William Runeckles Booking

Invoice emailed (£926.50) to be paid by BACS to confirm booking

Canoe security deposit (£400) to be paid online (below) prior to canoe hire date/booking.

Shuttle/Drop Off

Sunday 17th December 2023 – Meeting at top of Neptune Staircase, Banavie at 9:00am

Please arrive to ensure you are at the meet point in time.

Canoe Uplift

Thursday 21st December 2023 – Uplift at Great Glen Canoe Trail Car Park, by Jammy Piece, Inverness at 12:15pm

Please ensure you arrive at the canoe return point at least 30mins prior to ensure all personal kit is emptied and separated from hired kit so can be laid out ready for collection at the agreed collection time. Should you not be able to make the agreed collection time, please text Donald (07808071810) in advance to highlight.

Canoe Hire Terms & Conditions

1. Canoe hire is offered on the basis that hirers are appropriately experienced and qualified in the craft being hired, including safety & rescue of craft, kit, and group, in the environment being paddled. No instruction or safety cover is included with hire.
2. Canoe Floatation wedges are fitted to the bow & stern of all canoes hired. These should NOT be removed or interfered with by the hirer at any time.
3. Buoyancy aids are issued free of charge with all hires. All hire canoeists are required to be at the collection/drop-off point to ensure all are fitted with a suitably sized buoyancy aid. These are required to be worn at all times when on the water canoeing.
4. £100 refundable security deposit is required per canoe at the time of hire. This is taken via online payment and refunded when all hire kit is returned and check to be in the same condition it was hired out.
5. Should any hire kit be lost or damaged during the hire period, the charge for each item is clearly listed in the Canoe Kit List should a repair not be possible. Repair costs will also be chargeable including labour. Should there be damage to the canoe itself, the following charges apply – See Canoe Use & Care section above.
6. A minimum of 14 days’ notice is required for all hires during peak season (March to October). Please see the online diary for Donald’s availability as longer may be required as frequently away guided multiday adventure holidays with little to no signal.
7. Hire Agreement terms & conditions are listed above and visible on the payment portal at the time of paying the security deposit. By paying the security deposit, the hirer is agreeing to all hire terms and conditions.
8. Drop off/collection service is also available when booked at the same time as your hire.

Canoe Use & Care

When hiring a canoe, similarly to when hiring a car you are to use it responsibly. We do expect some minor wear and tear, however, hirers should ensure that care and attention are given when moving and handling the canoe on land, transferring the canoe from land to water, and vice versa. Launching and landing the canoe generally does mean you have to walk out into shallow water to save dragging the canoe hull up on the beach. Only those skilled enough should look to paddle on moving or whitewater as the consequences of paddling into rocks and even pinning the boat around a rock are much greater. A wrapped canoe is where it has hit a rock and the water pressure wraps or folds the canoe around it. A wrap significantly damages the canoe to the point it is no longer structurally sound to use again and has to be written off!

Similar to the canoe kit list and additional kit list where RRP value is clearly listed. Any broken items are charged parts & labour to be fixed if possible, or replace if past the point of financial or physical repair. The common issues and chargeable costs associated with misuse of the canoe are listed below.

• Large scrape – £30
• Broken thwart/kneeling thwart – £50
• Scrape through the outer layer to white – £80
• Dint in bow or stern – £80
• Broken seat – £80
• Splitting/cracking of inner layer, including inappropriate trolley use – £100
• Canoe lost – £1500
• Canoe wrapped/folded – £1500
• Recovery of a wrapped canoe from a river – £200

At the time of hire Explore Highland and the hirer will check and confirm the condition of the canoe and any issues/damage recorded via note, photo, and/or video.

Explore Highland strongly suggests all hirers are suitable skilled in the use of the craft, in the environment they intend to use it before hiring. The hirer may also look at taking out their own insurance policy the cover themselves for any unforeseen eventualities to cover any damage caused when paddling or additional damage charges that may be levied due to misuse of hire kit.