Rolly Guacamole (Learn to Roll)

Leaders
Celia Stafford (Flatwater Leader), Lorenzo Shaikewitz (Whitewater chair)
Program
Boating
Type
Kayaking
Trip date
Saturday, September 19th
Difficulty rating
Wet
Prerequisites
None

Learn to roll your kayak with MITOC, and enjoy burritos (you pay) with optional guacamole (on the club) afterwards!

This will be the first of two September roll sessions (next one is likely Sept. 26), and participants of this session will get priority registration for the next one. Rolling is mostly muscle memory, so it will likely take at least two (probably more) sessions to learn!

Logistics. Meet your driver by 9:45 AM (Porter) or 9:30 AM (MIT). We'll then drive to Mystic Lake, roll for two hours (until noon), and return. Kayaks and gear will be provided.

Clothing. The water will be cold, and you will be getting wet (a lot) bring a swimsuit, and possibly some wool base layers or wetsuit parts. And bring a change of clothes!!

Costs. $15 trip fee (includes rentals, if needed). MITOC offers generous fee waivers for anyone worried about these costs.

Boat sizes. Boat sizes are approximately by weight. If you are near the border, you can safely size down (for a more playful ride) or up (for a more stable one). Here's a rough guide:

  • S: 90 - 140 lbs
  • M: 140 - 185 lbs
  • L: 185 - 240 lbs

Selection Process. For fairness, this trip will have a 10-hour lottery followed by first-come-first-serve signups. There are three ways to participate:

  1. [Porter/MIT] Meet at Porter square at 9:45 AM (first 3 participants)
  2. [Car with roof racks] Drive and load boats yourself at 5:15 PM. How many people/boats can you take? (subject to boat availability)
  3. [MIT] Waitlist: drive with someone doing option 2, leave from the MIT boathouse at 9:30 AM (we'll pull as available)

Signup

Algorithm
lottery
Maximum participants
6
Signups open at
Sept. 16, 2026, 9 a.m.
Signups close at
Sept. 16, 2026, 7 p.m.
Notes
  1. (if renting) What is your boat size / what boat do you want? (see description)
  2. Which of the participation options work for you? (Porter/MIT, car with roof racks, or just MIT?)
  3. Do you have any roll experience?
Signups for this trip are not yet open.