Safety, Polo Gear, and Club Requirements
Kayak polo has different safety considerations than whitewater kayaking and, as such, the gear requirements are a bit different. For example, it’s important to protect one’s ribs in kayak polo because other boats can easily ride up into the cockpit area of the kayak during play. Because of that, polo PFDs are more about personal protection than floatation and are padded on the sides, and polo boats have padding on the bow and stern. The close quarters also make thin paddle blades that can cut skin very hazardous, so polo paddles are required to be thicker than most whitewater paddles. Also, ANY ball or blade near a face can be hazardous, so face masks are required.
If you do not have your own polo equipment, you can use our club gear free of charge. Keep in mind that club gear is used by many people. Plan to share, and be aware that club gear may not be as well-maintained or fancy as personal gear may be.
The rules of the game make kayak polo a relatively safe sport. The following gear requirements are for your protection, and are also rules of the game:
- Paddle blades less than 5mm thick are not allowed!
- You must wear a Polo PFD with side padding.
- The front and back of all kayaks must be padded with at least 1.5 inches of soft foam (or similar material). Polo boats have this padding and it must be in good condition. If you have special permission to use a non-polo boat because you’re too tall/small for club gear, padding must be glued/taped on really well, otherwise it will come off!
- ALL players must wear a helmet with a FACEMASK.
MKP Club Gear Includes:
- Plastic Polo Kayaks — Club boats are generally marked with a number or letter. These will be available for general use at polo free of charge. Please make sure you’re not accidentally pinching a private boat when you grab one!
- Helmets with Facemasks — All players are required to wear a facemask!
- Reversible Polo PFDs — In a wide variety of sizes.
- Plastic Polo Paddles — Thin-bladed whitewater paddles are not allowed!
- Spray skirts in various sizes — We recommend bringing your own regular skirt or borrowing one in the right size for you as we don’t have many and they might not be your size.
- Polo Balls — We’ve got a whole lotta balls. 😉
Bottom Lines:
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- IF YOU ARE NOT WEARING A HELMET WITH A FACEMASK AND A POLO PFD, OR
- YOUR GEAR IS NOT TOTALLY CLEAN, OR
- YOUR BOAT IS NOT PADDED, OR
- YOUR PADDLE BLADES ARE NOT THICK ENOUGH,
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YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO PLAY!