[Paddlewise] Forward from Roger Schumann to M. Broze

Hi Matt,

Thanks for the mention of my "Sea Kayak Rescue" book in your
recent 
post
about the paddlefloat reentry. To clarify a few things about
your 
comments
about the ACA and my own preferences regarding this recovery, I
felt
compelled to respond.
(BTW: In my kayaking school, I only use Mariner paddlefloats in
my 
classes
because I find them so superior.)

Since hypothermia is a major consideration, I emphasize using
whatever
techniques are the quickest (yet still stable enough), so
students get 
out
of the cold water that much sooner. I believe that in many
situations, 
even
a few seconds can make a big difference (if you are drifting
into the 
cliffs
on the open coast, for example).

For example: I only suggest using a sling with the paddlefloat
reentry 
for
those students who have trouble getting up on their back decks
without 
it.
Otherwise, it is a waste of time spent in the water rigging a
sling for
those who don't need it and can get back in their boats that
much 
quicker
without it.

Similarly I only teach using the back-deck rigging method to
those 
students
who have trouble holding on to their paddles without it. I've 
discovered
over the past 12 years of teaching classes that, from beginners
in my 
Intro
to Kayaking class all the way up to those in my Advanced Open
Coast and 
Rock
Garden courses (where we are practicing recoveries in much more 
challenging,
open-ocean conditions) I've found that most of my students are
able to
reenter and pump out their kayaks quickly and easily without
adding 
time to
take the extra steps of rigging and later removing the paddle
from the
back-deck bungees.

> However, they don't mention that there will also be a lot
slower
> pumping
> rate because of the stability issues that must be addressed
when
> trying to
> use ones hands to hold the paddle to stabilize the kayak and
use
> the same
> hands to put on the spraydeck and hold and then operate the
pump
> simultaneously.

I teach kayaking pretty much full time, literally hundreds of
students 
every
year for the past 12 years, from every level from first time
beginners 
to
instructors to advanced open-coast rock-garden paddlers.

And I can only say that I have not found this to be my
experience,
and--assuming they use good technique--pumping out the kayak is
no 
slower or
less stable for most students. Of course, there are a couple
techniques 
and
tricks students need to learn in order to make this work, but
most 
students
quickly pick these up. If you do try, as you say above to "use
your 
hands to
hold the paddle...and operate the pump simultaneously..." it
won't 
work. So
this is not the way I teach it. The paddle is secured against
the 
stomach
with the elbows while the hands are on the pump. This is not
that hard 
for
most of my students to learn. However, for those few who can't
pull off 
the
recovery without the extra stability of rigging their paddle
under the
bungies, I teach them how to do that, although it typically adds
an 
extra 30
to 45 seconds to most students' recovery time.

In regards to your comments about the ACA teaching students to
come up 
over
the back deck behind the paddle:

> .... the California
> affectation
> of coming up from the stern side of the paddle outrigger and
> laboriously
> switching hands and feet to walk over the paddle.

I didn't realize this was a "California" thing, but if it is,
I'll take 
that
as a compliment!

Again, learning proper technique is key. With a little
instruction, 
most of
my students don't find this technique the least bit "laborious."
For 
many it
makes little difference which side of the paddle they climb in
on. For 
those
with less upper-body strength, however, I've found that the back
deck 
is
generally a little lower and easier to climb onto. Students who
could 
only
get in their boats with a sling previously, were soon able to
skip the 
sling
when I taught them the back-deck method. Those with long legs
also seem 
to
have less trouble getting their legs in the cockpit from the
back deck.

I actually learned to do the paddlefloat reentry originally by
coming 
up in
front of the paddle beside the cockpit, and I taught it that way
for 
several
years. I've since experimented extensively, both with myself and
with 
my
students. Personally I can get back in my boat in just a few
seconds 
either
in front of, or behind the paddle. For me it makes little
difference. 
But as
an instructor I've learned that it's not about what works for
me. It's 
about
what works for my students. What I've found, however, is that
more of 
my
students have had more success with the back-deck method. As an 
instructor
(ACA or otherwise) I am always looking for ways to reach a wider

variety of
students.

As to you comments about the ACA...

> I'd like to
> see something in detail from the ACA on technique for self
> rescues where
> pros and cons of which rescues work best when are discussed.

I'd really love to see that happen too. But as an ACA-certified 
Instructor
Trainer Educator (the one's certified to certify the Instructor 
Trainers who
in turn certify the instructors) I know that the ACA is only a
bunch of
(mostly) professional instructors who care enough about kayaking
to try 
to
continually search out better ways of teaching it. All of them
are 
taking
time out of busy lives to volunteer their time to try to keep
such 
materials
up to date.

In other words, if your really would like to see that happen
sooner 
than
later, I respectfully suggest that you might join the ACA and
volunteer 
to
do this job yourself. We'd certainly appreciate the assistance
of 
someone
with your background.

Cheers,

Roger Schumann
ACA Instructor Trainer Educator
Owner: Eskape Sea Kayaking school
www.eskapekayak.com
831.427.2297

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