako), the floatation device (ama) and hull (ka'ale). Many indigenous names exist for canoe, but the more universal names used in outrigger canoe racing include: Wa'a- Hawaii, Va'a- Tahiti, Waka Ama- New Zealand. General Outrigger Canoe Knowledge A modern Hawaiian Racing canoe weighs 400 pounds (w/o iako and ama). A new fiberglass canoe costs between $8,000 and $11,000. There are many different hull styles for canoes. Some are Malia, Hawaiian Catamaran, Hawaiian Racer, Bradley, Force Five, Clipper. The canoe racing association in BC is CORA: Canadian Outrigger Racing Association. You should only sit in a canoe when it is in the water. Why? Stress may crack a fiberglass or wood hull. Always enter and exit the canoe from the left (ama) side SO YOU DON'T FLIP THE CANOE. HAWAIIAN TERMS: Imua = Go Forward huki = Pull wa'a.= canoe ama.= the outrigger float 'iako.= the bars that hold the ama to the wa'a hoe = to paddle. hoe wa'a.= canoe paddler Outrigger Seat Jobs Seat 1 sets the pace and the stroke. Seat 1 must maintain a good "feel" for the movement (glide) of the canoe, and adjust the pace accordingly. This means watching the water ahead, and paying attention to the feel of the boat. Seat 1 also changes the rate depending upon the conditions. This seat will often have a paddle 1/4" to ½" shorter than the back seats. Seat 2 is responsible to work with Seat 1 maintaining the timing of the boat on the opposite side. Seat 2 will mirror Seat 1 in timing and stroke length. Seat 2 should be watching the water with Seat 1 and quietly communicating with them to confirm how the boat feels, stroke rate and length. Seat 1 and 2 should establish short signals such as,"reach" for a longer stroke rate, "up" for increased rate, and others, as needed. If Seat 1 disagrees, say "NO". Seat 3 (in VRCC) calls changes and always be aware of what is happening around the canoe (in order adjust stroke count). There will be times when the count must change - stay on one side to prepare for a turn, start sequences, riding waves, etc. Seats 4 and 5 are to power the boat and maintain balance. Seat 5 may be required to assist the steersperson in difficult water. Seat 5 and Seat 6 must quietly communicate and work together. Seat 4 is also the bailer, as required and watches the ama in rough water. Seat 4 must also pass messages up the boat. When the crew shoves off, Seat 6 is responsible AND liable. Seat 6 first responsibility is crew safety; second - canoe safety; third is steering and navigation and fourth - keep the crew in time, focused and motivated. After that, Seat 6 is a paddler. An additional responsibility of Seats 2 & 4 is to watch the 'iako. (Always lean back and out on the iako whenever the canoe is at rest and be "ama conscious" when the canoe is moving.) An additional responsibility of Seats 3 & 5 is to steady the canoe. Seats 3 and 5 must also pass along commands from the Steersperson, if necessary. The steersman is always in command of the canoe, however, everyone is responsible for the safety of the crew and the safety of the boat. COMMUNICATION PROTOCOL IN THE BOAT While paddling in both Outrigger and Dragon Boat there is appropriate communication standards that should be followed. These standards make sense to realize maximum team performance and minimum team stress! The following are parameters we all should follow. OUTRIGGER The Steersperson - Similar to DB, this is the only person in the boat other than the coach who should be giving orders or directions. Only he/she calls timing, calls paddles up, asks for draws left and right, rate changes etc. Five Seat - Five seat can quietly communicate with the steersperson to assist in guarding the Ama. Five may be asked to pass on messages up the boat if the steersperson is looking to give direction in a way that can not be heard by other crews. Four Seat - Can take over the count if three seat or six requests them to do so. Can also call "Ama" if they see a problem coming. Calls "Four bailing" when out to bail. Three seat - Three seat calls the Hut for the team in VRCC. Some other clubs use Two or One. We prefer three as they are more central to the boat and it allows two and three to focus on their duties. Three seat may adjust the stroke count on their own choice based preparing the team for a buoy turn or in attempt to get one three and five on Ama side to stabilize the boat. Two seat - Communicates quite encouragement to one seat. Two seat may asked one seat to consider an adjustment in rate or stroke style depending on the feel of the boat. These requests are suggestions only. One seat will ultimately decide along with six if a change is warranted. Two seat will also pass on messages sent up from six seat via the back of the boat. One seat - One seat does not need to talk to anyone other than two seat. He/she may ask two seat for advice on the feel of the boat or she may ask for a message to be passed back to six seat if she is considering a change that six should be aware of. One seat should have some "secret" signals developed with her team to indicate, upping the rate, increasing the intensity for a pass (Pauline's "Grunt"), lower rate more power and other such strategy signals. No one other than six seat and the coach should be giving directions in the boat. They are the only ones who can call "timing" comment on technique. All others in the boat should only be offering positive encouragement to their fellow paddlers. IS THERE AN APPROPRIATE SITUATION WHEN AN ADVANCED PADDLER CAN GIVE DIRECTION TO A MORE INEXPERIENCED PADDLER? You bet! When and if they ask, when and if the coach asks you to work with someone, and on the rare occasion that you are out for a paddle without a coach and someone is in obvious need of some help. If you are offering unsolicited advice you are venturing into dangerous ground and should be extra tactful and sensitive in your approach. Comments such as "Can I offer you a tip?" "You are doing great however you could make one change such as ______" You must be extra careful to not make the paddler feel intimidated, inadequate, persecuted or any other negative sensation. As you can see giving advice is risky business! ARE THERE TIMES WHEN WE CAN TALK TO EACH OTHER? It is appropriate to call out positive encouragement during a race or training session. Chit chat should be saved for water breaks, cool down and after paddling. We only have a short time on the water during our two to three practices per week, lets make the best use of this time. ARE THERE TIMES WE SHOULD NOT BE TALKING AT ALL? Only call out your encouragement or appropriate directions after three seat has called a change or in sufficient time before the next call. It is very frustrating when someone calls out something just as three calls a change and members of the team miss the call. It is also frowned upon by fellow team mates if you are able to recite your weeks activities during a hard training or race situation! If you are able to say more the two or three words under these conditions you are probably not working hard enough. Tips for Veterans Paddling with a beginner may renew your enthusiasm ENCOURAGE: Likely one dozen people that you know, would like to give paddling a try but have no idea how to begin. They will not likely approach you, for fear of slowing you down. Invite them for a paddle - do a shorter, slower workout. HOLD BACK: Beginners may need to go slowly at first. Building a base of fitness requires 4-8 weeks. Many beginners increase distance or speed too quickly or paddle too many days/week, resulting in aches, pains, loss of motivation, and longer recoveries. Don't push the stroke rate with beginners. Technique must come first. TAKE BREAKS: Incorporate breaks into your paddle with a novice. Tips for Beginners JUST ASK: Don't feel intimidated or uncomfortable asking questions of veterans. We were all beginners. Veterans love to answer questions about paddling and once started, you may find they are sometimes hard to stop. WAIT UNTIL YOU ARE READY: If you haven't paddled before, do not try to keep up with a veteran's pace and distance. If you are out with a veteran crew, don't kill yourself - take a break for a couple of changes even if the crew keeps going. Catch your breath and have a drink. DON'T GET CAUGHT UP IN THE STROKE RATE: This can take away from your enjoyment of learning the technique. Focus on technique, consistency and smoothness. Outrigger Technique Technique, technique, technique! Everybody has an opinion, secret, the right way, perfect stroke rate, etc. This is the style we are trying to develop in order to have a consistent club technique. 1. BRACE YOURSELF.Get a good foot plant against the bottom of the canoe with the paddle side leg. This will help you transfer the power you generate into the canoe. 2. BRACE YOURSELF SOME MORE. Try to lock your off side under the seat, up against the side of the canoe or where ever you feel comfortable. This will help keep the lower body from twisting opposite to your upper body and again assist the transfer of power. 3. POWER FROM THE CORE. Most of your paddle strength will come from the core. Your back, stomach and shoulders are the driving force in your stroke. 4. STRONG TOP HAND. The top hand does two things. Firstly, it applies power forward and down at the beginning of the stroke (catch). This gives a leverage assist to the stroke. Secondly, it locks your paddle into the water and your complete torso into the twist of each stroke. 5. SMOOTH D STROKE. We want to exit with an outward sweep, forming a D with your stroke. The paddle will enter at the front, slicing into the water from the outside. As it enters, give the forward and downward thrust with the top hand. Imagine that after the entry of the paddle, you are trying to lift the boat and yourself with the initial force of your stroke. Now move into the pull portion of the stroke which is where the torso twist comes into play. Exit the blade just after it passes the knee and before your reach your hip. 6. PAUSE AT THE BACK AND GLIDE. During timing drills or practicing boat glide, pause at the back of the stroke rather than at the front. The theory is that if you pause at the front, you are adding to "boat dive", and restricting the unweighting glide sensation of the boat. 7. GO FOR THE GLIDE. An OC-6 with full female crew weighs 1200 lbs or more. This is a lot of weight to move or to stop. Think of how long the boats glides when you stop paddling and learn to use this glide. 8. STROKE RATE. There is no perfect rate. There is a comfortable rate relative to your team's ability and size. Water conditions also come into play. We start off with a slow rate of 50 to 55 strokes per minute. From there, we will slowly increase the rate as our boat speed, skill and fitness increase. We will likely end up around 68 to 70 strokes per minute for women and 64-66 for men. 9. TIMING. "In together, out together", you will hear time and time again. There will also be lots of same side drills. Every paddler from the largest to the smallest, must enter and leave the water at exactly the same time. Smaller people must try to reach their stroke out and larger people may have to shorten their stroke a bit. All paddles must go through the water at the same speed. 10. BOAT SPEED. Get the boat up and moving as fast as you can, then start to back off power until the boat speed is seen to fall off.A smooth team can back off 3 to 5% in effort once the boat is moving and still maintain speed. Boat speed and stroke rate are directly relative as long as technique and reach are the same. When training at lower effort levels, the stroke rate and boat speed will be down. Training Information PADDLING IS AN AEROBIC SPORT! The following are some tips that pertain to off-season training and work well throughout the season. THREE BASIC WORKOUTS THAT CAN BENEFIT ALL OF US 1. Spring Training. Design your own, use your favourite, or get a qualified coach to set something up. One example: do a 15 minute warm up, then 90 second sprints with a 30 second rest in between. When your heart rate jumps up or performance drops off by 10%, stop the workout and do a 10 minute cool down. Record your workouts. Watch that performance improves. If it stops improving or drops off, you may be in need of a rest. 2. LSD. Long Slow Distance works. Paddle at a low heart rate (110 - 130 bpm) for extended distances.Increase the distance each week by 10 % until up to about 3 ½ hours. Remember, these are long, easy workouts. 3. Muscular Endurance Training. This can be weights doing 100 to 150 reps per exercise. Another way is on the paddle machine with the power level set high. Simulate the paddle action as close as possible. One arm dumbbell rows,incline bench,and cable rows are next best. Example workout: 15 minute warmup at level 1; paddle machine set at 10 for 4 minutes times 4 sets; 2 minutes rest in between sets; then 10 minute cool down. Increase the time of each set by 10 % each week. IMPORTANT TIPS 1. Cycle your training. An easy one to follow is a four week cycle. Three weeks of hard training, increasing volume or intensity each week with the fourth week being an "easy" week. Start the first week of the next cycle at the level you left off in the previous third week. 2. Keep hard workouts hard and easy workouts easy. Exercises and Commands There are many exercises which crews are expected to execute to improve crew efficiency or to accelerate. These are a sample: "NEXT CHANGE, TWO AND FOUR ONLY" or "NEXT CHANGE, SAME SIDE DRILL" During the next change, only seats two and four will change over putting everyone paddling on the same side of the boat. This is for timing and technique practice. 1&2 3&4 SAME SIDE! Next change, seats 2 and 3 change only so that 1&2 paddle together and 3&4. CHANGE ON THREE! Seat 3 calls changes every three strokes to practice the change over specifically to keep the boat moving during the change and to keep everyone in time during the change. "NEXT CHANGE, THREE POWER TENS" (or eights) Starting at the next change, bring the stroke rate up a bit and power up to 100 %. Changes are called at every ten strokes (or 8) for three changes. Used when boat slowing or to focus the crew. "TWO AND FOUR ON THE AMA" or "WATCH THE AMA" When the seas are heavy and the boat gets "tippy." The steersman is alerting 2 seat and 4 seat to be aware of the movement of the ama. "SILENT CHANGES" An exercise where the crew all changes at a pre-determined stroke count...without Seat 3 calling a change. It promotes intense focus and concentration in the crew. "BLIND TIMING" Seats 1-5 paddle with their eyes closed, keeping time only by the rhythm of the boat and the sound of the other paddles hitting the water. The crew must focus on the rhythm and feel of the boat. "TWO MINUTE PASSING DRILL" This is a practice exercise that trains crews to apply the mental and physical intensity necessary to pass another crew. When practicing in multiple boats, the first (lead) crew slows just enough to give the trailing boats a "chance" to pass. You have two minutes to pass. After the last boat passes, the new lead boat slows down just enough to let trailing boats attempt to pass. The idea is not to simply let the trailing boats pass, but to give them the opportunity to try to pass. The value of the exercise is for the trailing boats to apply full power and maintain it long enough to make up ground and surge ahead. Hard Start (for Dragon Boat & Outrigger) Getting a good start is critical to winning a race. Especially in regatta racing, the start can give you both a physical and psychological edge over other crews. Mental discipline is the primary foundation for a successful start. When your steersman calls "Paddles Up" (or any other "set" command) you should focus your attention solely on your own boat. On your start command (whether it be "Hit" or "Imua" or "Huki") drive your first 3-6 strokes firmly and deliberately. Remember that you are applying force to move 1,200 to 1,300 pounds of mass and you are trying to get that mass moving as quickly as possible. After the first deep strokes, your stroker will pick up the pace. Focus on being in time (synchronized) and pulling hard. Depending on the crew and the success of your start, your Number 3 may not call a change for as many as 16-20 strokes. This allows you to apply smooth even power without the interruption of a change for as long as possible. After the third "change," the crew should "settle in." What this means is that the boat should have reached a speed sufficient to "glide" or plane through the water. At this point the crew should adjust its pull and stroke to take advantage of the boat's momentum (remember you now have 1,300 pounds of mass going forward). Common errors in starting are: being distracted by other boats and other crews; not starting together so that the timing is off from the very first stroke; and not properly executing the hard, deep pulls to move the boat. Additional Commands When the steersman calls "UNI RIGHT," the person in seat one holds the paddle against the RIGHT side of the canoe -- creating resistance on the right side of the boat. This action will move the nose of the canoe to the left. All other paddlers should paddle normally. (Conversely, UNI LEFT or KICK LEFT will push the nose to the right.) On the command "DRAW LEFT" seats 1 & 2 lean out to the left and pull canoe to the left. You should never "DRAW RIGHT!" (note, if your steersman wants help moving the boat to the right, seats 1&2 may "Uni Left" which moves the nose to the right.) To "HOLD WATER" or "HOLD THE BOAT" you put your paddle in the water and hold it there to stop the canoe. You usually "BACK PADDLE" to park the canoe or maneuver into position. Your steersman will call "TIMING" when paddlers are not pulling together. When you hear "PADDLES UP" you should: lift paddle to "set" position. Some steerspersons may call "Ready All," or just "SET" In Hawaiian, "IMUA" means Go Forward and "HUKI" means Pull. Either of these commands may be used in place of "hit" as a command to begin paddling. "TAKE IT AWAY" is also acommon start command. The command to stop paddling may be "HOLD UP," "HOLD," "EASY" or other variations. Racing Turn (Left Turn) As you approach the flag/buoy (at approximately 2 canoe lengths) the Steersman will call "TURN COMING UP" NUMBER 3 SEAT make sure to call change to put Seat 2 on the LEFT (Number 1 on the right) when you get approximately 1 canoe length away from the flag or almost immediately after your hear the steersman say "Turn Coming Up." As you enter the turn, the Steersman will call "UNI" NUMBER 1 SEAT poke blade in on the right and kick water to initiate left turn. NUMBER 2 begin to Draw Left. NUMBERS 3, 4, 5 keep time but do not power. Steersman will call "OVER" (Some steersmen will call "DRAW" for this command) NUMBER 1 & 2 SEATS will Draw Left. NUMBERS 3, 4, 5 paddle hard! Steersman will call "STRAIGHT OUT" NUMBERS 1 & 2 paddle forward (both on the left now) NUMBER 3 call an immediate change in which all paddlers change sides, except NUMBER 1. NUMBER 3 then count an 8-count and call change again (short call) then count another 8-count for a second short change over (in order to get the boat moving again). Check Your Boat! Before the canoe is put in the water, do a visual and physical inspection of the rope riggings. Ensure that they are tight. Try to wet the rigging so the ropes will contract and get tight. If you find your rigging is loose at all, notify your steersman who will notify your coach. Check your iako for cracks or structural weakness. Check that bulkhead and ama plugs are in and tight. Check that you have at least two bailers per boat. Each crew must be responsible to check to see that they have bailers in the boat before leaving shore. Tie at least one bailer to a rope on one of the 'iako. Ice cream buckets are not adequate as bailers. If any of the canoes need rigging before practice, all paddlers should help. If you do not know how to rig -- watch, learn, ask questions and try it the next time. When returning from a practice, make sure all equipment is stored away properly and that the boats are cleaned. Personal Safety and Security You should know how to swim at an intermediate level before paddling. If you cannot swim or cannot swim well, make sure you notify your coaches and wear your lifejacket. And make sure you remind them occasionally. You should not wear or carry anything in the boat that you are not willing to give to the ocean or lake. If the boat should huli, everything goes into the water. Car keys, slippers, bracelets, watches, earrings, water bottles, and money have all been lost after a huli. All valuables can be left on shore, in your vehicle or the cabin. Rigging All paddlers should know how to rig a boat. If you get to practice and find your boat has loose rigging, you should take the initiative to re-rig the loose section. Among some clubs there is only "one way" to properly rig a canoe. However, in looking over the rigging on the boats at major races like the Queen Liliuokalani race in Kona or the Molokai Hoe, it's clear that the folks from Maui rig differently than the folks from Oahu, and the rigs from New Zealand crews are radically different from the Hawaii crews. Even the North Shore Oahu clubs rig differently from the South Shore clubs. So, pragmatically, an acceptable rig on a canoe is one that holds the parts together in "moderate" ocean chop. Or put another way, "If it doesn't fall off, it's fine." In our club, Nancy Schneider's way is best. That's not to say one technique isn't better than another. Those paddlers and coaches who have years of experience have developed lacing systems that can stand up to very rough ocean conditions. When boats are being rigged, come and watch and learn. Then the next time, try it yourself. Huli In Hawaiian, the word "huli" means to turn over. If you huli your canoe: First and foremost, count heads to make sure everyone is OK. Seat 6 is in command and gives all commands. Check for partners: 1 and 2; 3 and 4; 5 and 6. If anyone if missing, seat 6 will assign a paddler to take two lifejackets and search for the missing paddler. Next turn the boat back over. Position the boat sideways to the prevailing swell. Seats 3 & 4 position themselves over the hull on the side opposite the ama to help pull the boat over (stand on the ends of the iakos) Seat 1 collects the paddles swimming front to back. Seats 2 & 5 position themselves at the ama, push down on the ama and then lift the ama to help turn the canoe over Seat 6 controls the actions. When you have turned the boat over, seat 5 gets back in the boat to start bailing. Everyone else should move to the ama side and keep the boat steady. Trade off bailing duties until the boat is at least 75 percent dry. During this time, 1 seat should be putting paddles back in the boat. When the water is about ankle deep get back in the boat from the left (ama) side and begin paddling (don't worry about finding the "right" paddle. At this point only Seat 6 needs the correct paddle. For now, 1, 2, and 3 paddle, 6 steer, 4 & 5 KEEP BAILING. Note that if you need to switch paddles later, turn to your left (ama) side when passing paddles back and forth. Personal Equipment Question: What should I bring to practice? Answer: A lot depends on your individual preferences, however, there are some basics you should think about: PADDLE Of course, you need your paddle. This assumes that your commitment to the sport is such that you have purchased your own "blade." DRINK Paddlers should bring a small bottle of water or sports drink to carry with them in the boat. HEADBAND Bring a headband, hairband or hat of some sort to keep your hair out of your face and sweat off your face. A DRY T-SHIRT It's up to you, but having a dry towel and a T-shirt or sweatshirt to put on after practice will be more comfortable for you. During early or late season, polypropylene is recommended as cotton is very cold. SUNSCREEN You really do need to protect yourself from the sun -- especially on race day at the beach and any daytime practices. Don't worry about it during weekday evening practices. NEOPRENE You'll see a lot of paddlers wearing neoprene (wet suit material) shorts. Neoprene is popular with paddlers because it cushions the hard seats of the canoe and minimizes chafing. Biking shorts also work well. FOOTWEAR All paddlers must help put boats in the water and bring them out. Early season, wetsuit booties, rubber boots, or running shoes and wool socks are recommended. Flip-flops or sandles are good for warm weather. GLOVES Sealskin,waterproof, sports gloves or rubber for early season. Biking gloves for later season. Stay Alert The waters on the lake by Paddle Wheel Park are particularly crowded, be mindful of power boats, sail boats, water skiers, and swimmers. There are a number of points that all members of a crew should remember: When you're on the lake, WATCH FOR OTHER BOATS! Be ready to change direction suddenly and always be ready to hold water hard. Watch for boat wash. Make sure you are familiar and comfortable with the Huli drill. All coaches must demonstrate the Huli drill to the crews. Boats must not leave the dock without two bailers. Ice cream buckets are not sufficiently rugged to count. Each boat must carry enough life jackets for each paddler. If the water is below 60 deg. F, every paddler must wear a lifejacket.(NO OPTION) Early season of April and May, stay in the bay, near shore. OC-1 and OC-2 paddlers must bungie life jackets to their boats when going out. If the lake is extraordinarily rough, stay in the bay and at least 100 m off shore. Spray skirts should be worn to be really safe in very rough water. The steersperson must gage the experience of the crew and decide on how rough they can handle. If caught in rough water, bail constantly. The safety of the boat is EVERYONE'S responsibility. If you are heading into a dangerous situation, your steersman may be distracted or unable to react quickly enough. Other members of the crew must take the initiative to stop or divert the boat. OC-1 and OC-2 Usage Please carry all the boats and parts to the grass near the water for rigging. No matter how careful you are in the compound, you will end up scratching the boats on the gravel. Place the boats so that the rudders hang over the edge of the grass towards the lake. The rudder is the most common thing to be damaged on these boats. If you find the Nai'a too difficult to carry alone, make sure you use the small cart provided in the shed. Strap the cart near the front of the Iaku mount and wheel the boat like a wheel barrow to the grass. Please put the cart away while paddling as it may be stolen. Return the cart when you return for the ama. Watch the rudders while putting the boats in and taking them out of the water. Rudders get damaged when they do not have enough water depth and someone climbs on the boat. Never put weight on the boats when they are out of the water. They will crack like an egg. They are designed for strength in the water, not shore. Notify KEN CROMBY of any damage or maintenance required. Accidents happen and if you let Ken know how something got broken, then he can get a notice out to help prevent someone else from having the same problem. OC-6 LAUNCHING 1, 2, and 3 seats lift the bow. 5 seat places the cart under the middle of the boat - ask for a relift if not balanced. 4 seat removes the cradles. While moving the boat, 1 seat controls the attitude and steering from the bow. Other paddlers should only need to push. (On the Advantage, do not push or lift on the seats!) Using the boat launch (early season), guide the boat as close to the walkway as possible. Once started down the ramp, hold the boat so that it does not get out of control. 1 seat calls "HOLD THE BOAT", so that 1 and 2 seat can get into position with knees bent, to prevent the bow from scraping the ramp during the final entry into the water. Seat 6 controls and holds the stern (from dock) while it enters the water. Seat 5 pulls cart from under the boat with the ropes and puts the cart up on the beach (tie it up if possible). Once in position along the dock, seat 6 call the loading order: Seat 4 in and holding the Iaku Seat 2 in and holding the Iaku Seat 6 in and hold dock Seat 1 in and hold dock Seat 3 in Seat 5 in Returning to the compound, reverse the procedure and then Seat 6 controls the attitude and steering of the boat from the stern. In the compound: 1 seat pushes down on the bow; 4 seat position the rear cradle under the 5th seat; 1, 2 and 3 seats then lift the bow, 5 seat removes the cart and 4 seat positions the front cradle under the 2nd seat and the ama cradle. 6 seat checks the boat position in the compound and calls for correction, if necessary. 6 seat ensures that plugs are loosened from the bulkheads and ama. Coaching At VRCC, our commitment is to give every paddler as much coaching as possible and all the coaching they need. This means that some people will get more attention than others. Remember that it is not necessarily the best paddlers that get all the attention. But whenever a coach is giving advice to one paddler, listen and evaluate whether it may apply to you as well. Once you understand the basics of technique, timing and seat assignments, a lot of the "coaching" you'll get is in the form of reminders. You may, for example, have a tendency to not twist your body enough when you get tired or aren't concentrating. Your coach may just yell "twist," and you should be alert enough to get the twist back in your stroke. Sometimes, rather than single out one person, a coach may just tell the crew to "watch your timing." Getting everyone focused on timing is never bad, so just calling timing is enough to bring everyone back into sync. There are only so many minutes in a practice, and it may seem those that need the attention the most get an inordinate amount of coaching. This does not mean that no one is watching you. This does not mean no one cares whether you succeed or fail. If you have questions about your own performance or are unsure about some aspect of the technique or the overall practice, please ask. Most coaches hang out after practice to talk one-on-one with individual paddlers. Take advantage of this time, especially if you feel you have not received adequate attention during practice. Chances are you're doing fine, but it never hurts to be reassured. Race Day Q: What happens on Race Days? A: Regatta races are almost always held on Sundays. Some distance races are held on Saturdays. Remember, the earlier you get to the race location (beach) the more likely you are to find parking. In some locations like Lotus or Jericho, parking late may be virtually impossible. In others, you can find parking, but will end up walking a long way to our club tent. The primary concern in the minds of most paddlers on race day is their own race and their own crew. (This is as it should be...) However, there are many important club activities that take place that need your help. SETTING UP THE TENT AND CANOES: We usually set up our tent very early on race day. We also have to take the canoe off the trailer, carry it to the beach, and rig it for racing. That's a lot of work and the more hands we have, the easier the job. CARRY CANOES IN AND OUT BETWEEN RACES: We may not race in every event. In those cases, the canoe will have to come out of the water between races. Everyone should help with that chore, since it demonstrates our solidarity as a club and our respect for our canoe. At some races, the crews coming in or going out may need help getting into the canoe. Everyone should be at the water then to help the crews switch. In rare cases, the next crew racing may want to use a different canoe. In that case,one canoe needs to come out of the water and another go in. GREET CREWS COMING BACK: Win or lose, each of our crews deserves our support. Having your fellow club members on hand to send you off and especially to greet you when you come back is important. TAKE DOWN AND CLEAN UP: Paddlers who just show up for their race then leave are missing out on a lot of the fun of being part of a club. They are also making it harder on those who have to stick around and clean up our area, take down the tents, unrig the boat, and load it on the trailer. BRING FOOD: Bringing food (donuts, chips, sushi rolls, bread, cookies, etc. is often an ad hoc affair. Suffice to say that you should bring your own drinks (plenty for a whole day at the beach) and you can bring something for the table "as the spirit moves you." Time Requirements for Race Programmes Paddling in a competitive club is a commitment of time, money and effort. The biggest obstacle and most-often the major barrier to participation in a club is the commitment of time. If you have committed to a race team, you will be expected to show up and participate at all practices (at least three times a week), as well as showing up for races. All paddlers are expected to occasionally show up for a club "work day" to fix boats or clean up the club site. If you must miss practices, try to book a session in the OC-1 or OC-2. Coaches and club officers, of course, invest much more time preparing paperwork, organizing club activities, representing the club to the canoe associations, and making sure all the equipment is ready for practice. It is understood that all paddlers are amateur athletes and all of us have jobs, school and family commitments that must be given due consideration. In the final analysis, however,it will be those who have invested the time and effort to become good and dependable paddlers who will be chosen to fill racing crews. Work and school come first. Paddling will always be here. Paddling with VRCC can be a rewarding social and personal experience, if you are able to invest the time necessary to make your participation worthwhile. If, however, you cannot make the commitment in time to this sport, you should not be disappointed when those who do invest the time advance in skill and secure crew placement. There is a lot of room in our club for those that want to participate on a recreational basis.