Don Dimond wrote about how drowning swimmers can pose a very serious threat to rescuers. Probably the best advice I have ever found on this subject came from Bill Nealy's book "Kayak" (1985). I know that info not because it's right here (it's not), but because it is like a Bible to me. Mr. Nealy described how to distinguish a good victim from a bad victim. A good victim will accept that you are in control and follow the necessary commands given to help them to shore. A bad victim will attempt to climb up on your boat, sit on your head and generally create much more anxiety/danger than was previously found with only 1 victim in the water. Most dumped paddlers/drowning swimmers who are in a crazed panic will be saying things like "mmaarff!" and swinging wildly. These people are bad victims, and are a threat to the lives of anyone who tries to help them. Mr Nealy advised that you only allow them to hold the front toggle of the boat, if they try to dump you or climb up on your boat, it's paddle smackin time. If they get really aggressive, and you can't get em off the boat, point just behind them and scream SNAKE!! It is okay to float in front of suspected bad victim and ask them to say multisyllable words. ex. antidisestablishmentarianism. Just like the three taps on the bottom of a boat before a wet exit/Eskimo rescue, this calms the mind and slows down time. Telling them a joke works well too... I have been in this situation before and I can tell you the victim is looking at you like "What the Hell?!?!" If they are coherent enough to stop and think about it, they can handle being rescued. If not, well, let them know that you are not coming any closer until they calm down. Bad victims are very dangerous things All credit to Mr. Nealy, Phil Huck thekayaker_at_yahoo.com __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Thu Oct 14 1999 - 09:49:42 PDT
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