Festival Safety Information

For Festival Participants: Mandatory Equipment and Skill Levels

Please note that the club trips are organized by volunteers and not commercially guided. This means that you as participant have to take full responsibility for your actions and decisions.

It is your responsibility to bring the mandatory equipment (see below).

It is also your responsibility to choose trips within your abilities. The trip organizer will help you to assess your skills; but it will be your own decision to run or portage certain rapids, and to judge your performance on the river.

Mandatory equipment

The following items are mandatory:

Seaworthy boat
Flotation bags in your boat
An adequate paddle
Personal floatation device (PFD) to be worn while on or in the water
Signaling device (whistle)
A bailing device (sponge?) and
A floating rope of at least 15 meter length (throw rope).
A sprayskirt,
A helmet,
Appropriate thermal protection clothing.

Additionally useful items are spare paddle, spare warm clothing, rescue and first aid kit (make sure there are a few of each in your group).

Each hosted run will commence with a short safety meeting (review river signals, location of possible walk-outs, special hazards). Should you decide to take out before the end of the official run, please inform the registration desk when you return to the camp area.

The VKC requires all participants to sign a waiver and refrain from paddling under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Information for first aid, emergency contacts and communication protocols will be available at the Festival registration desk and from the shuttle drivers.

Skill Levels

Beginner: has pool experience, knows how to put on a spray skirt, how to wet exit and where bow and stern are on a kayak. No runs on the Chilliwack River, but beginners can get wet in Cultus Lake.

Novice: some experience on moving water. Has an idea what a roll is and manages to do some. Can maneuver the boat. Chilliwack from Pointe Vista down. Class II (with occasional class III drops). Other rivers on which novices should feel OK are the lower Seymour, lower Mamquam, and lower Cheakamus (Paradise Valley).

Intermediate: Roll works most times. Boat moves usually where you want it. Class III (occasional class IV drops). Comfortable on Chilliwack (Slesse down), Capilano, Chehalis, Cheakamus (Daisy Lake down).

Advanced: 99% roll. Very good boat control. Rivers: Chilliwack Canyon, Lynn, Nahatlach Canyon. Class III+ to IV-.

Experts: Almost a 100% roll. Because you don't want to swim what you paddle. Sorry, no trips for you girls and guys. But you are welcome on our easier runs. We always need help! Runs on class 4+ and above are NOT part of the official Festival. Shuttling and paddling any such runs is done ON YOUR OWN organization and RISK.