Participant Safety & Assumption of Risk
Paddleboarding and other activities on or near the water involve inherent risks. This page is a safety disclosure and is not a substitute for any separate participant agreement or release that may be required before an activity.
Inherent risks
Risks can include falling from a board or other watercraft, immersion, cold water, waves, wind, current, slippery or uneven surfaces, submerged or shoreline hazards, weather changes, collisions, other watercraft, equipment failure, wildlife, insects, sun exposure, fatigue, strains, sprains, cuts, illness, and delayed access to medical care.
Natural environments are unpredictable. Wildlife sightings, calm water, particular weather, and specific routes cannot be guaranteed.
Participant responsibilities
Participants must provide accurate information relevant to safe participation, wear required safety equipment, remain within the guide’s instructions and group plan, and avoid conduct that creates an unreasonable risk to themselves or others.
Participants should ask questions whenever they do not understand an instruction or feel uncomfortable with conditions or an activity.
Personal condition and medications
Participants are responsible for determining whether they are physically and medically able to take part. Anyone with a condition, injury, medication concern, allergy, or other circumstance that could affect safe participation should consult an appropriate healthcare professional when needed and communicate relevant limitations to the guide before the activity.
Minors
A parent or legal guardian must complete any required agreement for a minor participant. Age, supervision, equipment, and participation requirements may vary by experience and conditions.
Guide authority
The guide may change or end an activity, require a participant to stop participating, or decline participation when reasonably necessary for safety, equipment, conditions, participant conduct, or compliance with applicable rules.
Separate agreement
Sunrise Paddles may require a separate participant agreement, acknowledgment of risk, emergency information form, or release before an experience. Any formal liability release should be reviewed for the specific activity and applicable Maine law.