The captain has the following responsibilities: 

• Communicate all information to his/her team
• Ensure that all team members have signed liability waivers before any team members get on the water
• Know the rules of the river
• Select a Drummer and Steersperson and ensure that they are properly trained before the team's first practice

Team Roster

Names may change as time goes on, and if so, paddlers can be added or canceled via the online management tool by the team captain.

Registration Fee

Your registration fee must be paid in full upon registration.

Medical

The team captain should be aware of any medical issues someone may have on their team.  For example: if someone is asthmatic, do they have an inhaler with them and, if so, someone else should know where it is if he or she needs to get it quickly, both for practices and the event.  There is a privacy issue.  They do not have to tell anyone anything if they do not want to.

A Team Decision

• Teams must decide what to do if a paddler is late for practice; that is, wait and the practice is less than an hour, or leave the dock without him/her.  Your practice window is limited to the agreed-to one hour. Another team will be on the dock waiting for you to return
• Arrive to practice approximately 30 minutes before your scheduled practice time
• If possible, the team Captain should line up the team, ready to enter the boat.  For new teams, we can discuss who sits where and why at our orientation meetings

Conduct in the Boat

There should be no talking once your team is in the boat.  The drummer and steersperson must be able to communicate with the team and each other at all times.

Buddy System

Make certain that each of your team members knows who is sitting beside them in case the boat swamps.  Teammates will be responsible for each other's safety until the rescue boat arrives.

Life Jackets

Everyone must wear a life jacket during practice and on Race Day.

Drummer

The drummer should attend all practices.  He or she will assist in setting the timing for the team and can be an excellent source of motivation and inspiration during practices and on Race Day.  At a new team's first practice, a Festival volunteer will sit in the drummer's seat and the team's drummer will sit where the drum will be on Race Day.  During a new team's second and third practice, they will be practicing by themselves.

Returning team's will go out by themselves for all three practices.