Because canoeing gets both safer and easier as the skill of the paddler improve, we encourage people to learn new skills as they paddle. Most of our members are glad to help out with advice on paddling techniques and camping skills. If there is enough demand for it, we can also schedule informal or formal paddling classes. Nearly all of our members own their own canoes. If you don't own a canoe, we can usually help you arange for a rental local to where we canoe, at reasonable rates. For safety reasons, we generally insist you paddle an easy daytrip with us before you participate in an overnight trip or difficult daytrip and several overnight trips before a week long or mulit-week trip. Some of our trips are hazardous if you don't have the proper skills. A New Years Eve overnighter with insufficient skills could be very uncomfortable or even fatal.