Packrafting and Safety Free Community Event

Hi folks, I hope everyone is keeping safe and well.
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In the interest of promoting safety within the packrafting community I am proposing an introduction to packrafting, river safety, and paddling basics “get together” on the Yarra River around Warrandyte in VIC on Saturday February 20th.
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The aim is to share knowledge and experience within our paddling community, and to come together to increase each other’s’ skills and knowledge, particularly for those new to packrafting, or wanting/needing to increase their awareness and skills.
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As such this will be a community social activity, not a formal or insured or commercial event. That being said, there will be qualified and experienced paddling instructors and packrafters in attendance who will be more than happy and willing to share what they know.
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Anyone with experience wishing to attend and contribute is more than welcome, as are our interstate friends, as long as the situation allows without restrictions.
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The river section will be easy flowing grade 1 to suit new paddlers, and allow us the opportunity to focus on important skills and techniques, and we will end in Warrandyte where there is parking and coffee...
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This is not a whitewater specific activity, although there is scope for further events if there is enough interest.
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Although informal, I propose that we spend time both off-river and on the water to cover:
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• Personal protective equipment and correct use
• Safety processes, e.g. group pre-paddle briefings, communications/signals and more.
• Basic safety skills, knowledge and self-rescue concepts
• How to work together as a group on the water, and basic assisted rescues
• Packraft set up, use and care
• Safe entry and exit
• Basic paddle strokes and essential paddling techniques
• River basics – essentials such as hazards, features, considerations.
• Field repair basics
• As well as plenty of flexibility & time for tips, hints and Q+A along the way.
• We will spend a good amount of time in the packrafts on the river gaining confidence and working on learning and improving basic paddling techniques.
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In the interest of safety we will need to keep attendance at a reasonable level, so request that anyone interested in coming along just lets me know prior at Geoff@packraft.com.au or by accepting the event invite on Facebook.
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A waiver will need to be completed by all participants, which we can send to you beforehand, or which can be completed on the day before the event starts.
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Equipment wise, people will need to bring their own packrafts, paddles, PFD’s – although for anyone without gear who is interested in coming along there are a number of options for packraft and/or gear hire that we can assist with. This would need to be organised in advance. No extra boats or gear will be available on the day.
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Thanks folks. Safe paddling.