WELCOME PADDLERS!

Changes for 2012:

Float Your Boat has celebrated it's 5 year Anniversary last month! After feedback from almost all members, FYB is now returning to a "Grass-Roots" group and will no longer be "Commercialized"

Please welcome your new Organizer: Leigh

Although we are primarily a club for boat owners who want to get together and paddle, we will still work in conjunction with partnered outfitters as event organizers to coordinate rental boats when appropriate.

If you are interested in becoming an Assistant Organizer with the ability to post outings, please contact the Organizer.

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Float Your Boats Mission Statement :

We are a non-profit group that works together to promote networking in the paddling community not only within our group but locally, regionally,  across the country by listing other paddle related events on our website.  We believe in partnership, networking, stewardship, and offering opportunities for people of all ages, all abilities to participate and enjoy kayaking and paddling related events.

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FLOAT YOUR BOAT: Chicago Area Kayak Meetup is officially recognized by:

www.Paddling.net

www.paddleaway.com/clubs

www.kayakonline.com

www.Thekayakers.com

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"Float Your Boat" Meetup site and its events are non-profit, and is solely based with the intentions of introducing and coordinating paddlers.  There is a $5 membership fee, which helps cover the Meetup site fees. Membership Donations are appreciated. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

DISCLAIMER / RELEASE OF LIABILITY

IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ BELOW IN ITS ENTIRETY PRIOR TO JOINING:

Participation in any Float Your Boat event implies that you have read, understand, and agree with, the groups entire "About Us" page. Per the Electronic Records and Signatures in Commerce Act, Public Law 106-229, by joining this group, you agree to all the terms listed.

Our Philosophy:

Float Your Boat, or "FYB" abbreviation, is a non-professional meet-up group that only provides a way for you to connect with others who enjoy kayaking and associated activities. Think of Float Your Boat as a group of new and old friends getting together for fun and mostly our brand of fun is called kayaking. Float Your Boat is not a professional adventure organization or outfitter operation.

Kayaking can be physically and mentally demanding. Kayaking can involve significant risks and hazards, such as collision with power boats, hypothermia, joint or trauma injuries and even drowning.  Injury, both personal and property, may occur while traveling to or from a Float Your Boat activity.  All participants in a Float Your Boat activity - you, family members and guests - by participation in a Float Your Boat activity, acknowledge awareness of the risks, foreseen and unforeseen, which are inherent in each meet-up's activities and cannot be eliminated without destroying the unique character of the activity.  These inherent risks include, but are not limited to, the dangers of serious personal injury, property damage, and death from participation in or travel to and from the activity.

Disclaimer:

This meet-up group and its organizers does not, in any way, claim to be professionals or otherwise licensed, certified, trained, etc. to provide any service. Any certifications or training by members, organizer, assistants-organizers, members or leaders are solely independent from the group, whether expressed or not; and cannot be held liable through posting events via Meetup and/or "Float Your Boat". FYB works with licensed outfitters, those outfitters are unrelated to FYB, and FYB is not expressing to claim to be professional outfitters.  Float Your Boat activity organizers are not trained in extensive emergency medical procedures.   Since most Float Your Boat activities occur on the water, by participating in a Float Your Boat activity you are acknowledging that you are aware and understand that in the event of a serious medical emergency, treatment may be multiple hours, up to days, away.
Kayaking, and other posted events 'Float Your Boat'-Chicago Area Paddler's Meetup' are inherently dangerous and accidents may happen. By participating in any posted event, you're taking responsibility for your own safety and well-being. By RSVP'ing, signing up for an event, joining "Float Your Boat' as a member you are agreeing that you are waiving any and all legal or civil rights for responsibility to the Organizer and any other members within the group. 'Float Your Boat' and it's organizers, assistant organizers, trip leaders, and other members, are not trained leaders and we do not confirm the qualifications of any of its members to lead or participate in trips. All participants take full responsibility for their own actions. If you choose to sign up for any  'Float Your Boat' events, you are releasing  'Float Your Boat' , it's organizers and members from all liability in case of possible injuries. Your personal safety depends on your own judgment and experience.

To the Fullest Extent allowed by law, you WAIVE, DISCHARGE CLAIMS, AND RELEASE FROM LIABILITY the Float Your Boat Meetup Group and its Organizers from any and all liability on account of, or in any way resulting from injuries, personal or property, and while participating in or traveling to or from any activity.

IN SHORT, BY PARTICIPATING IN A FLOAT YOUR BOAT activity, you accept and assume all risks and full responsibility for losses, costs and damages for yourself, your family and children, friends, and your guests.