>At 10:55 AM 2/16/98 -0600, Chuck wrote: >> >>Last summer my wife and I passed the BCU Four Star >>proficiency assessment for sea kayakers. Supposedly the >>Four Star award certifies that you have the skills and >>knowledge to paddle on open water in a group led by a >>competent leader. >> >>This looks to me like a chicken-and-egg problem -- if you are >>not certified to paddle on open water with the BCU, how do >>you get the experience required to take the exam? Chuck: I have forwarded your message to BCU coach, Scott Williams and will repost his answer. I'm sure he can explain better than I can. Prior to Four Star assessment we invested considerable time practicing and training with Scott in a variety of conditions. Two to three days each weekend in the ocean and afternoons in the lake practicing strokes and rescues. We also participated in a six day group trip to the Apostle Islands. The BCU guide says that 1-3 Stars are assessed on flatwater and 4 - 5 Star are assessed in "actual conditions". Actually, our Four Star assessment weekend had Five Star conditions at times. Even though we were on the water with Scott and Nigel Foster, I was scared sh**less at one point. Wind and current combined for an awesome sea state....it really pushed and expanded our limts and reference points. This doesn't make me a Five Star paddler, but I do feel confident that I would be "Proficient" enough as the BCU calls it to take part in an open water trip and hold my own with the group in real Four Star conditions. I am also proficient enough to recognize and know when I'm not interested in going out for a trip of agonizing paddling, regardless of my ability to handle it. A few hours of playing in rough surf is one thing, a five mile crossing in rough conditions when I have a choice is another. Also, I think Four Star is in addition to a skills level advancement, just as much an awareness level advancement where you are developing a better ability to analyze, predict, understand and respect moving water and the sea state. All within reason of course. >>Could someone with BCU experience explain this to me? >>How does the Award apply in practice in Britain? >From everything I have heard, BCU training is more ongoing in Britain than here in the States. That is to say that people tend to invest more time getting long term training and continued education. That is truly a generalization on my behalf but I hope you can see the underlying point I'm trying to make. It is a matter of attitude toward the training / sport. I'll look forward to hearing what Scott and others have to say on this. CU! Robert ________________________________________________________ Robert Starling Member ASMP / APSG Robert Starling Photography, Inc. Orlando, Florida Phone 407 521-0041 Fax 407 521-0031 http://www.starling.com NetGuide Magazine Internet Site Of The Day *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net ***************************************************************************Received on Mon Feb 16 1998 - 17:58:54 PST
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