Paddling with SVYC

Paddling with the South Venice Yacht Club

• You must be a member, or the guest of a current member, to use the SVYC kayak launch

• SVYC does not rent kayaks but you may contact fellow members to borrow a kayak

• SVYC members can participate in group paddles and / or paddle on their own at any time

• Group paddles are generally held on Wednesdays, monthly for sunset & full moon and include a variety of local destinations, travel trips & kayak tours

• Members must accompany their guests at all times.  Sharing gate and door codes is prohibited

Upcoming Group Paddles

• Wed June 17 & 24 - Local paddle.  Contact Karen Schaffer to sign up for Paddle Crew emails (svyc-admin@svyclub.com) 

• Weds June 29 - Sunset & Full Moon Paddle.  Meet at 6:30 PM, Launch at 7 PM.  Paddle to Banana Beach to enjoy the sunset & paddle back under the Strawberry Moon.  Bring lights for your boat (bike lights, flashlights, headlamps), snacks, and beverages.  You may want swimsuits, towels, bug spray.  Click HERE to sign up to borrow lights from SVYC, or you can buy official red, green & white rechargeable kayak lights from Amazon, or sporting goods stores.

• Watch for weather updates prior to the paddle.  We will cancel if storms or lightening is predicted

• Guests are welcome to participate in up to 3 group paddles & will be asked to sign a waiver.  Thereafter, they will be asked to join the club.

Kayaking Safety - HERE

• Required and recommended gear

• Weather, hypothermia & heat stress 

• Alligators

• Boat channels & paddling near motorboats 

• Paddling in low light or at night

• Water quality - Bacteria & red tide

• List of helpful apps and websites

Local Paddle Destinations - HERE

• Alligator Creek - explore the sheltered creek with lots of mangroves, fish and birds (~ 2 miles up and back)

• Manasota Key & Gulf - paddle to the beach and if the water is calm, portage over to paddle on the Gulf! (~1.5 miles to the beach and back)

• Red Lake - paddle through Caspersen Park to the lake at the south end of Venice Island (~ 4 miles round trip)

• Manasota Key Bridge - paddle south to Manasota Key Bridge (~5.5 miles round trip)

• Click HERE for an interactive map

Waterway Cleanups and Mangrove Plantings

• SVYC conducts waterway cleanups 3-4 times per year in the Intracoastal Waterway and Alligator Creek.

• Teams of kayakers collect trash and debris from the shoreline where it's picked up by a member in a motorized skiff.  The trash is brought to the landfill for proper recycling & disposal.

• SVYC grows mangroves from their beans in food cans & plants them in bare spots along the local shorelines.

• Watch for cleanup announcements quarterly! 

Kayak & Trailer Storage - HERE

• SVYC has 208 kayak racks, one of the largest storage facilities in the area

• The SVYC storage facility and launch are suitable for kayaks, canoes and paddleboards only.  It is not suitable for jet skis or motorboats

• To rent a rack, you must be a club member and complete a Kayak & Trailer Evacuation Plan HERE

• Current kayak rack fees are posted HERE

Paddling Gear - HERE

• Kayak types

• Paddles

• Required and recommended gear

• Contact fellow members if you'd like to borrow a kayak 

• Check the kayaking bulletin board for kayaks for sale