At the Helsinki Canoe Club, membership is viewed in the same way as in traditional sports and recreational clubs. Since HKK is an ideologically driven association, our paddlers are members of our association—not customers.
In exchange for your membership fee, you gain the rights stipulated in the club’s bylaws and can participate in the club’s general activities; however, to get out on the water, you’ll need either a club kayak or your own canoe and a place to store it. Paddling in a club kayak requires payment of a usage fee, which is compensation for the opportunity to paddle with the club’s kayaks. The amount of the usage fee is set annually at the club’s fall meeting. Fees for canoe storage spaces are determined by the board of Helsingin Melontakeskus Oy. Use of the members’ sauna and shower facilities is contingent upon payment of the property fee; the changing rooms and restrooms on the canoe shed side are available to all users of the Paddling Center.
The four lift doors on the Rajasaari side, located on the lower level of HKK’s base, the Canoeing Center, lead to the equipment storage area, which contains kayaks intended for members’ use. These kayaks are available on a first-come, first-served basis, that is, they generally cannot be reserved, but the kayaks on the rack are free to use. HKK has a few kayaks that can be reserved for longer trips or paddling excursions outside the Canoeing Center. Reservations are made through “Vajakirja”.
We hope our members will actively participate in volunteer work that supports our activities by contributing their own efforts.