Shawn wrote: >>>>Attributing opinions and techniques from individual Instructors and Instructor Trainers to the entire organization is a little too much of a generalization.<<<<< I was not attempting to make a generalization. Perhaps I should have started out something like: Even Roger and Jan, whose teaching and knowledge I generally have a lot of respect for, seem to be off base (but in line with the usual ACA teaching I've been exposed to) on the value of fixing the paddle as an outrigger to the kayak. If the organization is vague on this, as their curriculum seems to indicate, then the top instructor trainer educators must be setting the agenda and the student/instructors will likely toe their own instructor/certifier's line. In that case the top individual certifiers are determining the teaching of hundreds (if not thousands of ACA certified instructors). Just who decides how these things will be taught? Jan and Roger are apparently part of the ACA's "National Committee". Who are the other members that are involved with sea kayak instruction. Maybe the CA segment of the ACA is setting the rescue instruction agenda. I developed the paddlefloat rescue back in 1981 and spent a lot of time refining it afterwards. It is very frustrating to see my "baby" being dismissed for reasons having to do with the poor way it is being taught by most ACA instructors, rather than for the way I developed, refined and promoted it (instructions for which can be found in the "Rescue Float" manual on our website). I don't know just how the hierarchy of the ACA operates but are Instructor Trainer Educators the highest run of instructors and do they set the agenda? How many are there and who are they? So far I haven't been able to find that out on the ACAnet website. That said, my baby has faired far worse in the hands of the more entrenched sea kayak bureaucracy of the BCU. Matt Broze www.marinerkayaks.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
----- Original Message ----- From: Matt Broze Maybe the CA segment of the ACA is setting the rescue instruction agenda. I developed the paddlefloat rescue back in 1981 and spent a lot of time refining it afterwards. It is very frustrating to see my "baby" being dismissed for reasons having to do with the poor way it is being taught by most ACA instructors, rather than for the way I developed, refined and promoted it (instructions for which can be found in the "Rescue Float" manual on our website). Matt, As one of the CA contingent of paddlers, all I can say is THANKS for coming up with the idea of the paddlefloat rescue and refining it. It is one of several techniques in my bag of tricks for surviving a capsize. Although I don't do it exactly as you developed it (I use the "CA way" of starting behind the paddle shaft), I have found this re-entry works extremely well. I have done a lot of practice with it, and had the "opportunity" to use it in 25 knots with 11 foot breaking swells. A standard assisted T was almost impossible, until we incorporated the paddlefloat re-entry with it. Everything worked well then and what could have been a tragedy bacame nothing more than a story to share. I personally think every boat should come from the factory *properly* rigged for it and not with the chrome that you mentioned in an earlier post. Steve Holtzman Southern CA *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Hi Matt, At some risk in posting (!) (I'm really looking to see what the favorite GPS is these days after needing my exact position in fog), and maybe this has been answered, but - The main thing is that to be certified as an ACA instructor you have to show you can get in using a paddle float but without the shaft being attached. The shaft of the paddle rests aft of the coming. This is what I use as criteria in certifying. My program is modeled after the staff at Univ. Minnesota Diluth as well as my initial trainers from Maine. I've noticed lately that California or West Coast seem to have some methods that vary. The ACA does allow some leeway between trainers, however - as one person put it recently it like taking the same class from different professors at a university - they might have a different emphasis. To get certified at the most basic level one needs to be able to show the skill and then also to teach it. In this case, coming up in front of or behind the shaft is left up to the individual - I know some like it one way and others like it another - and some can't do it one way but can do it the other way (esp. in terms of beginners.) When teaching beginners it is usual, I believe, to show using the paddle under the bungies, and if you have it, like your design, affixing the system together.... I certainly teach beginners to look for boats that have the system behind the cockpit. How did this all come about, anyway? Andree Andree Hurley Kayak Instruction eXcellence (KIX) Websites - http://www.onwatersports.com/, http://paddling.about.com Brochure: http://onwatersports.com/KIX/KixBrochure.pdf Port Townsend, WA *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Matt, After I posted last night and went off to sleep, it dawned on me that I first learned the paddle float rescue while teaching for the Northwest Outdoor Center in Seattle from '84 - '89. NWOC is your neighbor - and they taught me to teach the back deck method. I had never seen anyone go over the cockpit until the late 90's and I actually think it has more problems - it's higher, things get hung up on the cockpit rim, etc....it is argued there are less steps. So I show and tell beginners both methods (with the paddle under the bungies if they need it) and tell them to practice, practice practice! Andree Andree Hurley ACA Certified Instructor Trainer Kayak Instruction eXcellence (KIX) Websites - http://www.onwatersports.com/, http://paddling.about.com Brochure: http://onwatersports.com/KIX/KixBrochure.pdf Port Townsend, WA *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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