The HCKC Sea Kayak Fleet organizes kayaking trips and training for touring and sea kayaks. In addition to day trips to nearby lakes, we often do overnight or extended trips on Indiana lakes, the Great Lakes and  Atlantic Coastal Areas.   

                   

2024

Touring & Sea Kayak Training Include: (details below)

Introduction to Paddling & Intermediate Paddling Training (see HCKC Calendar)

Open Water Rescue Training Geist Reservoir, Indiana

Open Water Skills and Training on Lake Michigan

Tuesday Night Conditioning Paddle Eagle Creek

Pool Practice (see HCKC Calendar)

  

2024 Trips Include

Extended Trips this year include Beaufort, North Carolina, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, and Chain of Lakes Michigan. Weekend trips include Lake Michigan,

Summit Lake, Monroe Reservoir Overnight and Ohio River. Day trips include Cataract Falls, Geist Reservoir and the Ohio River.

Click here to view the complete HCKC Sea Kayak Calendar. 

Trip Leaders  

If you haven't led a trip before, email or call one of the Sea Kayak co-chairs and we would be glad to work with you on your first trip. Sea Kayak Trip Sponsor's Guide will help you learn the ropes. For each event, participants will sign the HCKC Waiver.

Anyone with a touring kayak or sea kayak is welcome to join us. 

Contact Information:  For more information, contact one of the HCKC Sea Kayak Co-Chairs Linda Decker  or  Tony Pascuzzi 

Sea Kayaking News and Spontaneous Trips:  The Google E-mail list is used (SEAKAYAKHCKC@googlegroups.com) to let people know about upcoming events, spontaneous paddles and to discuss touring/SK questions.  

Contact Linda Decker to be added to the E-Mail list.  

If you are just getting started as a Sea Kayaker here are some helpful hints Getting Started Sea Kayaking.docx

A new addition is the HCKC Trip Levels grid and the Sea/Touring Kayak Trip Requirements for Personal and Group Safety.

Mobile device link to HCKC SK Trip Levels Trip Level Guide 1-2021.docx 

Sea/Touring Kayak Trip Paddler Requirements for Personal & Group Safety

Planning and Preparation for Trip

• Paddlers are responsible to understand the proposed trip, being aware of their own skills related to the level of the trip and assure that they have the proper equipment.
• If the paddler has any health conditions that may be an issue, the Trip Leader should be notified in advance (Hearing, Diabetes, Severe Allergies)
• Before joining a trip, paddlers must know how to wet exit from their kayaks while wearing their sprayskirt.
•  Required equipment will be determined by Trip Leader and will be communicated in the trip announcement. For most trips, we pick locations where paddlers must wear spray skirts, must have fore and aft flotation (either sealed hatches or flotation bags), and must have perimeter deck lines (4-5mm static cordage that doesn’t stretch
•  For "bigger water" trips (e.g., Great Lakes, Monroe, or the Atlantic), we may require that you have a sea kayak (>15 feet) and that you have participated in an open water rescue clinic before coming. 
•  If water and air temperatures put the paddler at risk for hypothermia, appropriate clothing (such as a dry suit, wet suit or neoprene) will be required
• The Trip Leader may need to change the paddle plan based on changing conditions (temperature, wind, weather).
•  For advanced trips, participants should be comfortable paddling in anticipated lake (wind/wave) conditions specified by the Trip Leader. The paddler should have completed training to build strength and endurance to paddle the expected speed/distance planned for the trip.
•  The Trip Leader will make the ultimate decision on ability of each paddler to be able to safely participate in the trip

Registering for the Trip

• HCKC Members are invited to register for a trip
• Registration should be done on line from the Trip Announcement, this will assure that you receive any communications from the Trip Leader prior to the trip
•  Additionally, direct emailing the Trip Leader may be requested in the Trip announcement
•  Complete a Waiver and COVID screen and send it to the Trip Leader prior to leaving for the put in

On the Water

• On all trips, paddlers must wear their life jackets at all times while paddling
• During a Club Sponsored Trip, the Trip Leader sets the expectations for the group and participants are expected to comply
• Stay with the Group - All paddlers on an HCKC-sponsored trip must paddle with the group unless the paddler asks the Trip Leader to leave the group and their departure is agreed to by the Trip Leader
• Clear communications can be critical to the safety of the individual or group. 

Eagle Creek Tuesday Evening Paddles:  In 2022, we will meet for training paddles at Eagle Creek on Tuesday afternoons and evenings from May 3rd through September 27th.  Watch the  newsletter for details and for the available Tuesday night park pass.

• Intro to Paddling Class - this is a 4- to 6-hour class for new paddlers that covers paddling equipment, safety issues, and how to do your basic kayak strokes (forward, reverse, sideways, stop) correctly.  This provides a good foundation for new paddlers.   
• Open Water Rescue Clinic - Everyone paddling lakes is encouraged to join us in this clinic every year.   This is a chance to learn or practice solo and assisted reentries that you need on open water (when you can't easily drag your boat to the bank).  This is necessary for experienced paddlers as well as newer ones since these skills have to be sharp when you get in a situation where they are needed.   The Open Water Rescue Clinic will be held on June 18 &19th, 2022.
• Intermediate Paddling Classes - We will have Intermediate Level  Kayak Skills Classes - these classes are intended for paddlers with at least one-year experience since taking an Introductory class.  Focus areas will be announced for classes - these will hone your turning skills, your forward stroke, bracing skills, and teach you maneuvers that you will need for handling big water conditions.
• Rolling - Rolling is the safest and fastest form of Open Water Rescue.   Learning to roll is highly individual and I would encourage you to go to the pool to learn to roll.  Check the Pool Training Page for information.