Who can Hire Equipment?
Our club boats are available for hire by active club members and for club events/courses only; they are not to be hired out commercially.
General Limitations:-
River - no club boats are to be used on water rated above grade 3;
Sea - no club boats are to be used in advanced sea conditions (ie. force 5 or above, more than 3 miles off-shore or between islands);
Surf - no club boats are to be used on off-shore breaks or on surf over 4 foot (sea and surf kayaks).
Equipment Hire for Club Activities
Club-run trips are always led by qualified coaches/trip leaders and they will therefore judge and consider paddler skill levels, so equipment hire is self-regulated on these occasions (although it must nonetheless be logged onto the booking system).
Equipment Hire for Non-Club Activities
For club members with no formal qualifications
Experienced club paddlers with no formal star qualifications can hire equipment provided they are known to be, or prove that they are, proficient for the grade of water proposed. Members falling into this category should ensure that they have the support of a club coach, who can vouch for their ability, before making a booking.
For club members with 1 Star (plus 4 completed guided trips) and 2 Star qualifications
This is the minimum required standard to hire boats and qualification or experience should be of a recent nature (within last 5 years). All group and trip details must be fixed and given to the volunteer hirer when a booking is made. The group size should be not less than 3 paddlers (negotiable in some circumstances). Having a known experienced paddler in the group may extend trip possibilities.
This standard allows for equipment hire to trip standard of:
Sea – Loch and sheltered flat water
River – Loch and flat sheltered water
Open boat – loch and flat sheltered water
Paddlers of this standard that are know to be of good experience and ability may be allowed more freedom. Also, provision is made for trainees/beginners to get practice if conditions are suitable . Both are at the discretion of the hire volunteers.
For club members with 3 star qualifications
Most of the guidelines laid out for 1 and 2 Star also apply to those members holidng 3 Star awards, with the exception that they are now discipline specific.
This allows for equipment hire to trip standard of:
Sea – Short costal trips in calm conditions
River - Loch and flat sheltered water
Open boat – Loch and flat sheltered water
Provision is made for known to be of good standard paddlers to have morefreedom
For club members with 4 and 5 Star qualifications
The general limitations guideline for group and trip details apply.
This allows for equipment hire to trip standard of:
Sea – Force 4 maximum conditions
River – grade 3 conditions maximum
Open boat - moderate volume grade 3 water maximum
Please keep your planned trips within your skill level.
How do I Hire Equipment?
Equipment hire is carried-out on an entirely voluntary basis and the contribution that these volunteers make should be considered before making a booking. If you are having difficulty in hiring equipment, or are interested in becoming a volunteer to hire, then now may be a good time to get involved. Your assistance would be very welcome!
The following steps should be followed when undertaking any equipment hire through Inverness Canoe Club:
1. Have all trip and group details ready to pass on to hire volunteer;
2. Select a volunteer hirer from the list shown on the website (you may need to select more than one depending on availability);
2. When phoning please try to keep calls to no earlier than 9am and no later than 9pm;
3. If the volunteer hirer agrees to hire out a boat (all hires are at their discretion), then arrange a mutually suitable time for collection and return (please be flexible with your times and be punctual);
4. Stay in contact with your volunteer hirer and let them know if you are running late or your plans change;
5. Give plenty of notice for a hire request; two days or more (bookings will not be accepted with less than two days notice). If you want to make a booking well in advance (ie. a number of weeks/months), then that's great, however we ask that you reconfirm the booking with the volunteer hirer closer to the hire date;
6. Ensure you have a suitable roof rack and tie-down straps; safe manual lifting of boats should be carried out by two people;
7. Please return equipment in a clean state and rinsed with fresh water to remove salt/water-bourn infections. Return all soft kit in sets and hang it up where it should live in the equipment hut. Please report any damage you find to the club's Equipment Officer so we can fix it;
8. Contact the appropriate person i.e. coaches and trip leaders do the hire for their events contact them. For example, there is a group which is solely responsible for Wednesday evening sea kayak hire and there are other individuals who deal with ad-hoc hires.
9. A deposit cheque of £100.00 is required in order to hire sea and open boats. This will be handed-back to you when the boat is returned, unless damage or loss has occurred (in which case a commensurate amount will be withheld). Please make sure you have the deposit when going to hire a boat. If you intend to hire equipment on a regular basis, the deposit cheque can be left with the club for the season in order to cover future hires.
10. Cost of hire –
- For kayaks used on club trips/courses: £5.00 per person, per day.
- For kayaks used on non-club activities (inc. private trips/commercial training courses): £10.00 per person, per day;
- For open boats used on club trips/courses: £5.00 per boat, per day;
- For open boats used on non-club activities (inc. private trips/commercial training courses): £10.00 per boat, per day.
These costs include soft kit (bouyancy aids, spraydecks etc.) and paddles if needed.
Hire for Coached-Courses and Led-Trips run by ICC or advertised to ICC Members
Coaches and trip leaders will deal with the hire for their own trips (unless otherwise stated) and must state the number of boats their group will need to hire, and supply dates, so boat availability can be managed and entered into the boat hire system as soon as possible.
They should not use a volunteer hirer to dispense boats as it is expected that they will dish-out equipment themselves, but they can nominate a member of there group to undertake the hire if desired and a key can be sought from a volunteer hirer, with the hire money passed on at the same time. All arrangements should be made well in advance of trip.
Hire for Non-Club Courses and Trips
Under these circumstances, the group (i.e. two people and above) must organise their equipment needs themselves, albeit along the same guidelines as outlined above.
Any Questions or Queries?
If you are unsure about any of the guide lines or what they mean for you, then do contact the equipment hire organise for advice.
