Re: [Paddlewise] ACA Critical Judgment report

Nick Schade <nick_at_guillemot-kayaks.com> wrote:


>> The ACA has just released a report on "Understanding and Preventing
Canoe and Kayak Fatalities". http://www.acanet.org/CJintro.htm  [snip]

The ACA report details the safety issues involved and discusses the
variables that effect safety in small boats. I have not read through
the whole report yet, but it appears to be the most complete report yet
to investigate specifically the safety issues related to canoes and
kayaks.

As kayaking becomes more and more popular the chance that governments
will seek to regulate the sport will increase. The ACA report should
give those interested in seeing regulation handled in a reasonable way
some good information to work with. >>

I scanned the pamphlet and found that it implies by the use of lots of sea
kayaking photos that much of the text might apply to paddling such as we do.
Reading the text and scanning the tables and analysis, it seems the data
examined overwhelmingly dealt with canoes and WW kayaks.

The recommendations fall much short of advocating mandatory certification of
paddlers, though they do advocate increased efforts at education of the
public, and of authorities who deal with boaters of all stripes about the
special requirements of paddlers.

In short, the pamphlet is a good and bad thing.  I suspect it may result in
sea kayakers getting lumped in with WW boaters ("Hunh?  You mean a kayak is
not a kayak?"  said the state legislator as he voted for mandatory offside
roll expertise and Z-rescue capability for all sea kayakers.)

I'd be happier if the ACA drew clear distinctions among the types of
paddlecraft and their uses.  Self rescue is advocated, but what that means
for a WW boater is very different from what it means for sea kayakers.  I
really hate it when I see a "one size fits all" approach to regulation
coming ... and as a long-time professional organic chemist with buckets of
experience handling hazardous materials (safely), I've seen plenty of
regulations that do exactly that.

I hate to say it, but this ACA pamphlet may cause us a lot of trouble, and
not improve the safety of __sea kayakers__ much at all.  I think we are
getting stirred in with pleasure canoeists and WW boaters (both types), and
that makes for a rather lumpy, discordant stew.

I'd really like to hear from Scherrer and others who have active
instructional programs on this.

--
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR

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