[Ken Bigelow]

Thanks for the reply Katya.  I was looking for the window during the  waxing crescent  / waxing Gibbous phases. I can always adjust the dates for say Sept 10-17 to hit a better window.

Happy to have feedback to make this trip happen.

[Yekaterina Yushmanova]

Ken, what speeds are you looking at during the trip? It seems like there are a couple of potential windows, but for very different skill levels, and nothing beginner friendly.

[Ken Bigelow]

I am planning a fall trip September 12-20 that I am looking to fill with another SKABC trip and Surge Narrows is what I have been thinking about doing.

If there is interest from the club and I can find a co-leader I will post up the trip.

 

 

[Mike Gilbert]

Due to popularity, I am putting on another Level 1 Skills course July 19 & 20 (Sat / Sun).

Day 1 is at Sasamat Lake learning some great paddle skills, wet exits and re-entries and some practical knowledge.

Day 2 is a launch from Vanier Park with the idea of lunching at 2nd Beach after an exploration along the shores of Stanley Park.  Included will be further paddle skills, a bit more knowledge on drylands topics and some more “wet” stuff.

We already have two instructors and four students.  We are able to welcome 4 more students onto the course.  If you are looking to get certified at Level 1 or are just wanting to review and get some professional feedback on your paddle skills this would be two days well spent.

And all for the very low price of $125.00 which is a huge special I give to members of PIKA and SKABC because it is one of my ways of supporting the clubs and their members.  If this is something that might be of interest to you let me know by contacting me at:

mgilbert@pacanticriskmanagement.com or Cell 778-835-0774.  Cheers, Mike

[Kevin Amos]

SKABC is a member of the Outdoor Recreational Council. Here is a webinar they recorded on Liability Insurance by

[Quirine Schuyff]

The executive of SKABC is interested in obtaining quotes for alternate insurance coverage. As these documents can often be wordy and complex, we would be greatly appreciative of a member or two being willing to help us write a request for quotes, and read through quotes we receive.
For anyone that thinks they may be able to help, please email : social2@skabc.org

[Kapila Jayaweera]

Also another suggestion. Would like to see whether we can build up a team with bunch of advanced paddlers. This allows improve their own skills by learning from each other. Also get the team to help with lesser experience members to bring their skill level up.

[Mick Allen]

. . . still focusing on water/parking/site/member access issues:

New member [smaller and smaller apts] access issues likely will provide more challenge over time, so any reactions will become more important over time. Interactions/agreements with other clubs [the Locarno example] or utilities [storage] or other members [say spare boats as club boats sound like a no-go] go some of the way for initial introduction, but more immersive involvement is difficult to enable – like how is one to get and store one’s own boat?

Maybe a few moments of quarterly web meetings could cover some appropriate commercial folders or even a pneumatic example or so. As well, maybe a yearly workshop, for those who would like to make their own folder – especially say a compact one [say based on river-sea crossover kayaks] – might go some small distance to addressing the issue and yet still be a real multi-day kayak but readily stowable in a closet or portable on transit if car-less.

Another idea to attempt getting around access parking ‘rules’ would be to try to get some kind of alternate status for SKABC members . . . say to trade on the great Howe Sound site stewardship status but maybe more specifically on say a perpetual ‘shore-cleanup’.

All of us usually carry some kind of garbage bag for odd junk we find, so what if we try to get some kind of Metro Park recognition with car stickers that say something like ‘Weekday Shore Pickup’ or ‘Metro Beach Cleanup’ anything along those lines.

Heck, SKABC officially [and others individually – I have and Nick and I have] has done a fair bit of cleanup on other lower mainland locations without trading on the publicity – maybe try and leverage that and the other creds for parking beach cleanup car-stickers to indicate elevated status . . . or at the most minimal and despite official recognition make up our own ‘beach cleanup work-in-progress’ in car banners/ cards [say like those handicapped cards on mirrors] that may at the very least give a little parking time respite, heh heh.

**

On the separate issue of attracting new trip leaders, what about reducing required qualifications when leading simple trips.

For example, how much leader qualification is really needed for a trips up Indian Arm, or longer ones up Pitt Lake, or Stave Lake, or say much longer ones up and around the Sechelt Inlet. Or maybe an intermediate for Harrison. Other than basic rescue ability and listening to weather – just about anyone could lead one of those – and they sure would get you out there.

Anyway, some ideas.

[Quirine Schuyff]

That’s very kind John! It would be for Saturday. Let’s see what they come up with and if needed I will contact you Thur eve or Friday eve. Thanks!

 

[John Leung]

You can borrow mine if you like. When do you need it?

[Quirine Schuyff]

I have 2 friends who would like to join SKABC and the rescue practice session but are worried about getting cold so are on the hunt for drysuits. They may be successful but just in case I thought I’d see if anyone was willing to lend one out. They are responsible people and would take very good care of it.

[Kapila Jayaweera]

We needs to find a way to help trip leaders, get more people to lead trips. I see many people have skills to lead though they seems to be bit hesitant. We only do trip planning meeting early in the year but may be add a second session in the middle of the season to add more trips, fine tune existing trips.

Also like what we did last year by posting trips without a leader or co-leader to see anyone wanted to pick up and carry on.

Also if club can provide additional training for the trips leaders like Wilderness First aid, subsidy for Paddle Canada courses, leadership training etc assuming they lead trips after taking training.
First aid kit idea was great, now I carry SKABC First Aid kit all the time.
Paddling film festival also a good idea to bring people together.

I like to see if we can setup a meeting or in person session to brainstorm how to get more people into trip leading.

[Kevin Amos]

As Membership Officer I agree that access to equipment is a challenge for Members who join the club without a kayak. However we have paddles at locations were rentals are available. However I do feel we don’t want the club to own equipment. Club Locarno is what I always suggest and believe we co-exist very well together. I have been reaching out to club Locarno to invite them to our social events in the hopes of growing our membership & possibility increasing our enrollment in training.

[Quirine Schuyff]

I’m selling my Delta 17 for $1650.
there is a Facebook marketplace ad up too under my name.
I can’t link it though.
I’m happy to send some photos if someone is interested.

[Mick Allen]

Another idea with respect to launches, their parking allowances and possible adjacent parking would  be a thread in this forum that included a continuously updated kml file.

this file would have specific launch locations and any additional notes or locations that would be of interest plus any related comments too.

The updates could come from posts to that forum thread or possibly by each poster – as  files are so small, if the ‘most recent’ one was corrupted, it would be no problem to just load up the previous one and move on from there.  And for backup, an older but perfect version could be held by a nominated person.

All that would be required would be the ability to upload a file of some kind [a kml or probably a zip file] to one’s post.

anyway, another idea.

[Author]

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