Re: [Paddlewise] Weather

In a message dated 12/12/98 3:11:05 PM Eastern Standard Time,
abhunt_at_earthlink.net writes:

<< As I mentioned some time back, few kayaking courses cover weather awareness
in much detail (based on my own experience and my survey on the topic) . No
doubt there will be some content in the ACA course on weather but the list Ray
gave us suggests its importance (not much) to the course. No doubt accident
prevention lacks the glamour of rolling, expeditions, surf and traditional
skills but it seems to me to that bland old keeping out of trouble should be a
major topic. >>

You are correct that accident prevention lacks the glamor of other topics.  So
does practicing strokes.  I have offered a strokes workshop to focus on proper
form and efficiency of the different paddle strokes and no one ever signs up.
I believe the same would hold true for a weather forecasting and/or accident
prevention workshop.  A course on weather forecasting and accident prevention
will not be able to stand on it's own (people will not sign up for it) so it
will just be a portion of another course. 

As it stands now, there are only three (sea kayak) classes that are sanctioned
by the ACA for instructors to teach.  They are "Quick Start,"  (3 hour min.),
"Intro to Paddling" (5 hours min.) and the "Fundamentals to Coastal Kayaking"
(16 hours min.).  They are all beginner workshops.  This is one of the reasons
for the proposed courses.  The Coastal Kayaking Committee was formed to
address the need for more advanced classes. 

There is so much info to cover in the allotted time for these classes that one
topic cannot be given the proper amount of attention it deserves.  The
'Fundamental' course has a module that talks about Wind, Waves and Weather.
At the end of the course it is mentioned that this 16 hour workshop is not an
end in itself and students should seek further training and instruction.

In the proposed "Expeditions" workshop which may consist of an actual 3 day
training and instruction trip, the subject of weather forecasting should be a
topic of it's own. (The lesson plan is not yet finalized on that particular
course.)

In an Instructor Development Workshop (IDW) and Instructor Certification Exam
(ICE), each instructor candidate is assigned topics to teach to beginning
students and weather forecasting is usually one of them as well as risk
management.

Overall Safety is always stressed.

Ray Killen
***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
Website:         http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/
***************************************************************************