[Paddlewise] safety, gadgets, and club trips

Julio-

I agree with what Dave said.  Don't let unprepared people on a trip.
Assess them however you like - you may want to discuss this with your
club - but make sure that you have some way to check paddlers' skills and
equipment before paddling with them.  

It was lucky that you and other kayakers had towing equipment to help that
person out.  On the other hand, if the trip leader had stood firm on their
requirements for going on the trip, you probably wouldn't have needed the
tow rig at all.  I know it's hard to say no to someone who wants to go on 
a trip, but I still think it's a lot easier than dealing with the
scenario you described.

All the gadgets in the world may not be enough to save somebody in a bad
situation,  and your best defense (as John Winters points out) is not to
be in that situation in the first place.

sarah

> and a first aid kit. With such a collection of gadgets I hope to make
> almost sure that everyone gets back alive when paddling in large groups.
> 
> Yes, prevention is the key; that guy got away safely but he should not
> have been in that paddle. But when a group gets big things get out
> of hand quickly.

> On a side subject:
> There have been threads in this group on how to assess the level of
> a paddler that shows up for the first time in a group. That problem
> is one that guides, outfitters, and group leaders have to put up with
> very frequently, but no one had been able to solve effectively.

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