Re: [Paddlewise] Group Paddling - Experienced

In a message dated 4/1/99 5:03:39 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
thekayaker_at_yahoo.com writes:

<<  Why paddle with anyone who disregards their and
 thus your safety?     
     We shouldn't even be discussing this. You have a
 moral obligation to help them out.  >>

Tom, I agree with much of what you say, but I don't think it is trivial, nor 
do I believe group problems are always due to moral failures.  Many people 
who paddle off and shred a group do so without any ill intent and often 
without even realizing what they are doing.  They often simply zone out.

The reason I push to discuss this subject is that I keep hoping someone will 
give me (us) some useful communication tools which will make it easier for 
us, as either group members or leaders, to convey to all members of the group 
the importance and advantages of staying together, as well as some means of 
making it easier for them to do so.  An example is Tom's use of Force-ratings 
for rescue skills to illustrate a person's preparedness for different levels 
of conditions.

I think that there are many reasons people fail to keep the spread of the pod 
within limits appropriate to the group, the area, the nature of the trip 
and/or existing conditions.  Yes, sometimes the reasons are related to 
selfishness, lack of basic boat control, injury or weakness.  But there are 
other reasons, which I hope (perhaps naively) might be overcome with the 
right words of encouragement or education, or perhaps some control tactic.  
Following are just four of the rather innocent reasons groups spread out:  
	1.  People misunderstand who is in control of the front-to-rear 
spread of the group.  It isn't the person at the back -- if they aren't 
paddling as fast as others in the group, they tend to spread the group from 
the back, but they are usually doing the best they can, and are not able to 
close the spread.  It isn't the group leaders -- they can designate a pace, 
but they are usually moving about within the group, checking on people's 
welfare and making themselves available for communication.  It is those at 
the front of the group, no-matter who they might be, that actually have the 
obligation and only real opportunity to effectively control the spread of the 
group; but to do so, they need to be aware of the fact and need to constantly 
check back over both shoulders, locating the rearmost paddler and slowing as 
needed to allow the group to close and maintain proper spacing.  How do you 
help people see this and accept the responsibility?
	2.  People misunderstand pace; everyone thinks the other guy is 
paddling too fast or too slow.  The fact is, the pod can only go as fast 
(over-all) as the slowest paddler.  The faster paddlers frustrate themselves 
and dishearten the slower ones by spurting ahead, then needing to wait as 
others catch up.  If they understood the need to match their pace to the 
natural speed of the pod, they could burn up their excess energy, without 
spreading the pod, by moving about and socializing in the pod or by scouting 
out to the sides while remaining within voice contact.  If the slower paddler 
understood, they would press a little harder, trying to contribute to the 
group by keeping the pace at a group-acceptable level.  How do you 
effectively communicate this concept?
	3.  As conditions deteriorate, people become tense.  As people tense 
up and/or tire, they progressively lose the ability to make rational 
judgments or decisions, and to control their boats.  Some of the troublesome 
aspects of this is that they become quiet, not communicating their fatigue, 
discomfort or fears; they stop looking around, losing their sense of spacing 
and position within the group; they physically tense up -- looking straight 
ahead, losing flexibility in their hips, slowing their stroke, pausing to 
brace, and fearing to execute effective sweep strokes.  All this contributes 
to the person losing position in the pod.  How do you recognize these 
symptoms and ease the paddler's anxiety?
	4.	In rough seas people become uncomfortable looking directly 
behind them, losing the ability to keep tract of others.  But when they need 
the skill, how do you teach someone to lean on a static brace or reverse 
sweep stroke to stabilize their rearward look?

Any tricks to share?

Harold 
So. Cal.
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