Sea Kayaking Boat Use

Where can I paddle with club boats?

As long as you have the required rating, and the flag/weather conditions and lake rules permit, you can sign out boats on Lake Mendota whenever you want. It is a good opportunity for exercise and pleasure on a nice day. On a summer day with calm lake conditions, you can paddle the whole lake if you have your SK1 rating (the beginner’s sea kayak rating)! Please refer to the chart at the end of this page that gives the lake rules for sea kayak use on Lake Mendota based on weather conditions and paddler rating.

Outside of Lake Mendota, in order to be able to use the boats and club gear, you should be participating in an official Hoofers trip – but there are always many trips going on, and once you participate in some trips and feel comfortable in a boat, being a leader is not difficult! When you lead trips you can go wherever you want as long as you get approved from the water safety chair. Just remember: Hoofers is a volunteer organization, so the more people volunteer, the more fun we all have! On all trips (except for Lake Mendota), there is a $2 per day fee for boat use. This helps us to do small repairs and maintenance for regular wear and tear, without the restriction of our annual budget.

Do's, dont's, suggestions when using club boats and gear:

· When you take out a boat, always fill out the sign-out form! It not only provides us with information on what boats are gone at a given time but it also gives us an idea of which boats are more frequently used.

· We have a fleet of more than a dozen of sea kayaks, so try different ones to get accustomed to the feel of different boats and what suits you best. Just don’t forget that you can NOT use the fiberglass boats (we have one tandem and one solo) on Mendota as they are too fragile for the rocky shores of the lake.

· Speaking of fragile, the sea kayaks are more fragile than the whitewater boats, so definitely NO seal launching! On Lake Mendota, you can enter the water keeping your boat parallel to the shore or pier (just be careful as the steps can be slippery!), then use your paddle to balance yourself and the boat (put one end of the paddle on the stairs –NOT on its edge- and the other end at the back of cockpit), then enter your boat while you push your paddle down and keep your body down. Do NOT lean towards water – as long as you don’t want to get wet! If this sounds confusing, don’t worry. It will be covered in our introduction to sea kayaking lesson.

· Please take good care of all the equipment you’re using, and if you notice any problems with any gear, please let the sea kayak chair know.

· On a trip or on the lake, always remember where the gear was stored, and put it back in its place.

· Once you’re done and return your boat to the boathouse, don’t forget to sign-in your boat – the boat is your responsibility as long as it’s signed out to you. A boat missing and not signed in means that it is still on the water, and this information can be very important, for example in case of an emergency or a storm.

· If the weather conditions worsen as you’re paddling and conditions become dangerous, do NOT stay on the water! Go to the nearest shore and wait for conditions to improve. Just don’t forget to return the boat and gear! J

Links

· For general kayaking techniques and skills, you can check out the Kayak Skills page under whitewater kayaking – it can also help you understand what people are talking about!

· For pictures of some past trips, places to go, and more info for advancing in sea kayaking, check out: http://skeg.apu.com/

· Lots of useful info about sea kayaking, including a library of techniques, check out: http://www.useakayak.org

Lake rules chart for sea kayaks

First, find the row with your rating, and then refer to the column with the color of flag. The flag is just outside of the boathouse, but you can also call 262-7445 and learn about the flag and weather conditions. All boating must be during daylight hours, between sunrise and sunset.

Flag	Purple		Green		Green + Yellow		Blue		Blue+ Yellow	Blue+ Red	Red
Sea Kayak Lake Rating	Mooring area		Mooring area		Mooring area		NO BOATING Lessons are at the instructors discretion		NO BOATING Lessons are at the instructors discretion	NO BOATING	NO BOATING
Sea Kayak SK1	Solo: Yellow Line*	2 or more boaters: whole lake	Solo: Yellow Line*	2 or more boaters: whole lake	Yellow Line*		Boating not recommended; Mooring area		Boating not recommended; Mooring area	Boating not recommended; Mooring area	NO BOATING
Sea Kayak SK2 or higher	Whole lake		Whole lake		Solo: Yellow Line*	2 or more boaters: Whole lake	Solo: Mooring area	2 or more boaters: Yellow Line*	Boating not recommended; Mooring area	Boating not recommended; Mooring area	NO BOATING

*Yellow Line is defined as an imaginary line between the end of Picnic Point and Tenney Park.

 

What if there is no flag?

It means that water rescue teams are not on duty, so extra caution is necessary! Check the water temperature at Outdoor Rentals.

· Water temperature < 55 F: NO BOATING without prior permission from the water safety chair

· Water temperature >= 55 F: All boating must be during daylight hours, between sunrise and sunset:

o Lake rating: NO BOATING. Lessons are allowed.

o SK1: Follow the blue flag rules, weather permitting.

o SK2 or higher: Follow the green/yellow flag rules, weather permitting.

 

The Hoofer Outing Club promotes safe, fun, outdoor and social activities that are open to all. This means we promote diversity, try to accommodate people who are disabled (within budget constraints), and do not allow harassment of any kind. For more information, please email our Accessibility Chair.