Sea Kayak SK1 Lesson
Starting out / Assisting:Any experienced SK1 can assist an instructor by leading/sweeping the group to Picnic Point, by demonstrating edging, bracing, sculling and hip snaps, by giving pointers to beginners, by demonstrating assisted paddler rescue and by demonstrating paddle float rescue. Because of the nature of the lesson, it is advised that it is taught with 2 instructors at a time, if possible. Your assistance will be appreciated so don't hesitate to get involved! To learn how to instruct, talk to the instruction coordinator chair or talk to current instructors about assisting with their lessons.
Requirements / Policy to teach:
To teach a lesson on your own, the club policy is that you first assist with at least 1 lake lesson and then teach a lesson under the supervision of an experienced instructor. Talk to the boating instruction coordinator for more information. Bill (aka The Water Safety Chair) recommends you to have an SK1 to teach a lesson. Having experience and being comfortable with sea kayaks is necessary.
Preparation:
This lesson consists of four main parts:
1) Paddle to Picnic Point or further
2) Practice edging, bracing, sculling and hip snaps
3) Assisted paddler practice
4) Paddle float rescue
The first part tests paddler strength and endurance. These are essential skills for the club trips – not to paddle very fast but keep a moderate speed for quite some time. (Explain them the “lead” and “sweep” in a trip; make your assistant or a volunteer from the group lead the group and take the sweep – this way you have a better control of the group; keep the group not spread too much)
The second part covers essential kayaking techniques that help paddlers not to flip over and keep more balanced in the water. In order to realize the real world paddling situations, the instructors (“the evil persons”) will push you to the sides to make you recover from that push. (Demonstrate edging in pairs – one person at a time edges towards the other boat to see their limit to edge; recall hip snap; demonstrate low and high bracing and sculling (buttering the water), explain when and how to use them; give everyone specific feedback; after all that, go to a shallow shore, stand in the water and be the “evil person” – get at the back of someone’s boat and try to flip them over – so they’ll need to use their new bracing skills; also pull with straps the boats to sides to make them use sculling)
The third part is aimed at the real world scenario about what to do when a paddler gets exhausted or sick. The rescuer has this paddler lean on their boat and then paddle both of the boats. (Demonstrate it and make everyone do that in pairs)
Finally, the last part covers the paddle float rescue, which is a solo rescue and might be very useful especially if you like to go paddling just on yourself. This part will be done at the end of the lesson, as everybody will get wet! (It’s a good habit to demonstrate it at the very beginning on land before entering the water, demonstrate in the water again and make sure everyone gets out of the water in less than 5 minutes)
Anouncing a lesson:
It is required that you either announce it on the list or at a meeting, but doing both is recommended. Signup is either by e-mail or on a sheet in the boathouse (specified in your announcement). If you need assistants, ask your friends on the boaters list :) Also, we have a calendar now, so please post it there since that is our best way of seeing when things are (like lake lessons).
If you have any questions, please contact the Boating Instruction Coordinator at boatinginstruction@hooferouting.org
