This is one of a series of webpages about organisation of paddle trips at the River Canoe Club

The Mechanics of Organising a Paddle

Introduction

The River Canoe Club (RCC) operates from a location that is spoilt for choice for wonderful waterways in and around Sydney. There are even more a little further afield.

Organising trips is very rewarding and not as daunting as it initially appears. Organising (and when you are ready leading) a paddle will improve your paddling knowledge, skills and confidence. There are also other benefits that go beyond paddling such as improving your leadership skills, problem solving and event management. Our organisers invariably report that organising a trip is a positive experience.

This and its connected webpages provide information and guidance on the process for organising trips within the RCC. It takes the reader through the entire process, however, there are existing plans for many of our paddle trips and templates for other trips. Therefore most of the planning is done already and just needs customising. A key document used in organising a trip is the float plan. See the Purpose of Float Plans for general information on this.

Whilst the information on this page may appear extensive and complex, in reality it can be followed as a series of steps that are neither complicated nor time consuming. Once someone has a little practice with the system, trips can often be set up in about an hour. If all of our members did this for a couple of trips per year we would have heaps of paddles taking place.

Overview of the Trip Planning Process

All trips need to be planned to improve safety and success. Planning is a phased process, and the phases can be shared, especially for big trips. This means that there’s nothing too daunting for one person or at one time. When you are new to trip planning give yourself some time. With a little practice, you can often plan a trip at short notice.

The RCC has a good number of previous plans that you may draw on when planning your own trip. The Committee can help to provide these to you. If you are new to trip planning we can also guide you through the process.

The RCC wants its trips to be a positive experience for both leaders and participants. Remember that even if you are a great paddler, you need to accommodate less experienced paddlers and find the right balance for everyone. Most people like being challenged and grow as a result.  However, they will not appreciate being pushed beyond their comfort zone for too long.

Click on the boxes above to explore the RCC planning process further.