Only registered boaters and their passengers can participate in the event. It is important to include the name(s) of those who will be in the boat with you at the time you register.

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Experience

Boaters should have experience in open water and be comfortable in choppy and/or windy conditions.

This event is NOT for individuals who are beginner kayakers or canoeists.

Inexperienced boaters can compromise the safety of both swimmers and other boaters.
 

What to Expect

The morning of the swim, you will launch your boat at the Ithaca Yacht Club, paddle to the eastern shore of the lake, and accompany a group of swimmers back to the yacht club.

Swimmers will be grouped according to their swimming pace in "pods" of 8 to 10 women. Each boater will be assigned to 2 or 3 swimmers within a pod and will guide these swimmers across the lake. When you register, you may indicate the name of a swimmer(s) you wish to accompany. Please note, however, that we cannot guarantee that all requests will be honored. Also remember, you are responsible for a group of swimmers, not just one swimmer.

This year we will have more swimmers than ever before which means we need more boater support than ever before! After the swimmers in the first wave safely reach the south dock of the Ithaca Yacht Club, their assigned paddlers should turn around and head out to escort swimmers in later waves.

In the event that conditions to swim across the lake are unfavorable, we will follow a north/south swim along the shore. Details will be provided at a later date to registered boaters. If we cannot hold either swim activity, a land celebration will take place and all are welcome to attend.
 

A Volunteer Boater Agrees to:

• Register as a volunteer boater.
   
• Sign our liability waiver and publicity release.
   
• Attend the briefing meeting before the event. Attendance at this meeting is mandatory for boaters and their passengers participating in the event. Kayakers and canoeists MUST attend the meeting on FRIDAY, AUGUST 12 from 6:30-7:30 pm at Boynton Middle School. Parking is available off East Shore Drive. Powerboaters MUST attend the meeting on THURSDAY, AUGUST 11 at 7:00 pm at the Ithaca Yacht Club. Our insurance coverage for this event stipulates that if you do not attend this meeting, you cannot participate in the event.
   
• Bring the boat he/she will use. Women Swimmin' does not provide boats for the event. At times, we maintain a list of canoes or kayaks that can be borrowed. However, arrangements for a borrowed boat must be made well in advance of the event.
   
• Have a personal flotation device (PFD) for himself/herself and at least one extra PFD to throw to a swimmer.
   
• Have in their boats a whistle; sunscreen; and water. (Suggested places to purchase whistles include: Puddledocker's, Dick's Sporting Goods, or EMS.)
   
• Wear a Women Swimmin' baseball cap at the event. (Please note: hats will be ordered only for boaters and the passengers named on the registration form; passengers not named cannot receive a hat.)
   
• Arrive at the Ithaca Yacht Club at 6:00 am in time to launch his/her boat by 6:20 am on August 13. There will not be a rain date this year, rather alternate activities if conditions to swim across the lake are unfavorable.
   
• Escort swimmers across Cayuga Lake, following the instructions given by the event organizers.
   

• Raise money for Women Swimmin' (raising money is NOT required in order to be a volunteer boater).
   
• Receive a prize for raising money for the event.
   
• Enjoy breakfast at no charge after the swim.
   
• Spread the word to friends and family who may be interested in participating in this fun and worthwhile community event!
   

There will be a training clinic for kayakers and canoeists participating in Women Swimmin' on MONDAY, AUGUST 8 at 6 pm at IYC. All are welcome! It will be led by members of the kayak safety team. This optional event will benefit less experienced and first-time boaters, but all participants are encouraged to attend! Activities will take place on the water, so boaters should bring their vessels to this session. Be prepared to get wet!
 

Kayak Safety Team

Experienced kayakers may volunteer to be on the Kayak Safety Team (KST). Paddlers who have had safety training (capsize recovery and boat re-entries), or who would like to learn these skills, AND who have a kayak with airtight flotation compartments fore and aft, or a sit-on-top kayak, are invited to join this team.

These upper-level trained kayakers will act as team leaders, each assigned a pod along with the other kayakers. These leaders will offer assistance and support for swimmers throughout the swim. For more information, please contact Louise Adie (vesla2@aol.com).

First-time Kayak Safety Team members will have a mandatory meeting on TUESDAY, August 2 at 6 pm sharp at Taughannock Falls State Park.

Returning Kayak Safety Team members will have a mandatory meeting on WEDNESDAY, August 3 at 6 pm at East Shore Park.

For both meetings, please have your boat next to shore and gear ready to go BY 6pm!
 

Important Downloads

		Boater's Manual (PDF: 268K) All boaters are required to read the Boater's Manual. The manual provides additional information about our mandatory meeting, fundraising, parking and driving directions, and what to expect the day of the event.

 

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