Conditions of Involvement in Yakity Yak Club Trips

Yakity Yak Club Members' Responsibilities

• A participant must be a current club member and have completed and achieved the standard required on the introduction training weekend.
• A participant must understand that:

• They’re participating in a club trip led by volunteer club leaders.
• While the trip leader and Yakity Yak Kayak Club Regional Coordinator will do everything possible to manage the risks involved, it’s ultimately the club members’ responsibility to keep themselves and others safe. 

• As club members who have achieved the standard required on the two-day enrollment course, it is expected that:

• They understand their limitations and won’t go on a trip that will put them or others in danger.
• They will abide by NZ Maritime law, and wear a PFD at all times while on the water.
• They’re observers when attending a repeat course and will help as required.
• Free repeats are only valid for 12 months and dependent on availability. (Conditions apply)

Yakity Yak Club Leaders' Responsibilities

• Leaders must have satisfactorily completed a Yakity Yak Kayak Club leader training programme, attend annual professional development sessions (of not less than 4 hours), keep a log book of their kayak training and activities, and have a current first aid certificate.
• A trip must be lodged with the local Yakity Yak Kayak Club Regional Coordinator to be classified as a Yakity Yak Kayak Club trip.
• All club trips must have a plan lodged with the local Yakity Yak Kayak Club Regional Coordinator that covers:
  • Where the trip will depart from and go to.
  • The weather conditions that are suitable to run the trip in.
  • The skill set that is required by the participants to be able to handle the anticipated conditions must be stated/ acknowledged -
    • Beginner: no significant surf or swell, wind under 15 knots
    • Intermediate: surf or ocean swells less than 1.5 metres or wind under 25 knots
    • Advanced: any condition that’s suitable for the trip’s aims
    • Any special concerns that may apply to the trip and ways that these will be minimized.
• All trips will have a dedicated leader who’s responsible for checking that:

• The plan is lodged with the Yakity Yak Kayak Club Regional Coordinator before departure.
• The weather conditions are inside the plan’s parameters.
• Any risks are discussed with the group and all participants are happy to proceed with the plan.
• All participants have been asked for any medical conditions they might have that might affect safety.
• There are at least two or more forms of electronic communication that can transmit a distress alert and summon assistance, eg VHF radio, PLB, Cellphone, Sat phone, mountain radio or a tracking device (SEND) with distress alerting functionality.
• The group has the appropriate flares for the trip.
• There is suitable safety equipment, e.g. split paddles, paddle floats, bilge pumps, tow lines, knives, first aid kits, spare warm clothing, personal visibility, and well-fitting PFDs (which is always worn when on the water).
• The group is structured such that no one is left behind and all sub-groups have the skills to handle the expected situations.
• At the completion of the trip the Yakity Yak Kayak Club Regional Coordinator is notified of the group’s return.
• The trip report is completed and all paperwork forwarded to the Yakity Yak Kayak Club Regional Coordinator:
  participant list, weather forecast, 2-minute form, Take-5 form, any comments and incidents, e.g. a near miss or accident.

•  There is nothing, legal or otherwise, that will prevent me from being able to perform my role.