First Saturday Kayaking
At the South Bay Yacht Club / Alviso Marina
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Come one, come all, to the fabulous First Saturday
Kayaking at the Alviso Marina.

First Saturdays of the Month

Note that all dates might be canceled or changed due to weather, availability of boats and gear, etc.
Your hosts: Sheila & Lisa


FOR KAYAKERS

FREE use of kayaks, life jackets, paddles, and all gear -- while supplies last - we might run out so RSVP soon.

Meet at the South Bay Yacht Club 9am sharp to pick up gear and get set up.  1491 Hope Street, San Jose.

We launch from the Marina about 9am-9:30am.

Depending on tides/winds/weather, we will either paddle out toward the Bay, or paddle inland toward Highway 237.  Both directions are interesting in their own way.

Our kayaks are mostly double sit-on-tops.  But we have a few single sit-on-tops too.  Though we recommend paddling in a double kayak -- if you don't have a partner, we will match you up with a kayak buddy.  For experienced kayakers who know how to "wet exit" from a sit-in kayak, we have limited numbers of sit-in kayaks to loan as well.

Note: If you borrow kayaks, you agree to stay with the group - go no faster than the slowest kayaker in your group, don't race ahead, keep everybody else in sight.


 

Kayak Crew
Note that all dates might be canceled or changed due to weather, availability of boats and gear, etc.

Location: Meet 9am at the South Bay Yacht Club 1491 Hope Street, San Jose, CA (map)
Then come to the Alviso Marina to launch by 9am to 9:30am. 

Tides, Weather, Conditions, availability of experienced kayak leads determine whether we go or not.
Sign up below to receive updates on whether trips are canceled due to bad weather or conditions.
To RSVP for this event, fill in the following.
By RSVPing for this event, you agree to hold Sheila and Dean and Lisa and all affiliates & partners and friends blameless for all mishaps, cancellations, changes, etc.
All Kayakers must sign up individually.
SBYC members may bring up to 1 non-member invited guest
unless pre-arranged with Lisa Bickford.
Need Gear?
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  Needs kayak gear
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Remember, SBYC members may invite no more than ONE guest to kayak,
unless pre-arrangements are made with Lisa Bickford or Sheila Tost.

SBYC First Saturday Kayak Krew  - Safety Rules for all Kayakers

  1. Trip instigators reserve the right to deny service to any person for any reason. Trip instigators also reserve the right to cancel activities altogether

  2. All kayakers must show up at the yacht club by 9am 1491 Hope Street, San Jose.   All kayakers pick up gear, go to the bathroom, fill water, dressed for weather conditions.   Preference will be given to pre-registered kayakers for available boats and gear.  We may or may not have kayaks and paddles and pfds for those not pre-registered, and may have to turn away anyone not pre-registered due to lack of equipment.   Those who brings their own equipment should check-in at the Yacht Club then proceed to the Alviso Marina to unload their boats and gear and prep for kayaking.   We will do safety briefing at the Marine pre-launch.  Those borrowing equipment from Dean and Lisa *must* stay with one of the two groups.

  3. We walk to the Marina about 9:15am together.  Ready to go by the time we reach the Marina (bathroom done, water bottles full, etc.)

  4. All kayakers carry their own PFD, seat, and paddle from the yacht club to the Marina.  This ensures that we will get to the Marina with the exact amount of gear needed.  (Caveat: sometimes we discover that PFDs/seats/paddles are broken when we reach the Marina.  So we will probably keep a couple of spare sets hidden in the car or on the kayak rack for emergencies.)

  5. All kayakers must sign in/check in at the yacht club then proceed to the Marina in order to ensure we have an accurate headcount before we leave the Marina.

  6. We assign boats to kayakers at the Marina

    1. New kayakers should go out in Double Sit-On-Tops for their first time and be evaluated each time as to which kind of boat to take.  Nobody should go out in a single boat unless they've been approved to do so by Dean, Sheila, Shirley or Lisa.

    2. Sit-in kayaks are only for experienced kayakers who know how to self-rescue.  All new kayakers get sit-on-tops.  If we don't have enough, someone stays home.

  7. All kayakers attend the pre-paddle safety briefing at the Marina.  No exceptions.  Topics include:

    1. What to do in an emergency (blow your whistle, call an initiator, waive your paddle, call 911 if a medical emergency, etc.)

    2. Tides and currents of Alviso Slough

    3. What to do if you fall out of your kayak - Explain basic self-rescue techniques.

    4. Why it's important to stay together and stay behind your leader.

  8. All leads and sweeps have a VHF radio, no exceptions.  Sometimes the VHF radios get out of range of land control.   If we have a VHF radio on the lead and sweep kayakers in each group, and a couple of radios in between, then we can usually relay messages back to land control.

  9. Cellphones in dry bags with everybody's emergency numbers. - Emergency - 911

    1. Dean - 408-209-3049        Lisa - 408-398-8398

    2. Nathan -  408-649-4609       Sheila - 408-218-9914

  10. Two pods - one pod for fast experienced kayakers, a 2nd pod for slower or entry-level kayakers

  11. Buddy system - at least 2 kayaks always stay together

    1. Never go ahead of your leader or behind your sweep kayaker.  Stay in the group

    2. Be prepared to go at the pace of the slowest person, no exceptions.
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Ready to sign up? Arrive at the yacht club by 9am to get fitted with life jackets and to get a paddle and get a boat.  
We then drive or walk to the Alviso Marina a couple of blocks away. 
We will launch at the Marina before 9am. 
Tides, winds, weather, availability of trip initiators or gear availability and many other factors might
cancel or postpone the trip.
Trip instigators reserve the right to deny service to any person for any reason.


Note: Applying for an event does not guarantee participation.
We will contact you to verify your slot.