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Give it a go and join us!

In the days before COVID-19, new people were welcome all year round to come and try outrigger canoeing. You didn’t need any previous experience and we would provide you with a paddle. The only requirement was that you could swim and tread water.  We also required a medical certificate to show you were fit to paddle if you are over 55 and are new to the sport.  While this was not required for your first come and try session, we will needed this certificate if you chose to continue paddling.

Due to COVID-19, our club is not conducting any come and try programs or open days for the time being.  We don’t believe this is the right time to be hosting events and opening the club up for growth. These are very uncertain times and it would be challenging to welcome brand new people to our sport while social distancing measures are in place.  Furthermore, we can’t offer the usual pathways to paddler development given our regatta season and race calendar are surrounded with doubt and uncertainty.  Please keep an eye on our social media accounts and website for updates on when it’s back to business as usual.  You can also subscribe to our newsletter to keep informed here.
Having said all that, we are accepting new members who are either transferring from another AOCRA affiliated club (with a current or expired AOCRA membership) OR wishing to re-new their membership with Outrigger Caloundra as a previous club member. This is part of our very slow and soft approach to recruitment at this time.
The club has a COVID-19 Safety Plan which is based on, and accepts, the AIS Framework for Rebooting Sport in a COVID-19 Environment (AIS Framework) and the National Principles for the Resumption of Sport and Recreation Activities (National Principles).  Under this plan, our club has restricted training to club members only.
If you are willing to transfer your AOCRA registration to Outrigger Caloundra and join our club as a financial member, we welcome you to start training with us.  We will consider your transfer based on a very informal character reference check with your previous club or with people who know you within our club.

Unfortunately we are not offering the usual three trial sessions with our club before you join. As a result, you need to current AOCRA insurance and pay the club’s membership fee before you hit the water.  We need all people at training to be members who have done the following:

1) joined our Teamer app so they can accept or decline training.  This is our online record of attendance that will enable us to do contact tracing if required.

2) read our newsletter that outlines procedures at training while on and off the water (click here).  By reading this newsletter and joining us at training, you have demonstrated that you are aware of our rules and procedures and are committed to keeping our club safe.
3) agreed to our Code of Conduct
If you are interested in joining us, please let us know which club you are transferring from so we can get in touch with them or let us know if your mates with someone at Outrigger Caloundra who can vouch for you!
Once this is done, we’ll give you the thumbs up to get your AOCRA transfer underway and fill out our membership form which can be found here.
Please give us a call if you need clarification about anything!

As soon as we open up our club to new members and we are back to business as usual, please see the usual process below.

Step 1: Come and Try

Your first three sessions are free while you decide if you like the sport and enjoy the atmosphere of our club.

There are four outrigger clubs on the Sunshine Coast and we all have our own culture, training styles and goals. So please feel free to meet us and see if we are the right fit for you.

Step 2: Join AOCRA and pay insurance

As an AOCRA member you are covered by insurance.  Details about this policy can be found here.

To join AOCRA, click here, select the SQ Zone and scroll down to Outrigger Caloundra to join.  This is an annual registration that is $70 for adults and $45 for juniors.

Step 3: Fill out an Outrigger Caloundra membership form and pay a membership fee

Our club membership fees for seniors are $100 for your first year and $200 thereafter.  Junior fees are $100 per year, every year.  This fee is payable direct to our club.  Our banking details are on the footer below.

Our club membership is based on the financial year calendar.  If you join after December, we can offer you a pro rata rate.

Click on the link for a membership application form OCCC Membership Application for Novice Paddler 2017-18

Send your completed form to occcsec@hotmail.com

As a member you will be expected to help us with fundraising events and volunteer throughout the year.

Step 4: Join Teamer to receive invites to training, social and fundraising events

The coaches use an online team management system to help us plan training sessions and select crews for competitions. It is also used for inviting people to social events, advising members about committee meetings and coordinating our weekly meat tray raffle.

The account can be found here http://tinyurl.com/pfwkk4d

New members do not need to use this system. If you decide to join the club, you will be asked to join and we can help you set it up. You can receive alerts and invitations via email and/or via the mobile phone app.

Step 5: Join our Members Facebook Group

Request to join our closed group here. This is not complusory but a great way to stay in the loop!  Non Facebook users will still receive information via our newsletter.

Step 6: Get to know about our club, committee, outrigger technique and the history of the sport

Read our E-Welcome Information This includes info about our committee and how our club operates.

Click here to read one of our newsletters about outrigger technique.  While this may seem overwhelming, just remember, there are a million ways to paddle but if you are smiling you are doing it right!

Click here to read one of our newsletters about the history of outrigging, how to recover from a huli, roles in the boat and race starts.

Canoe Etiquette

One of the greatest things about being an outrigger paddler is that you can paddle with just about any outrigger club around the world if you adhere to canoe etiquette. You may not have the best technique and you may not have much experience, but you will be welcomed with open arms if you respect the traditions of outrigger canoeing. While canoe etiquette may vary from club to club, here are a few do’s and don’ts:

  • When we are in the canoe, we are all “Ohana”, meaning family.  We need to love and respect each other.
  • When we paddle an Outrigger Canoe we become one entity.
  • “Shut up and paddle’ – there should be one voice and one attitude in the canoe as opposed to six!
  • Listen to your steerer.  Full stop.
  • Treat the canoe like you would your grandparents or village elder.
  • Don’t step over the canoe it can cause bad Kama (feeling) to all those who paddle her.
  • Always face the canoe to the ocean and do not sit in a canoe when on dry land.
  • Paddles are our paddling ancestors.  Do not dig your paddle in the sand.
  • Approach the beach at slow speed. Don’t run the canoe into the sand and never drag the canoe across the beach.
  • Don’t swear in the canoe. If you do, apologize to her.
  • Always enter the canoe from the ama side as it could huli (roll over).
  • Standing up in a canoe is heavily frowned upon in some clubs.
  • When changing seats, why not jump in the water? It is a water sport after all and it may cool you down.
  • Enjoy paddling, do your best and keep good thoughts and spirits in your heart.
  • Everyday you are on the water, is a good day.  So be happy and smile in the canoe.
  • Recognise that paddling is more than a sport.  Outrigger canoeing is a spiritual experience for many cultures – it connects paddlers to the heavens, the ocean, land and each other.  

Training Times

COVID-19 has turned our world upside down.  But traditionally, the OC6 race season in Qld is from November to May.  During this time, we try to keep our race squads together and encourage social paddlers to train in their own crews.  During our off season between June and September/October, all paddlers train together as one club.

We have made some changes to our training program due to a particularly cold and dark winter AND lack of certainty around the race calendar due to COVID-19.

Our training sessions as at Winter 2020 are:

Tuesday: 4:30pm for 4:45pm on the water

Tuesday: 5am for 5:15am on the water

Thursday:  4:30pm for 4:45pm on the water

Saturday: 6:45am for 7am on the water

Additional sessions may be organised in the lead up to major races for competitive members or squads who wish to paddle together.  Please advise the head coach who will be paddling and gain the coach’s approval of your session plan.

If you have never paddled before or have had an extended break from paddling, please keep an eye out for our Come and Try sessions before attending other sessions.  This gives the coaches time to go through the technique and safety elements of outrigger canoeing.  While we are not offering Come and Try sessions during this era of social distancing, we hope to return to business as usual soon!

Crew Selection

The coaches are excited about Caloundra’s potential in the 2018 race season.  We want it to be fun, fair, transparent and rewarding for everyone.  So please, talk to Gav about your individual goals and how the club can assist you to paddle at your best this season!

Crews will be selected based on the criteria below.  Please feel free to discuss these elements of crew selection with Gav.  He is available anytime to discuss why and how decisions are made throughout the race season.

  1. Blending. This is the most important component of selecting a crew. If a paddler cannot keep with the rhythm of the canoe, the canoe will not run and not move as quickly. A paddler’s strength is only of use if it is used in time with the other paddlers in the canoe, the rhythm of the canoe is one of the most important contributing factors to the canoe’s speed. Attendance at training allows the coach to assess how a crew blends. This may involve seat swaps within the canoe and between canoes.  Sometimes simply swapping seats e.g. 3 and 4 will make a big difference to the running of the canoe
  2. Attitude. The paddler’s attitude towards the canoe, the steerer, the crew and the coaches is important to ensure the crew performs at it’s optimum. A negative attitude impacts on crew performance. A crew is better off without someone with a negative attitude regardless of paddling ability. How a paddler receives and uses feedback is an indication of attitude.
  3. Fitness. It is every paddler’s responsibility to ensure they are fit enough to race, remembering fitness is specific, that means, to be paddling fit you must paddle otherwise your crew members are penalised by having to work harder than is necessary. It is a personal responsibility to ensure they are doing the necessary work outside the canoe (if you are not sure ask the coach).To assess a paddler’s paddling fitness the coach will consider: attendance at training, performance at training, OC1/OC2 paddling and other fitness work being done.
  1. Paddling Experience. The coach will consider the paddler’s ability to handle the ocean conditions and a huli.  Performance and composure going over the bar is a good indicator for the coach.
  2. Racing Experience. The coach will consider the paddler’s previous race experience, this includes having the ability to be sufficiently focused to paddle at a competitive level whilst contributing strength and power to the canoe.
  3. Club Mindedness. OCCC is a small club in a transition phase and as such the club at this stage does not have the ability to have members who just paddle a canoe. For the club to provide its members with the latest race canoes, paddles for 1st year paddlers, OC2s for 1st year OC2 racers, PFDs, tow ropes, rigging materials etc. it is essential for all members to contribute some time to raising funds. This involves attendance at Power Boat Club raffles as rostered and potential other fundraising ventures as they arise. Also, contributing to set up and clean up for training sessions and races. If a paddler repeatedly avoids involvement in these ventures it could jeopardise their selection for a crew.
  4. Coaches Call. At the end of the day decisions have to be made and the coach will make the call.