Sea Kayaking Class 7/12/09
Dear Luisa and Patricia,
Thank you so much for such a fun day. I hope that you both learned allot and were not to sore the next day. Attached is an overview of everything that we covered in the class. I hope that you both have a great time kayaking all over the world. I hope to see you both on the water again. Please be safe and remember get back into a boat soon.
Sincerely,
Marcus
Renaissance Adventure Guides Full Day Sea Kayak Lake Lesson Overview
1) The five Essentials for kayaking don’t go on the water without any of these:
a) PFD (Personal Floatation Device)
b) Skirt
c) Wet suit and or appropriate clothing for your adventure “Dress for the swim!!!”
· We also talked about making sure that someone in your group has a first aid kit and knows how to use it.
· Some form of communication incase something should happen a cell phone in a dry box works great.
2) Safety:
a) Never paddle alone.
b) Always check the conditions before you go. Including weather, flows, and logistics.
c) Know the group you are paddling with.
d) Become a first responder or get at the least basic first aid skills.
3) The boats:
· Parts of the boats – Bow, Stern, Cockpit, Coaming of the Cockpit, Hull, bulk head (what separates the cockpit from the storage areas) and the Chines (the angles for stability along the sides of the boat).
4) In the water:
· Proper fitting of your gear- your PFD should be tightened down with a full breath don’t tighten your PFD without a full breath or you will not be able to fill your lungs completely when you need to.
· When swimming out of your kayak you should always be floating face and grab your boat and your
paddle.
5) Wet Exit:
*Remember that one of the very important aspects of kayaking is to be comfortable underwater.*
· Know with out a doubt that your grab loop is out.
· Nose to the deck, keep yourself tucked at all times.
· Pull your grab loop.
· Place your hand on the sides of the cockpit and summersault forward out of the boat.
6) Kayak Paddle:
· Parts- Shaft and Blades, remember that the “Spine of the blade is always away from you.”
· Fit- Place the center of the paddle on top of your head and form 90 degree angles with your elbows.
Your dominant hand is your control hand, that hand is “Super glued to the paddle.”
Your knuckles of your dominant hand are always aligned with the top of the paddle blade on your
dominant side. Or the first knuckles of your dominant hand are aligned with the spine of the blade.
7) Kayak Strokes:
· Forward Stroke-
a) Proper English posture, ergonomically correct, slightly forward and sitting up straight.
b) Purchase at the toes, paddle enters that water at the toes.
c) Rotate at the waist; turn the upper torso to get your power.
d) Paddle blade exits at the waist.
e) Paddle is vertical (this is best), at the least 45 degrees but more is better.
· Forward Sweep Stroke-
a) Proper English posture, ergonomically correct, slightly forward and sitting up straight.
b) Purchase at the toes, paddle enters that water at the toes.
c) Rotate at the waist; turn the upper torso to get your power.
d) Paddle travels from the bow to the stern, the head leads the stroke. “Where the head leads the body will follow.”
e) Low paddle angle, horizontal with the water.
· Reverse or Back Sweep Stroke-
a) Proper English posture, ergonomically correct, slightly forward and sitting up straight.
b) Purchase at the stern, paddle enters that water at the stern.
c) Rotate at the waist; turn the upper torso to get your power.
d) Paddle travels from the stern to the bow, the head leads the stroke. “Where the head leads the body will follow.”
e) Low paddle angle, horizontal with the water.
· Draw Stroke-
a) Proper English posture, ergonomically correct, slightly forward and sitting up straight.
b) Turn your body the direction that you want to go.
c) Purchase your paddle blade, don’t reach too far.
d) Draw your paddle blade in towards your boat.
e) Stop when your elbow hits your torso.
f) Rotate.
g) Slice out.
h) Repeat.
(Your paddle should be vertical or close to vertical during this stroke. Your dry hand or the hand furthest from the water should have little to no motion. Your paddle blade should not leave the water.)
8) T-Rescue:
a) Only works with a partner, who has swam out of their kayak and is in the water.
b) The rescuer checks the swimmer, “Are you ok? Grab your boat and your paddle.”
c) Rescuer goes to the bow of the swimmers kayak. (Remember that the bolts for the foot pegs are always on the bow of the boat making upside down identification easier.)
d) Acquire the bow of the boat have the swimmer go to the rear of the boat.
e) Secure your paddle between the empty sea kayak and your person.
f) With the swimmer pushing down on the stern of the boat pull it up onto your deck until the cockpit is out of the water.
g) Rock the boat back and forth 3 times to drain the water out, and then flip it over.
h) Push the empty sea kayak off of your boat and pull it along side your boat bow to stern and stern to bow. !Make sure that your swimmer maintains a good hold on their boat throughout the entire rescue!
i) Acquire the swimmers paddle and trap both paddles close to your person and along both boats.
j) Securely grasp both sides of the cockpit of the swimmers kayak.
k) Swimmer is told to get their belly onto the back deck of the kayak, then swing their legs into the cockpit, then cork screw into the seat always rotating to face the rescuer.
l) Check for water in the boat, pump it out if necessary.
m) Close the deck of the swimmers cockpit.
n) Check swimmer if they are ok, look for signs of hypothermia – teeth chattering, cyanosis of the lips (lips turning blue)!!!If you see any of these signs get out of the water and get the person to some form of heat as soon as possible!!!
o) If all is well you are on your way again.
9) Self Rescue:
a) You missed your brace and fell over.
b) Wet exit your boat.
c) Maintain a hold of your boat.
d) Slide your leg into the cockpit to make sure you do not drift away from your boat.
e) Trap your paddle between your person and your kayak.
f) Remove your paddle float.
g) Secure your paddle float to your paddle and Inflate your paddle float.
h) Position your paddle behind the cockpit and perpendicular to your boat with paddle float away from your boat. Remember the further the paddle float is from your boat the greater your chance of getting back into the boat.
i) While holding the coming of the cockpit and the paddle, put your closest leg to the paddle over the paddle. Secure the paddle by placing your knee on one side and your ankle on the other.
j) Climb up the paddle until your torso is on the back deck of the boat.
k) Slide your closest leg into the cockpit, maintain the paddles perpendicular relation to your boat, then slide your next leg into the cockpit.
l) Corkscrew into the cockpit facing the paddle float.
m) Move your paddle to in front of you and secure it with your elbows.
n) Start your skirt in the back, and then pump out what water may be in your boat.
o) Secure your skirt completely.
p) Secure your paddle float.
q) You are on your way.
!!!If you are shivering and cold YOU NEED TO GET OUT OF THE WATER AND SAVE YOURSELF!!!
10) J-Lean/Boat Tilt (Degrees of Lean/Tilt):
a) 1st Degree- Apply a little more weight to one rump cheek.
b) 2nd Degree- Instigate some lift with the opposite knee.
c) 3rd Degree- Stick out your ribs toward the side that you are leaning/tilting.
d) 4th Degree- To far, you are upside down please see T-Rescue.
(Very, very important key to success here is to make absolutely sure that your head stay above your waist.)
11) High Brace:
a) Wrists above elbows all the time.
b) All 4 degrees of Lean/Tilt.
c) Smack the water.
d) Rotate (wrist rotates forward).
e) Slice out.
f) Head comes up last. Think limp noodle or bobble head.
12) Low Brace:
a) Wrists below elbows all the time. Like a bull dog.
b) All 4 degrees of Lean/Tilt.
c) Smack the water.
d) Rotate (wrist rotates backward).
e) Slice out.
f) Head comes up last. Think limp noodle or bobble head.
13) Information and Resources:
a) Flows and Forums- www.mountainbuzz.com
b) Instructional Videos- www.youtube.com search for Kayak Instruction.
c) Books- Sea Kayaking: Safety & Rescue (Paperback) by John Lull
d) Ocean weather and information- www.noaa.gov
14) Where to go next and what to do next:
a) Renaissance on the River- Every Wednesday night check the website for times and location www.raguides.com, great place to practice your skills get some help from instructors and have lots of fun.
b) Roll Class- Get to spend the entire time mastering the kayak roll.
c) Get back into a boat as soon as you can
15) Last but not least:
a) Remember that if you do not use your skills you will loose them.
b) Never paddle alone.
c) Have fun.
d) Most importantly BE SAFE at all times.
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