General Guidance

The club has two trailers which are used to transport boats- the small trailer has capacity for eight K1s/ C1s and six K2s/ C2s, and the larger trailer has capacity for up to 20 boats (including K4s/ C4s) depending on size and shape. This is to assist those members who don’t have cars (e.g. juniors, novices etc.) or to transport boats that are too big for a domestic car (e.g. K4, C4 etc.) However we rely on members with cars with tow bars volunteering to drive them. Thus, if you have a car with a tow bar and would ever consider towing the kayak trailer, we’d be delighted to add you to the pool of volunteers.

The canoe club will support paddlers in attending races by endeavouring to provide trailer transport for boats to the following:

  • All in region Hasler races
  • Hasler Final
  • Interclub Sprint Regatta in Nottingham
  • Other Nottingham Sprint Regattas
  • All Wey Hare and Hound series races.

This is subject to a trailer driver being available, and minimum viable numbers requiring trailer transport.

Boat transport may also be available for out of region Hasler races, the National Marathon Championships, or other club attended races or events.
Cost

Anyone who’s boat is carried on the club trailer pays a contribution to costs (which is £5 for a local race {i.e.in-region race or Hare and Hounds} or £10 a seat for a distant race {i.e. Nottingham Sprints or Hasler Finals}). Of this, £1.50 / £2.50 will be kept by the club to go into a fund for repair and maintenance of the trailer, and the remainder is paid to the trailer driver to compensate them for the additional costs they incur in driving the trailer.

Trailer Booking

Communication will go out a week before the entry closure of the race that the trailer is going to a particular race. To book a space on the club trailer for a C1, K1, C2 or K2 for use at a race please follow the steps below:
Before the communicated booking deadline (normally the Thursday before the particular race but could be earlier based on the size of the race), email rcctrailerbookings@gmail.com with:

  • The name of the paddler
  • The paddlers partners name for K2 or C2 and whether they are a member of Richmond Canoe Club or not
  • The actual specific race you are entering e.g. Richmond Hasler division 5 K2, to allow any required reorganisation to take place
  • Confirmation that you have paid for the trailer through webcollect (https://webcollect.org.uk/richmondcanoeclub) by showing evidence of payment.

All requests by the end of the set deadline before a race will be treated equally, with the following exceptions:

  • For Hasler races, K2 will be prioritised over K1
  • When requesting a space for a C2 or K2 with a non-Richmond club member as a partner, you will be prioritised behind club members. Once allocated a space you will keep it for the race and will not be bumped by other club members.

Alex Flockhart will resolve any overbookings for spaces that cannot be resolved (e.g. other transport/combining use of boats/combining k1 paddlers into K2 etc.) via a coin toss/random number generator.

An email will be sent out the day after the deadline confirming that the requested space is available, the trailer that is going to the race (big, small) and any special instructions. The trailer driver will receive a list of who has paid for trailer spaces at this point.

All requests after the deadline will be resolved on a first come first served basis, however boats must still be booked through emailing rccboatallocation@gmail.com and paid for through WebCollect.

Notes on Trailer Booking:

  • If you decide not to use a trailer space once allocated, contact rcctrailerbookings@gmail.com straightaway so the trailer space can be reused.
  • Once allocated a space, it cannot be passed on to another member. It must be put back into the pool by contacting rcctrailerbookings@gmail.com to be re-allocated.
  • Should the trailer be going to a series of races (Watersides, Hare & Hounds etc) a separate request must be made for each race. This includes any re-scheduling.
  • To aid with transportation, and to get the maximum number of paddlers racing, it may be that you are requested to share your club boat with another crews on one day e.g. a division 7 race in the morning and a division 5 race in the afternoon.
  • At least one member of a crew using a boat must be racing for RIC to reserve a space on the trailer.
  • Boats are to be loaded and strapped down by the paddler the day before the departure of the trailer. Some straps can be found in the Harbour Masters Area, however you are responsible for tying your own boat on so you should not rely on these.
  • When using the bottom row on the small trailer, please make sure that the number plate holder is fully pulled out before loading your boat. It should be out past the end of your boat. It is required that paddlers using a boat for a race, unload his or her boat and put them back away in the boathouse when the trailer returns to the club. This should happen on the same day as the race.
  • For Sunday races, when boats are to are loaded on Saturday, do not load any club kayaks before the start of Saturday afternoon novice session, except with the agreement of one of the adult novice coaches, as they may be needed for this coaching session. Club boats loaded before this are at risk of being removed from the trailer and used for this session, and the adult novices and their coaches will not be responsible for any resulting consequences (e.g. settings moved, paddles moved, etc.)

*** Anyone using a club trailer is responsible for supplying straps and securing their own boat. There are some club straps available, but these should not be relied on. If there are unsecured boats on the trailer, the driver may remove these.***

Trailer Drivers

Anyone driving club trailers must have the appropriate licence category. Information from British Canoeing on this is available here: New rules for towing a trailer.
Payment for driving the trailer will be sent via bank transfer in the week following the race.

Private use

Trailers may be available for private use, for transporting boats to events not
listed above. Use of trailers for these circumstances must be requested and approved in advance, by emailing committee@richmondcanoe.club with the following details:

  • Name of person who will be driving trailer
  • Which trailer is being requested
  • Trip details, including event that is being attended
  • Day(s) that the trailer is needed for
  • Number of boats that will be transported

Drivers are invited to make a donation to cover wear and tear and trailer repair. This is suggested at:

£100 for up to one week
£200 for over one week

Club members must also get priority over non club member for any space on the trailer.

A committee member will respond to any requests within one week.