Casual Kayakers Casual Kayakers Overview Safety Equipment Clothing

Casual Kayakers

Casual Kayakers

Overview ØSafety ØEquipment ØClothing

Who is more likely to have a serious accident?

A Few Boring Statistics Ø 70% of all fatal boating accident victims drowned, and of those, 84% were not wearing a life jacket. Ø 8 out of every 10 boaters who drowned were using vessels less than 21 feet in length. Source: USCG 2011 Recreational Boating Accident Statistics

Vessel Types with Top Casualty Numbers Casualty Other Type of Boat Drownings Rank Deaths Total Injuries Total Casualties 1 Open Motorboat 253 121 374 1610 1984 2 Personal Watercraft 18 26 44 764 808 3 Cabin Motorboat 24 23 47 277 324 118 16 134 116 250 21 11 32 87 119 4 5 Canoe/Kayak Pontoon Source: USCG 2011 Recreational Boating Accident Statistics

Don’t be next! March 2012 Outside Air Temp: 81 Degrees Water Temp: 37 Degrees

Best Safety Attributes • Common Sense • Good Judgement • Honesty with Yourself

Rules 1 & 2 #1 Rule: Wear your PFD! #2 Rule: WEAR YOUR PFD!

#3 - Dress for Immersion Everyone Capsizes…it’s not a matter of “if”, it’s a matter of “when”

A Basic Guideline Air Temp: 50 + Water Temp: 60 = less than 130 You should dress with protective clothing * Anytime the water is 55 degrees or below, you should dress in protective clothing

Good Judgement/Common Sense – Know the weather forecast and expected local conditions – Know the abilities/capabilities of the people you are paddling with – BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF ABOUT YOUR OWN ABILITIES

Technique • Kayaking is safer and more fun if you have basic skills – Self and assisted rescue – Basic strokes • Don’t be too shy to participate in lessons or skill sessions

Practice • Practice what your learn everytime you paddle…perfect your technique

Equipment

Minimally Equipped

Well Equipped

Everything in Dry Bags

Kayaks • Choose a kayak for the “type” of paddling you do now……and plan to do in near future!

Key Features All Kayaks Need • Water tight compartments or floatation • Deck lines – front and back deck (bungees are NOT decklines) • Grab handles – Front and rear

Nice To Have Features • Comfortable seat with low back brace • Good arrangement of deck bungees • Rudder or Skeg

Kayaks • Sea Kayaks: 14 - 20 ft • Touring: 12 -14 ft

Kayaks Recreational: 8 -12 ft

Kayaks Sit-On-Top: 8 – 16 ft

Kayak Floatation Commercial Bags • Come in variety of sizes • $50 -$70 a set Styrofoam Pool Noodles Come in lots of colors! About $1 - $1. 50 each

PFD’s Type III Inflatable Type V Rescue

PFD Key Features • Comfortable to wear • Does not “ride up” in the water • Adjustment straps at the waist, sides, and shoulders • Meets your needs as a paddler (pockets, etc. ) • Meets USCG standards

PFD’s

Paddle’s Euro Paddles $75 - $500 Greenland Paddles $125 - $550

Euro Paddles What type is right for you? High Angle Low Angle

Paddles - Pricing Carbon Fiber • Extremely light weight • Durable • Expensive $300 -$500 Fiberglass • Fairly lightweight, but not like Carbon • Extremely durable • Usually have a carbon or lightweight shaft • Mid-range prices $200 -$275 Plastic • Very heavy, usually heavy metal shaft • Blades is not usually rigid • Inexpensive $50 -$100

Paddle Length • Depends on your style of paddling – High Angle (205 cm – 220 cm) – Low Angle (210 cm – 230 cm) • Go as short as you are comfortable • Don’t buy a paddle over 230 cm – it’s too long for any paddler

Draw Stroke

Clothing

Dress for Immersion

Clothing Basics Good • Base Layers • Quick Drying • Moisture Wicking • Smartwool, Poly. Pro, Silk, Nylon/Spandex • Can Be Layered • Provides warmth when wet • Outerwear • Waterproof/Windproof • Protection From Cold Water • Gore-Tex, Neoprene Bad • Base/Outerwe ar • Slow Drying • Moisture Absorbing • Cotton, Denim, Street Clothes in General • Definite No’s • Street Clothes • Sandals/Krocs • Shorts/Pants with Big Cargo Pockets/Cords

NO…. . NO

Clothing Basics Summer • Comfortable • Quick Drying • Offer good sun protection • Enough warmth for immersion • Sleek and won’t get hung up during a wet exit

Warm Water Season June 1 to September 30

Clothing Basics Fall/Winter/Spring • Comfortable • Moisture Wicking Base Layers • Waterproof Outerwear or Neoprene • Head and Hand Protection • Sleek and won’t get hung up during a wet exit

Cold Water Season October 1 to May 31 The Drysuit Option

Cold Water Season Oct –Nov Farmer John/Paddle jacket April-May