Lead or Assist Trips

BECOMING A DECKHAND

Volunteering as a kayak deckhand is a great way to get started on building skills and perhaps working your way to trip assistant or trip leader. We ask you to be an intermediate kayaker and are willing to learn the skills below. Experienced volunteers at NBCB can teach you all you need to know. Ask about upcoming training workshops.

Deckhands should be able to demonstrate the following skills:

    • Communication

    • Awareness of the environment, whether water, weather, or people

    • Positive and pleasant demeanor

    • Knowledge of equipment set-up, and care

*To become a Deckhand, email kayaking@nbcboathouse.org, or talk to a trip leader and they will set you on the Deckhand path. Trip leaders and trip assistants will teach and demonstrate the above requirements.

Email kayaking@nbcboathouse.org for questions and to report your progress.

BECOMING A TRIP ASSISTANT (TA)

Trip assisting is a great way to give back to the community.

All trip assistants must be assessed by NBCB Trip Leaders. It is recommended, but not required to be ACA (a national kayak safety organization) Level 2 or BCU equivalent assessed. If you can’t make one of NBCB’s L2 training events, check out opportunities at Kayak Foundation located at Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Trip assistants should be able to demonstrate the following skills:

    • Communication

    • Awareness of the environment, whether water, weather, or people

    • Positive and pleasant demeanor

    • Knowledge of equipment set-up, and care

    • Marine radio use (channels for traffic, emergency, and general chatter; security calls responses to commercial vessels)

    • How to help if there is a capsize or other emergencies

    • Towing (both a contact tow [grabbing bow] and in line tow)

    • Lead and sweep, gather and stop signals

    • Basic local knowledge (shipping lanes, ferry stops, landmarks, eddies/resting spots, rules of the road)

    • Perform a wet exit

*To become a TA, email kayaking@nbcboathouse.org, or talk to a trip leader and they will set you on the TA path. You’ll shadow other TAs until you have a grasp on the above skills.

Email kayaking@nbcboathouse.org for questions and to report your progress.

BECOMING A TRIP LEADER (TL)

Without our volunteer trip leaders, NBCB could not provide our members with the amazing experience of kayaking around Brooklyn and New York City. If you are interested in becoming a trip leader please talk to a current kayak trip leader and reach out to the kayak committee at kayaking@nbcboathouse.org with any questions. We outline our basic guidelines below:

PROCESS AND QUALIFICATIONS

    • Pass the ACA Level 2: Essentials of Kayak Touring Trip Leader training (L2: EKTTL).

    • Pass NBCB Local Knowledge test

    • Assist on five NBCB kayak trips

    • Co-lead at least three kayak trips (These trips must run with at least one trip assistant and three participants. Trip leaders in training must be evaluated by at least two NBCB trip leaders and at least two of the co-led trips must be on the East River).

Co-leading means a NBCB trip leader oversees and supervises a trip leader in training who will:

    • Create a float plan (Wild Apricot event listing counts as a float plan)

    • Post the event on the calendar

    • Evaluate all potential paddlers’ skill level for trip participation

    • Execute the trip (set-up and clean-up)

*Once you have completed all the requirements, fill out the Trip Leader Application and email kayaking@nbcboathouse.org. Your application will be submitted to NBCB trip leaders for review. NOTE: All applicants for trip leader are subject to final approval by the kayak committee.

Please contact the kayak committee with any questions: kayaking@nbcboathouse.org