Frequently Asked Questions

Joining BASK

Q: I'm not a member of BASK. Can I come to a BASK meeting to see what kind of people are in this club before I join?

A: Certainly! You don't need to be a BASK member to attend our monthly general meetings. The meetings feature news of upcoming trips and events, trip reports, announcements, and welcoming of new members. If you've never been to a general meeting, come introduce yourself! Each meeting has a feature presentation by a guest speaker. For more information, check out our Events page. As of March, 2020, general meetings are being held online due to the Coronavirus shelter-in-place.

Q: The meeting was fun and the food was great. Now how do I join?

A: There are two ways to join BASK! You can pay online using PayPal or a credit card, or you can pay offline by printing out a form and mailing it in with a check.

Q: Is agreeing to a waiver online the same as signing a paper waiver form in ink?

A: Yes. By clicking the “I agree to this waiver” check box, you are affixing your electronic signature to the waiver and agreeing to all the terms that it contains. Your electronic signature has the same force and effect as a written signature.

Q: When I tried to join and entered my email address, why wouldn't the site accept it?

A: In certain browsers, spaces cannot be included anywhere in your email address entry. Remove all spaces and try submitting it again.

Q: When I tried to join and entered my ZIP code, why wouldn't the site accept it?

A: In certain browsers, spaces cannot be included anywhere in your ZIP code or postal code entry. Remove all spaces and try submitting it again.

Q: I thought I already joined BASK on Facebook. Why can't I log in?

A: Joining the BASK Facebook group, which is free and open to anyone on Facebook, is not the same thing as joining the club, which requires membership dues. The Facebook group is just for letting the world know what's going on with BASK, and we never post trip details there. To get the full benefits of membership, including access to the member directory and event calendar, join BASK!

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Membership Dues Payments

Q: Can I pay by credit card even though I have a PayPal account?

A: If you have a PayPal account but want to pay by credit card, click the small Change link next to Payment methods on the PayPal page.

Q: If I join online, will BASK store my credit card or bank account information?

A: No. All payment information is handled through PayPal.

Q: When I log into PayPal, what email address and password should I use?

A: If you already have a PayPal account, use the email address associated with your PayPal account, which may differ from the one that is inserted when you click Check out with PayPal on BASK's signup form. We recommend that you avoid using the same password for both PayPal and BASK.

Q: When will my membership expire?

A: If you join and pay online (using PayPal or a credit card), your membership will expire one year after the payment date. If you join and pay offline (by filling out a paper form and sending a check), your membership will expire one year after your funds are received.

Q: If I renew early, will that affect my membership expiration date?

A: No. If you renew early, your membership will be good for one year after your current membership ends. In other words, if your current membership started on September 8, 2015, your current membership would expire on September 9, 2016. If you renew early on August 25, 2016, your renewed membership would expire on September 9, 2017. But please don't pay for multiple years at once; wait to get the reminder email. The club Treasurer will thank you!

Q: Does BASK plan to offer a multi-year membership?

A: No, this would place an administrative burden on the club Treasurer. Automated reminder emails will help you remember to renew each year. Please renew after you get the reminder, not before.

Q: How can I make the dues reminder emails stop?

A: The easiest way is to renew your membership. After you pay for your renewal, the reminder emails should stop within 24 hours.

Q: I don't plan to renew my membership. Can you stop sending me reminder emails?

A: The emails are based on your membership expiration date and are automatically sent to all members at renewal time. If you don't plan to renew, just delete the emails.

Q: Can I get a refund on my membership dues?

A: No, BASK does not offer dues refunds if you change your membership type or decide to leave the club.

Q: At what age do I qualify for the senior discount?

A: When you decide that you are old enough to call yourself a senior, then you can consider yourself a senior.

Q: I'm taking a class. Does that qualify me for the student rate?

A: No. You must enrolled and working towards a post-high school degree to qualify as a student.

Q: Can I pay BASK dues electronically if I don’t have a PayPal account or if PayPal is down?

A: Most banks and credit unions will allow you to set up Bay Area Sea Kayakers as a payee in their online bill payment system. The payer will deduct funds from your account and send a paper check to the payee (BASK). See the join instructions (family/non-family) or renewal instructions (family/non-family) to get the join or renewal form. Fill out the form, email it, and in your email, note that you'll send a payment through bill pay. In the bill pay setup for your bank, make BASK the payee and use membership@bask.org if it requests an email address for the payee.

Q: Can I pay by check when joining BASK or renewing my BASK membership?

A: Sure! If joining BASK, go to the Join BASK page, then scroll down to Prefer to Join Offline? for instructions. To renew by check, log in to the website, select Membership > Renew, and on the Renew Your Membership page, scroll down to Prefer to Renew Offline? for instructions.

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Family Memberships

Q: Does BASK offer a senior family rate or out-of-state family rate?

A: No, not at this time.

Q: Can I upgrade to a family membership from another membership type?

A: We recommend that you change your membership type at renewal time, to avoid having to pay the full $45 family rate on top of the rate that you already paid for the current year.

Q: I had a family membership. Can I change it to another membership type? What if some of my family members have moved away?

A: At renewal time, you can select one of the other membership types. Contact OnlineMembership@bask.org if you have questions, or if you need to make a change before renewal time.

Q: Why do I have to agree to more than one waiver to sign up my child family members?

A: In California, children cannot legally agree to waivers; their legal guardian must agree to waivers for them. We present a separate waiver for each child you sign up.

Q: I was invited to join a family membership as an additional adult. How do I renew?

A: The primary family member (the member who paid for the family membership) must renew the family's membership.

Q: I'm listed as an additional adult. Can I switch to being the primary family member?

A: Make sure the current primary family member agrees with this change, then contact OnlineMembership@bask.org.

Q: How do I sign up additional adults in my family?

A: After you join as a primary family member, you can invite additional adults who live at your address. You can do this from the Family tab of your member profile. Simply enter the additional adult's name and email address, and the system will send the additional adult an invitation to register. The additional adult controls their registration information; you do not fill it out for them. Additional adults join for free, and their membership expires when yours does.

Q: How do I sign up children in my family?

A: After you join as a primary family member, you can register minor child members (children under age 18) who live at your address. You can do this from the Family tab of your member profile. You control your child's registration information, including whether you want them to be listed in the online directory. If you want your child to have access to the members-only content on the BASK website, you can provide your child with the username and password that you created. If you grant your child access, the child will be able to edit their own profile, change their own password, and alter their directory visibility. Child members join for free, and their membership expires when yours does.

Q: How do I protect myself and BASK from liability if I initiate an activity involving minors?

A: In California, minors (children age 17 or less) cannot sign waivers. If you initiate an activity involving families with minor children, you must have adult family members sign the BASK family activity liability waiver (PDF). In certain limited circumstances, minors age 16-17 can participate in activities without their parents. See the family activity liability waiver for details.

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Your Member Profile

Q: I edited my profile; why didn't the changes stick?

A: Make sure you scroll down far enough to click the Save Changes button.

Q: Why can't I edit my email address on the Editing Contact Information page?

A: When editing your contact information on that page, you can only opt out of showing your email address in the online directory. To change the email address itself, go to the Username/Password page.

Q: I share an email address with another member. Why do I have to provide a unique email address?

A: Our membership system requires each member to have a unique email address so that automated dues notification emails can be sent out. If needed, you can opt out of showing your email address to other members in the online directory.

Q: Why can't I choose a new username?

A: Your username is your unique identifier in BASK's membership system, so it must remain constant. If you forget it, BASK can send a reminder to the email address you used to join. Contact OnlineMembership@bask.org if you have questions.

Q: Why do you want my location in addition to my street address?

A: In the past, we used this to display a map on your profile page; but that feature isn't currently working.

Q: I tried to update my portrait in my profile; why does it tell me there’s a cropping error?

A: This error message may appear in certain browsers, for example, when using Firefox on a Mac. Ignore the message; it does not affect cropping or display of your portrait.

Q: I tried to upload a portrait to my profile; why did I get an error? (such as Error 503, or a notice that my portrait is too large)

A: Errors such as "503 Service Unavailable" can occur on certain browsers if you try to upload a portrait that is too large. Use an image/photo editing program to reduce the file size to less than 5 MB and try again with the smaller file.

Q: I tried to upload a portrait to my profile; why didn’t it work? I didn’t see any error message.

A: This can occur on certain browsers if you try to upload a portrait that is too large. Use an image/photo editing program to reduce the file size to less than 5 MB and try again with the smaller file.

Q: I tried to upload a portrait to my profile and it came out sideways. How do I fix this?

A: The website is picking up information embedded in the graphic file about the orientation originally used to take the photo. (You or someone else turned the camera sideways.) Rotate the photo in a graphics editing program and try uploading it again.

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Member Directory

Q: How can I find other BASK members with similar paddling interests?

A: You can list your own paddling interests in your profile. Each interest will appear as a hyperlink that you can click to display a list of other members who have also entered that interest. For full instructions and example interests to get you started, select Membership > Your Paddling Interests to view the Connecting to Paddlers Who Share Your Interests page.

Q: Why can’t I see anyone else in the online member directory?

A: You opted out of showing yourself in the online directory. Only members who agree to show themselves in the directory can view other members. You can change this setting by editing your profile. After logging in, select Profile > Edit on the upper right.

Q: When I view online directory search or browse results, I only see members who recently visited the website. Where's everybody else?

A: If you don't see many results when searching or browsing for members in the online directory, select an Order By value other than Last Active. Some members haven’t been active on the site yet, so you won’t see them if you sort by Last Active.

Q: When I view online directory search or browse results, I only see members who have uploaded a portrait. Where's everybody else?

A: The Members with portraits only display mode only shows members who have uploaded portraits. Select the All members display mode to get the full list.

Q: Can I examine my entry in the BASK membership database? What if I find a mistake?

A: If you need to make any corrections, you can update the information in your profile. After logging in, select Profile > Edit on the upper right. When you are done, click Save Changes to save these changes to your profile.

Q: I'd like to hide my street address, phone number, or email in the online directory. How do I do that?

A: You can hide various pieces of your personal information in the online directory. After logging in, select Profile > Edit on the upper right. Below the street address, phone number, and email fields, it asks "How do you want to show this item to other members?" Click Change to change the visibility setting. When you are done, click Save Changes to save these changes to your profile. You cannot hide your city, ZIP code, or country. Ignore the print directory options; BASK no longer produces a print directory.

Q: Will I get a copy of the print directory?

A: As of 2021, BASK no longer produces a print directory.

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Logging in as a Member

Q: I forgot my password for the Members Only web page. Can you tell me what it is?

A: For security reasons, we don't store passwords in human-readable form in our database, so we couldn't tell you what your password is even if we wanted to. However, you can get login help or request a password reset.

Q: I joined by sending in a check or paying cash, and I got an email with my username. What is my password?

A: If you joined offline, you will need to request password assistance. When you do this, you will receive an email that will allow you to choose a password.

Q: I requested username or password assistance, but never got the email.

A: Make sure you are checking your email for the account you used to join BASK. If that doesn't work, contact OnlineMembership@bask.org.

Q: I think I know my password, but I still can't get in.

A: Here are some things to check:

Your password must be typed using the same mix of uppercase and lowercase characters that you used when you first chose your password.
Be sure there that you haven't typed (or pasted) any spaces before or after the username or password.
Be sure you're using your BASK website members-only username and password.
If you normally use your browser's password manager to remember your password, have you tried logging in without it? Maybe there's a problem with the password manager.
If all else fails, you can request a password reset.

Q: I forgot my username, and I have changed email addresses, so I'm not able to get login help. What do I do?

A: Contact OnlineMembership@bask.org for assistance.

Q: I've logged in. How do I change my password?

A: In the menu on the upper right, select Profile > Edit and go to the Username/Password tab. Enter your current password, then enter your new password twice in the Change Password boxes and click Save Changes. Log out and log back in to test your new password.

Q: What are BASK's guidelines for creating a username?

A: Your username can be up to 20 characters long. Use lowercase letters and/or numbers. Spaces are not allowed.

Q: What are BASK's guidelines for creating a password?

A: Your password must be at least six characters long. To make it stronger, use a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols such as # @ ! $ & ^ ? and %. Case is significant—your password can contain capital letters, and they will be treated as different characters from their lowercase equivalents. For tips on keeping your password secure, see the Login Help page.

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Currents Forum

Q: What is the Currents forum?

A: Currents is BASK’s new communication platform. Learn about last-minute paddles, read trip reports from recent BASK paddles (often with photos), and learn how to sign up for club trips to Mendocino, Monterey, and beyond. Have a question about the best boat for rock gardening or how to replace a wrist gasket on your dry suit? Write a topic on Currents and you’ll get lots of help. Keep up with local environmental news, whale sightings, new launch locations, and much more.

Q: Who can access Currents?

A: Anyone who is a current BASK member in good standing (with membership dues paid) can log into Currents. If your membership lapses, you won’t be able to log into Currents, view topics, reply to posts, or contact other members through Currents.

Q: How do I log into Currents?

A: Follow this link: https://currents.bask.org. If you’re already logged into the BASK website in the same browser, you’ll be logged in automatically. If you’re not already logged into the BASK website, enter your website username and password in the forum login. If you’re having trouble with your website credentials, see the Logging in as a Member section of the website FAQ.

Q: How is Currents different from Buzz?

A: Buzz was an email list used by BASK until March, 2023. It has now been replaced by the Currents forum. Currents is only accessible to BASK members, is a way for us to send messages to the whole club, and has a search function. You can post pictures and videos directly to the forum, and it uses common social media features such as likes, replies, tags, and watching. Currents topics are categorized, so you can opt in to receiving emails about new posts in the Currents categories that interest you, and you can ignore the others. The Currents system will only send emails to you if you set up notifications on particular categories or topics. Unlike Buzz, you don’t need to request special access to Currents or create a separate password for it; your BASK website login credentials will work for Currents.

Q: Is the Currents forum moderated?

A: Yes, the Currents Support Team (admins) help oversee the Currents forum, helping to ensure that users and content are in line with BASK’s published Code of Conduct and forum guidelines. However, we expect the BASK community to be self-regulating to a large degree.

Q: Is my personal information visible in Currents?

A: Unless you type this information into a post, Currents does not show your email address or other information from the BASK directory, except for your name and profile picture. However, you can send direct messages to other Currents users.

Q: What's the difference between a "topic" and a "post"?

A: To start a new discussion on Currents, any member can create a new topic by clicking the +New Topic button; this creates the initial post in the topic. Each topic should go in an appropriate topic category. Other members can post replies to the initial post, as well as post replies to other replies. The posts within the topic form a threaded conversation.

Q: I see a topic that’s in the wrong category or that has inappropriate content. What should I do?

A: You can click the Flag button on a post that seems inappropriate to you. When you do, you’ll have the option to either send a private message to the person who posted the message, or to flag a forum admin. If you choose to flag a forum admin, you can indicate that the post needs to be moved, is inappropriate, is spam, or something else. Be sure that you don’t flag posts by accident, to avoid extra work for admins.

Q: I have other questions about Currents. Who can help?

A: If you haven’t already done so, watch the 12-minute introductory Currents video to get an overview of the forum. You can get answers from other users of Currents by posting your question to the Currents Help category. If you don’t get a response there in a timely manner, please contact the Currents Support Team at currents@bask.org; the team will do their best to assist you.

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BASK Monthly Events and Announcements

Q: How is the BASK Monthly Events and Announcements newsletter different from Currents and Buzz?

A: Buzz was interactive email list used by BASK until March 2023. It has been replaced by the interactive Currents forum, where BASK members can discuss all manner of topics relating to sea kayaking and the club. BASK Monthly Events and Announcements is a newsletter that is sent out once a month and features only upcoming club paddles, other club events, and announcements from club officers.

Q: How do I get on the BASK Monthly Events and Announcements mailing list?

A: All currently paid adult member of BASK have been added to the list, and new members will be added shortly after they join. If you are not on the list, but think you should be, log into the website and navigate to Resources > BASK Monthly Emails to sign up, or write to newsletterlistmanager@bask.org.

Q: I'm on the BASK Monthly Events and Announcements list, but I didn't get the latest newsletter. Why?

A: You can check to find out whether you're still on the recipient list by writing to newsletterlistmanager@bask.org.
If you find out that you are still on the list, check your spam filter to see if the newsletter ended up there. If you do not see it in your spam filter, try searching for "BASK Monthly Events and Announcements".
You can also try adding the newsletter email address to your receiving whitelist. Here's how to do it for Gmail.

In your browser, log into Gmail.
Click the cog icon in the top-right corner, and then See all settings.
Click Filters and Blocked Addresses.
Click Create a new filter.
Enter newsletter@bask.org in the From field.
Click Create filter.
Select the Never send it to spam checkbox.
Click Create filter.

Repeat the above steps with “gmail.mcsv.net" in place of "newsletter@bask.org".
If these steps don't work, write to newsletterlistmanager@bask.org.

Q: How do I stop the BASK Monthly Events and Announcements emails? I no longer want to receive them.

A: You can unsubscribe from BASK Monthly Events and Announcements by clicking the Unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email. You can also unsubscribe at any time by visiting this page.

Q: Is there an archive of BASK Monthly Events and Announcements newsletters?

A: No. Because the information in the emails is available in a more current and detailed form on the BASK calendar, BASK monthly emails are not being archived.

Q: Why don’t the links in the newsletter work?

A: If the link points to members-only content on the website, such as the BASK Calendar, you must log in to the website before clicking the link. Otherwise, you will see the page that tells you something is amiss. If a link still doesn’t seem right even after you log in, contact newsletter@bask.org.

Q: What if I have questions or comments about newsletter content?

A: Write to newsletter@bask.org.

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Forms

Q: I've initiated a BASK trip. Where can I find a copy of the BASK activity liability waiver form to bring to the put-in?

A: There's a copy in the centerfold of your BASK Handbook and Membership Directory, or you can download the BASK activity liability waiver (PDF) for printing.

Q: I've initiated a BASK trip or activity that involves families. Where can I find a copy of the BASK family activity liability waiver?

A: You can download the BASK family activity liability waiver (PDF) for printing.

Q: How do I get to the Join BASK page? (I am logged in and can't find it in the menu.)

A: Log out of the site or visit the site in a different browser without logging in. Then you will see the Join BASK option in the menu.

Q: How do I download a membership form for a friend?

A: Click Club Info > Membership and click the Join BASK link. Scroll down to the Prefer to Join Offline? section and click the appropriate link (family or non-family). At the bottom of the How to Sign Up page, you'll find a link for printing out a membership form.

Q: Can I sign the waiver electronically?

A: Yes. Make sure you're logged into the website and go to Trips > Initiating Trips. Under Resources, click the Signing BASK waivers link. That page has instructions on how to sign a waiver using the free Adobe Acrobat Reader program.

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Using the Website

Q: How can I find other club members who live near me?

A: To find other members who live in your ZIP code, click the ZIP/Postal Code value in your profile. A list of members in that ZIP code will appear. To find other members who live in your city, click the City value in your profile. A list of members in that city will appear.

Q: How can I view only those members who have uploaded a portrait?

A: Log in, select Membership > Browse Gallery, and switch from List display mode to Grid.

Q: How do I exit the calendar?/Why does my browser hang when I click Back when viewing the BASK calendar?

A: This is a browser-specific issue that existed with the calendar before the website was revamped. To exit the calendar, click the Back to BASK Members Area link instead of your browser's Back button. You can also try clicking the browser Back button twice rapidly, or try holding the mouse button while clicking the browser Back button to bring up a list of previously visited pages.

Q: Why doesn't the website look right on my browser? I think there are graphics missing.

A: If you are using an old version of a browser, for example Internet Explorer 7 or 8, some items on the website will not be rendered correctly. We recommend that you upgrade to the latest version of your browser, or try a different browser, if the site doesn't look right. If you still have problems, contact the BASK webmaster.

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Buzz Mailing List

Q: What happened to Buzz?

A: The Buzz email list was decommissioned on March 21, 2023 and has been replaced by the Currents Forum.

Q: How can I view the Buzz archives?

A: The Buzz archives are available on the members-only section of the BASK website. After logging in to the site, go to Resources > Buzz Email List Archive.

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One Last Question

Q: I have a question that's not answered above. Who can help me?

A: Send email to info@bask.org.

Question Categories