Re: [Paddlewise] Now I'm curious: how dangerous _is_ kayaking?

In a message dated 2/27/00 12:59:10 PM !!!First Boot!!!, 
stephen.bird_at_superaje.com writes:

<< When I did a similar session at the Canadian Canoe Symposium last August
 there was considerable interest in waivers and the liability of trip
 leaders. For example, would a volunteer trip leader who was (BCU) certified
 be held to a higher standard of care than a trip leader who was not
 certified? How good are waivers? Does it make a difference if the
 participant is young/old? How much pre-trip testing should take place to
 determine the skill level of the participant >>

 Stephen,
   I am sorely disappointed to learn that you will not be participating at 
the ECCKF in Charleston this year.  I am sure that your class would have been 
well attended. 
  The questions mentioned above are questions that many clubs and outfitters 
have asked many times.
  I have heard it expressed that the trained leader is the perceived expert 
and therefore held to a higher standard of care.  The industry has no set 
standards and they are therefore subjective.
  Waivers are virtually useless.  Win or lose a lawsuit can put a small 
operator out of business.
   You cannot deny participation based on age.  I know 60 year olds with 
better endurance than 16 year olds. (and it is illegal)
   Misrepresentation of skills by participants is all to common.  Often 
participants are in another state and book trips months in advance.
    It is easy to do a pretrip test for self rescue capabilities, but, how do 
you test someone to see if they can go fifteen or twenty miles?
  
   I would be surprised to find many outfitters with several seasons under 
their belts that could not look back on their early years and say, "Whew, we 
were lucky those first few years."  Training is a double edged sword.  You 
take training with the hope of providing a safer experience for your clients, 
while at the same time you are raising the standard of care which is expected 
of you.  Once again, I believe that it comes down to motivation.  If you are 
doing it for the dollar, than screening and standards don't matter much.  I 
screen and refer potentials to the other shop if they do not accept my 
guidelines.  I hope that they screen.  If they don't, at least the customer 
has been made aware of some of the potential hazards from my screening. 

   What else can an outfitter do? (question to P/W's)
   Considerate and constructive suggestions only, please. 
    
   Thanks in advance,
   Bruce McCutcheon
   WEO
   
    
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