Re: [Paddlewise] Paddling Formations

You run into similar problems when conducting dismounted patrolling operations
in the military...the only visible thing are glowing"cat eyes" on the backs of
helmets/caps, so from the front...

I think that in this situation, where you need all around visiblity like this
using a broader wedge might work better.  Something like :

                                ^
                                ^    Direction of Travel
                                ^

                                XX
                        XX           XX
                XX                            XX

where you can look over each shoulder and see the other people...
possibly using the flag idea from the visiblity thread, with a chem lite
attached to the top would work better (one color for leaders(s) and another for
everyone else, or possibly 2 chemlites attached to the hull on either side of
the cockpit, arranged like a plane..one color on left, another on right, to
confirm orientation...

Obiously the broad wedge is situationally dependent, based on terrain, etc...

Just a thought...

Aaron

"Dickson, Dana A." wrote:

> Last Saturday night I led a group of 10 ISK members on a night navigation
> paddle.  To help keep track of where boats were we first paired off and then
> arranged ourselves in a version of a diamond formation.
>
>    X X
> XX      XX
>    XX
>     X
>
> The leads were a pair, I had the illuminated compass my co leader had the
> young eyes that could read our chart notations in dim light.  This formation
> worked OK, all paddlers returned safe and sound, if a little tired.  However
> one of the problems with the formation was that it was very hard for the
> lead boats to keep track of where the followers were following.  We had some
> trouble with the slower paddlers being left behind.  Another problem we
> noted was that the lightsticks we were using for orientation/identification
> purposes were not visible from the front.
>
> The questions I have for discussion are:
>
> 1)  What other formations have you tried with a group this size?
>
> 2)  What advantages do you see to other formations?
>
> 3)  Other thoughts on keeping a group together when night paddling?
>
> Dana


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