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. However, to pass the exam, you must be able to prove that you have already paddled on open water. 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? Could someone with BCU experience explain this to me? How does the Award apply in practice in Britain? Does the BCU sponsor open water trips for kayakers who do not have the Four Star award? If so, what are the criteria for taking people on such trips? Chuck Holst *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net ***************************************************************************
Chuck Holst wrote: > > ...SNIP... > 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. However, to pass the exam, you must > be able to prove that you have already paddled on open water. This makes sense to me. I can't imagine certifying someone as competent to paddle on open water if they haven't done so. The same thing applies to conducting brain surgery, flying an airplane, piloting a vessel, or just about any other activity where one can be certified as competent. There is always some risk associated with having the inexperienced obtain the practice that is necessary to become competent, but there is no good alternative. The best one can do is to attempt to create the conditions that will allow the necessary experience to be obtained in a relatively safe manner. Dan Hagen Bellingham, Washington *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net ***************************************************************************
> 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. However, to pass the exam, you must > be able to prove that you have already paddled on open water. > > 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? Maybe a better question is, when should you personally feel ready attempt your first open water run. At some point in one's paddling life, you have to say, "I've never done this before, but the conditions are good today, and I've done all of the personally selected trials that should prepare me for it, so lets do it." For me, I've got a few smaller things on my list, and then I'll do a crossing in Galveston bay that is about 10 miles each way in rough conditions, then I'll feel ready to venture out onto the other side of the barrier island. Lots of offshore platforms with snapper hanging around within a reasonable 3 hour paddle to try as truly open water paddling excercises. Another question to ask is, how far from land to you have to be before its "open water"? Paddling just beyond the surf zone doesn't seem like "open water", but maybe it is? Also, what counts as proof? A video tape shooting a 360 degree pan with a few oil platforms and no beach in sight? Maybe a GPS track log? *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net ***************************************************************************
>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 ***************************************************************************
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