About Coastals
Frequently Asked Questions
Coastals is a family-oriented club dedicated to the enjoyment and advancement of paddlesports and consists of canoeists, kayakers and others from the southeastern U.S., but primarily from Virginia. Activities of the club include an active club volunteer-coordinated trip roster with trips for members, at all skill levels, happening nearly every weekend of the year.
The club holds quarterly meetings at various locations around Virginia featuring an evening meal, board of directors meeting, a trip on a nearby river, and a program of interest to paddlers. Coastals' website features an active bulletin board used by paddlers throughout the Commonwealth for communications and discussions of canoeing and kayaking related information, in addition to other pertinent information of interest to paddlers.
O.K. Goodwin, one of the club founders, designed Coastals' logo. Because he was associated with the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, his design drew on a bit of maritime history.
Sam Plimsoll (1824-1898) was a British politician and reformer who hit at "coffin ships" - unseaworthy, overloaded vessels, often heavily insured, on which unscrupulous owners risked the lives of their crews. Following the publication of Our Seamen, the public outcry forced amendment of the Merchant Shipping Act. The mark that indicates the limit to which a ship may be safely loaded is now known as the "Plimsoll mark."
The circle with the line through it was as far as the mark got in Plimsoll's day. British ships would have "L" and "L" at opposite ends of the line, meaning the mark's location had the approval of Lloyds of London. American ships would bear an "A" and "B", American Bureau. Our "C" and "C" just means Coastals.
The other lines show the limits for ships in tropical fresh water (TF), fresh water (F), salt water (S) and in winter (W). These are latter day refinements. "DEW" stands for dew - about all the water a canoe requires (a little humor here).
The bluebird of happiness on the emblem is the great blue heron, club mascot and native to most of the area over which we range. On many Coastal trips, the mascot is often found out in front leading us downstream - trailing his little Plimsoll mark behind him.
Before Coastals existed as a club, O.K. Goodwin of Newport News wrote, printed and published a monthly Coastal Canoeists bulletin (four cents postage delivered the first three editions to about 80 eastern Virginians in 1964). News items covered canoe trips by other groups and individuals, canoeing techniques, canoe maintenance and repairs, river conditions, camping equipment and canoe races conducted by other clubs. The bulletin also announced the first meeting of the proposed organization for Thursday, April 22, 1965 at the Peninsula (Newport News - Hampton) Red Cross chapter house.
A total of 12 men, women and children attended. They agreed to publish a fourth bulletin, to spread the word about the club and to meet again in June to organize a club. The 21 recruited at the organizational meeting decided to meet monthly. They adopted by-laws, set annual dues at $2 for individuals and $3 for families. And, they elected officers. Jay Burke was President, B. N. Walker was Secretary-Treasurer, Bob Sterling was Cruising Chairman, Jim Michie was Education Chairman, and G.H. Moore was Conservation Chairman. O.K. Goodwin would remain editor of the monthly Coastals until 1968. Coastals became a bi-monthly in 1972 and was renamed Coastal CaNEWS in 1973. It became a quarterly newsletter in 1994.
By the third meeting, word of the organization spread and 43 would-be members showed up from Portsmouth and Williamsburg and many places in-between. Plans were made for the club's first trip: The Mattaponi in August, 1965. Nine members would paddle the club's first trip. A Red Cross canoeing class was announced for the following weekend at Camp Hanover. O.K. Goodwin would be on the faculty, four "Coastals" would take the course. Considerable interest was evidenced in Coastals among several instructors and a number of students. The club picked up new members from Richmond, Petersburg, Hopewell, Charlottesville and Fredericksburg.
The membership quickly grew and spread over eastern Virginia. The trip schedule also quickly spread over the eastern United States from The Chattooga to The Kennebec. The following timeline notes important milestones in the Club's history:
| 1966 | Coastals began a succession of "School's Out Specials," or extended week-long trip to the Smokies. With a year off now and then for similar mid-June trips to Maine, the Ozarks, the Virginia-Kentucky border country and the Salmon's Middle Fork. The annual Smokies trip has become a fixture of the club's schedule ever since. |
| 1966 | First fall colors overnighter on the Trough of the Potomac as guests of the D.C. area Canoe Cruisers Association. |
| 1968 | Coastals' annual meeting was first held on the Shenandoah River. For many years, Bunny Henshaw;s Hawks Nest was the site of the annual meeting. There was a lapse of several years when the annual meetings were held at Feather Fin Farm and then Glen Maury Park. |
| 1970 | The club offered its first basic canoeing class. |
| 1972 | The club offered its first class for canoeing instructors. |
| 1972 | The club's membership topped 100 for the first time in June. |
| 1973 | The club incorporated under Virginia law. |
| 1973 | The club offered its first whitewater canoeing class. |
| 1975 | The club initiated its environmental achievement award. |
| 1975 | The club's first pool slalom races were held at ODU. |
| 1975 | The club held its first winter rolling practice at UVA and Mary Washington. |
| 1976 | The club changed its meetings to quarterly meetings. Three meetings were held in Richmond. The annual meeting was held on the Shenandoah River. |
| 1977 | The club began a two-year fight in the Virginia legislature that succeeded in removing cartop boat rack restrictions. Other political activity that the club engaged in included environmental conservation, opposing dams and canoe-kayak licensing. |
| 1978 | The club conducted its first CPR class. |
| 1981 | The club began annual river rescue clinics. |
| 1982 | The July meeting at Steward School in Richmond began the occasional pot luck dinners at quarterly meetings. These occasional meetings have become full-fledged meals at every meeting. |
| 1988 | The club began rotating the sites of quarterly meetings. The first one was held at Douthat State Park. Other sites included Goshen Scout Camp, Glen Maury Park, Camp T. Brady Saunders, Doswell, and Orange. |
Looking back at Coastals' first club trip on the Mattaponi in 1965, 20% of the club's membership participated. It may be a good thing that participation in club trips has been tempered by time. Otherwise, we could expect over 70 paddlers to show up each weekend.
Les Fry
| 1966 | Jay Burke | 1967 | Les Fry | 1968 | Les Fry | 1969 | Bob Sterling |
| 1970 | Bob Sterling | 1971 | Al Douglas | 1972 | Bobby Meeks | 1973 | Mike Carey |
| 1974 | Teddy Willcox | 1975 | Teddy Willcox | 1976 | Don Bowman | 1977 | Gil Lipton |
| 1978 | Hope Gross | 1979 | Hunter Marrow | 1980 | Steve Thomas | 1981 | Steve Thomas |
| 1982 | Gary Brumfield | 1983 | Gary Brumfield | 1984 | Lou Hannen | 1985 | Al Thompson |
| 1986 | Al Thompson | 1987 | Maurice Greaver | 1988 | Maurice Greaver | 1989 | Nate Houser |
| 1990 | Nate Houser | 1991 | Tom McCloud | 1992 | Tom McCloud | 1993 | Liz Garland |
| 1994 | Liz Garland | 1995 | Scott Broaddus | 1996 | Scott Broaddus | 1997 | Garland Reece |
| 1998 | Garland Reece | 1999 | Don Leeger | 2000 | Don Leeger | 2001 | Bernie Farmer |
| 2002 | Bernie Farmer | 2003 | Richard Walters | 2004 | Richard Walters | 2005 | Scott Wiggins |
| 2006 | Scott Wiggins | 2007 | Raymond Williams |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fill out our Membership Form and mail with your payment (instructions and address are on the form) or write to our membership chairman. E-mail him with any questions.
There are many reasons to join Coastals:
Coastals is for everyone who enjoys human-powered watersports in every region of Virginia - whether you paddle a canoe, kayak or recreational craft, prefer sea or fresh water, love to carve whitewater waves or run rivers or creeks, or just enjoy tooling around in flat water. Coastals members enjoy a choice of trips almost every weekend for just about any skill/age level.
Coastals speaks out with the voice of its membership to encourage environmental responsibility for keeping Virginia's and America's rivers clean. Public accessibility issues, including disabled accessibility issues, are also addressed.
With Coastals, you'll have a chance to learn new rivers and make new friends who share a passion for watersports and a love of the outdoors. Coastals members range widely in age and skill level, so finding folks who are willing to help with a new skill or show the safe (or adventurous!) lines down a river is easy - finding shuttle partners and boaters who know the good put-ins and take-outs is easy, too. Coastals members can be found everywhere in Virginia (and beyond).
When safety classes and roll/technique clinics are given, Coastals members may take them at a discount; some are free.
DISCOUNTS! $10 discount off your American Whitewater membership - contact Coastals for the code. 10% discount at Blue Ridge Mountain Sports and Appomattox River Company (limitations may apply - see store for details).
Every member receives a Coastals sticker, the quarterly newsletter, the CaNews and an annual roster of the membership.
Members may submit photos and trip reports for inclusion on the website and the newsletter.
Trying work on that elusive roll or find out more about a certain river/location? Coastals members have access to borrow many paddling books and videos in the Coastals Library - at no charge.
Coastals enjoys the support of an all-volunteer staff.
We hope you decide to join and look forward to seeing you at the next Quarterly get-together or trip!
How do I contact a trip coordinator when no telephone numbers are listed on the webpage?
E-mail the coordinator if there is an e-mail address supplied. Telephone numbers are listed in the CaNews and the Coastals Roster.
How do I submit articles for the newsletter?
E-mail your article to the Editor - use the form to obtain the e-mail address first.
Check out the instructions page. Only members may submit photos.
How can I place an advertisement for paddling-related gear?
Boats, gear, trades, free, wanted to buy, and more - even non-Coastals members can advertise paddling-related items on the Forums.
The Forums are confusing. How do I use them?
See the Forum FAQ for more information; the webmaster updates this topic with news and hints as well.
How do I add or correct a link?
Contact our Linkmaster and let him know to edit or add your link(s).
I have an idea for Coastals or think something should be changed. How do I let someone know?
Check the Contacts List and e-mail the individual in charge of that area. You may also e-mail the president at any time.
When are my dues due, how much are they, and how do I pay them?
Dues are due by December 31 to be sure you are included in the Membership Roster; the amount is listed on the membership form. You may mail them to our membership chairman:
Charles Berkey
505 Winterberry Drive
Fredericksburg, VA 22405
E-mail him with any questions, and thanks for joining Coastals and paying your dues!
