Post by Clara on Mar 11, 2008 9:03:26 GMT
nigel said:
I did that RSR course in January. 
It's very good (although the insturctors need to turn a profit, I paid E120 to throw a rope around, rescue a few dummies, tie a few knots & remember to scout ahead, set up rescue & retreive a pinned boat)
The information shared is essential for safe kayaking. The course is exactly as described above. I can only presume many of the lessons were covered in last month's Wren's safety session. Many club members will already have much of the knowledge & experience under their belts and an 'In-house' session might do the job ( & save some people a few yo-yo's).
What follows is a review of the syllabus and a comment on the weekend:
Event Description:
The course was styled as an “RSR +” course, focusing on what a group of paddlers need, to paddle as a team, coping with most rescue and safety scenarios possible.
1. Kit
After everyone had changed into their gear, the 2 instructors gave a quick rundown on the main things to consider when looking at gear, and offered some constructive criticism on the gear.
The major points to note were:
• Kit: split paddles (at least two on every trip), first aid kits, slings, throwbags, a few karabiners, method of contacting people for assistance.
• Buoyancy for kayaks: it is very difficult to rescue a kayak with no buoyancy.
• Colour: Brighter gear and reflective strips on buoyancy aids, helmets and cags was advised.
• Footwear: In order to rescue successfully a rescuer may need to run down an uneven bank with rough terrain, sometimes carrying a boat. River shoes with harder soles were advised.
• Buoyancy aids: there are times when a cow-tail can be extremely handy, if not vital. This and good large pockets are things to consider when buying a new buoyancy aid.
2. Throw Ropes
Next, the group moved on to an obstacle course, involving throwing a throw rope through hoops and into buckets. After this we moved down to the river to work on live bait situations, recoiling and throwing.
We looked at using a tree, a sling and a karabiner to anchor and secure ourselves when standing on a high bank/ cliff. Also we went over the Figure of 8 knot, the Italian hitch, the clove hitch and the “no- knot” for belaying and setting up.
3. River Crossing
After lunch, three different methods of river crossing were introduced.
Firstly, the solo method using the paddle to form a tripod and slowly step across the river.
Secondly, the group forms a V and supports the front person.
Lastly, the ring or circular formation where the group rotates across the river, dividing the force between the number of people in the group.
4. Defensive Swimming
Next the instructors covered defensive swimming. Everyone improved their technique and practised kicking off rocks to propel yourself across the river.
5. Boat Chasing
Since everyone was wet at this stage, boat chasing was covered. To start off, everyone practised with upright kayaks and gradually moved on until everyone was rescuing upturned kayaks full of water within seconds.
The next day, we covered leadership, communication, teamwork and setting up adequate safety on a rapid.
Each group assessed the rapid and the hazards, talked about the various ways to go down, and formed a plan of how best to set up rescue with kayaks, throwbags etc.
Following on from this, several scenarios were created using half of each group as mock casualties, while the other half had to use their new found skills and initiative to perform a fast effective rescue.
Also covered was dealing with a pinned boat. Several different systems using pulleys, karabiners, slings and prussic loops were set up to take the boat out safely. Lastly, both groups practised unconscious rescues and rolls.
Comment:
Overall, the feedback from both participants and instructors was very positive for the weekend. Participants can now offer rescue support to those who need it as well as pass on these vital skills to less experienced paddlers.
Throughout the course, the most time was spent on rope work, in particular, accuracy, recoiling, repacking, locking the rope in with your hands, being anchored to a static object while throwing and being held by another paddler while throwing.
It is very important that everyone in the group practises what they have learnt as often as they can. Incorporating them into warm up games is a good start.
A list of minimum first-aid kit is available on the ICU website. Those who haven’t yet done a REC First Aid Course would be advised to as it does go hand in hand with river rescue.