Rescue Week is next week, with sessions on Monday 18th, Wednesday 20th and Thursday 21st.  All club members are encouraged to attend at least one session.  This email has all the details.  It will be fun, and the water is quite warm now.

Locations

8 am start each day.  We will be off the water by 11 am latest.

Monday: Crummunda Park.  All welcome

Wednesday: Ewen Maddock Dam (sausage sizzle after the activity).  All welcome.

Thursday: Kiddies Corner, Mooloolaba.  All welcome, but a certain level of paddling skill and experience is assumed.  This session is more aimed at club members who could take the lead in a rescue or towing situation.

What to bring

We will be paddling with bare decks.  You won’t need a sail.  You will only need PFD, spray skirt, pump, kayak, paddle (and tow lines on Thursday, if you have them).

Don’t take extra stuff on the water like sponges, water bottles, etc.  They will float away while you are in the water.

What will we be doing ?

The planned Rescue Week content is:

Wet exit (all days)

Kayaking | How to Wet Exit || REI

By REI

This is how you safely exit your kayak after a capsize, and get ready for other paddlers to put you back in your kayak.

It’s pretty simple.  

1. Take a breath as you go over
2. Wait till the kayak settles, with your head in the 6 o’clock position.
3. Lean towards the front of the cockpit
4. Run your hands forward on the outside of the spray deck and find the pull tab
5. Pull the spray skirt off the front of the cockpit
6. Push the kayak off your hips
7. And come to the surface with a big smile.
8. Hold on to your kayak, and your paddle if it’s close, but DO NOT let go of your kayak.
9. Work your way to the front of your kayak
10. If you can, turn your kayak over so that it is right way up

This video is worth watching before the activity.

Click Here: Kayaking | How to Wet Exit || REI 

T rescue (all days)

This is the best rescue for people who have the strength / agility to pull themself on to the top of their kayak during the rescue.T rescue (all days)

Note

Swimmer does NOT go to the stern of their kayak.  This is old fashioned and dangerous, due to potential lacerations from the rudder and cables.

Have a close look at the video.  We’re not aiming for sub 30 seconds, but if it takes much over a minute from touching the capsized kayak to getting the swimmer back in their seat, something’s wrong.  

This rescue puts the swimmer back in a dry kayak.

26 second sea kayak rescue

By Scott Fairty

Click Here: 26 second sea kayak rescue 

Scoop rescue (all days)

Master the Sea Kayak Scoop Rescue for Injured Paddlers | Adventure Kayak | Rapid Media

By Adventure Kayak Magazine

For people with limited upper body strength, or somebody who is injured, we use the scoop rescue.  

Note: we will be teaching it like the video below, with the swimmer FACE DOWN on their back deck.

This rescue puts the swimmer back in a wet kayak, which has to be pumped out.

Click Here: Master the Sea Kayak Scoop Rescue for Injured Paddlers | Adventure Kayak | Rapid Media 

Basic towing (Thursday only)

How to Tow a Kayak: Contact Tows

By Paddling.com

Contact tow.

Demonstrated below by Gordon Brown.  See Rob if you need translation.  This can also be done without a short tow line.  We will do it both ways.

Click Here: How to Tow a Kayak: Contact Tows 

In line towing

I couldn’t find a good video, but we will have some tow lines available on Thursday, and please bring your own if you have one.  We will likely do:

1. Simple in line tow (one kayak towing another kayak)
2. Supported in line tow (casualty can’t paddle so is supported by a second kayak)
3. Tandem supported inline tow (front kayak maintains direction, second provides the towing power, casualty is supported by a second kayak, and an observer is off to one side maintaining communication along the 40-50 m total length of kayak and towlines)

Please contact Dean or me if you have any questions.

Thanks. 

Rob Plenderleith

Skills and Development Coordinator

---