: Erik has been organizing trips out to Jamestown for rock garden
: paddles and Sheldon has organized trips to Napatree for surfing.
: These have been in the pick-up category, but having a rating
: system in place so planners can easily cite it and participants
: can easily make a judgement could help encourage more people to
: participate.

: I think there is some truth to this. I've frequently talked with
: people speculating on the distance paddled, wondering if it was
: 8 or 10 miles when it was more like 4 to 5. For beginners, 1
: mile is a long way and can seem like a death march. However a
: time and a distance can help. A beginner may need 45 minutes to
: go that mile. For example the Fishers Island circumnavigation is
: about 17 to 20 miles depending on the launch site. It can be
: done in 3 hours (race pace, no stops) or it can be done in 6 to
: 7 hours (moderate pace, long lunch and a pee break or two).
: Providing both time and distance along with a description of the
: pace (very slow, slow, moderate, fast, very fast) , how long the
: lunch break will be and how many other stops are planned can
: give new participants a good feel for what to expect.

: I think that from a "friendliness" perspective that
: instead of a bullet point definition, that a narrative form of
: description of the rating system could be the most effective.

: A Level One paddle is typically a relaxing trip of
: about 6 miles covered in a couple hours. The trip will have a
: slow pace with time to chat as we go and an hour or so for lunch
: on a nice beach. If you have a minimal amount of experience
: paddling over the past year you should be fine to join us on a
: Level One trip. Please bring a spray skirt and be prepared to
: wear it. Even on the best day conditions may change. If you
: don't have much experience with a sprayskirt, other paddlers
: will be there to help you learn how to use it.

: and at the other end of the spectrum:

: Level Five trips are typically "all day"
: affairs on the water for 4 to 6 hours with only a short 30 to 45
: minute break for lunch and maybe another 15 minute pit-stop. If
: you are comfortable sitting in your boat for several hours at a
: time and paddling continuously, this may be the trip for you. We
: may cover 15 to 20 miles, paddling up to 10 miles at a time
: without stopping. Typically paddlers on these trips are
: physically fit, somewhat experienced, with good knowledge of
: self rescue skills and ready for some adventure. Due to the
: duration of the trip paddlers should be prepared for strong
: winds, fast currents and large waves, be sure to check the
: weather forecast before driving to the launch to be sure you are
: comfortable with the predicted conditions. If you are uncertain,
: other participants will be happy to advise you on whether or not
: it is appropriate for you to launch.

Thanks to all who are working the trip classification wording, website and other changes that are making ConnYak into a better club.

I favor wording that states requirements in a more relaxed way, in the vein of Nick's suggestions.

We need to continue to invite/encourage additional paddlers to join ConnYak. Our website wording and sometime our behaviors intimidate prospective new paddlers. Many paddlers in the "general public" have the (totally false) impression that we are unwelcoming elitists. I have had discussions about ConnYak with inquiring paddlers a number of times over the last few years. After reassurances that we are actually are very welcoming and many of our paddles are not "hard core" ventures, some of them have joined us. A few are clearly not fit for even the length of our more modest paddles. Without actually stating that, I discuss typical trips as 2 hours of moderate paddling, lunch and another 2 hours back and encourage then to increase their routine paddling length until they can go that distance. With one lady this Fall, we discussed wearing a sprayskirt being needed at times, on many paddles. Also discussed was that she needed to practice tipping over and wet exiting to be safe wearing a sprayskirt. I offered to help her practicing wet exits when the water warns up in the Spring. Time will tell if she takes me up on the practice. We may gain another new member, or not, but I'm working on it.

Dave