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Video:
Policies
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DYC
Canoe Section Risk Assessment and Operating Procedures
This document is written specifically for the Dart estuary and the area immediately outside including the Mewstone (areas likely to be visited during normal club paddles) but applies to all club paddles. The objective is to identify risks and to list ways to reduce them. Effort is made to allow leaders and members to use the document to learn safer ways to paddle. It is acknowledge that kayaking is a risk sport and as such some hazards cannot be eliminated. Leaders Club paddles will generally be programmed with a named leader,
these people act in their capacity as experienced members who the club
believes they have sufficient experience for the job tasked. They might
have a current coaching qualification but this is not always the case. Risks
(each with suggested Control Measures as Operating Procedures): Entrapment by Spray decks Beginners
should not wear a spray deck until they have done satisfactory practice
capsizes in a carefully chosen location such as warfleet creek or in a
pool. The less strong should start
with nylon decks and swap to neoprene when confident.
Early directional instability causing beginners to drift into danger Beginners
should have skegs fitted at the start.
Forward paddling basics should be covered on land so they have
the correct wrist action and know how to effect a turn with a backstroke
before they are on the water. Larger paddlers capsizing on launch Very
heavy paddlers should get into boats that are on the water rather than
being slid off the pontoon as is our normal mode of entry.
Ideally an assistant or leader should be on the water first to hold their
kayak as they sit into it. Lower Ferry The
ferry reverses out of its slipway. Ferry drivers see kayaks well when
the ferry is going forwards but not when it is reversing. If the ferry
has just arrived and the cars are still pointing to the shore it is safe
to go round the back as the ferry will not leave suddenly.
Once cars are pointing away from the shore do not go round the
back. Do not rely on there
being no driver in the cab, they have been known to jump in and start
reversing without looking. There are two recommended options
Difficulty of counting/managing large groups Leaders
should always seriously consider splitting groups into two (beginner/advanced
etc) appointing another person to look after one group.
Normally there are other suitable persons present who can be
asked to lead the other part. This
makes counting numbers easier and makes it more easy to keep each
subgroup operating as a unit as faster/slower paddlers are separated. Difficulty in returning to base due to tide or wind Direction
of initial travel should be chosen to make return easy where possible.
Eg a falling tide which will still be falling when you want to
return suggests going upriver to start with.
An understanding of spring and neap tides and how to read tide
tables should be encouraged in all members.
Leaders should know which beaches etc offer a get out and walk
option just in case. Communication difficulties in event of incident It
is worth taking the club VHF radios on all trips.
Mobile phones in suitable cases are also useful.
Flares may be taken as required but note there is a risk of hand
injury in their use. Even
those with no VHF certificate can use one in an emergency without risk
of prosecution so spread the basics on how to use one. Paddler disabled by minor injury or tiredness A
splinter or minor finger sprain can stop someone paddling effectively.
Take the club towlines, more than one is useful.
Leaders should consider delegating a tow to other group members
so they retain freedom to operate unencumbered themselves. A one on two tow is best for more serious injuries as the
towed person has support and cannot capsize in this configuration. Paddler hit by weight or hooks cast by a fisherman The
most dangerous fishermen are unsupervised children, the most dangerous
time is the mackerel season when shoals appear on the surface.
The safest way to go past is right in immediately next to the
bank, not out past the furthest point you think they can cast to is
(which is often further than you would believe). Collisions with other vessels Generally
kayakers should be the pedestrians, keeping to the footpath (edge of the
river) rather than the road (centre of river). Then when crossing they
should try to do so as a single entity putting the slowest paddler at
the front of the group to minimize the chance of the group spreading
out. Returning home from Dartmouth Castle to DYC paddlers sometimes aim
straight for home, which means down the centre of the river; this should
be discouraged and a shore hugging route advised.
There are fewer vessels to collide with at the river edges and
they will be keeping a better lookout in amongst moorings. Hand/face to paddle injuries in Canoe Polo Game
should be played for fun only, not too competitively. Members should be
briefed not to slash at the ball with a paddle if it is within anyone
reach by hand and to take care with paddles generally.
Over competitive paddlers can be made less dangerous by them not
using a paddle, ie using their hands only.
Brief to avoid colliding with the body from the side. Paddler stuck between yachts by tide Plan
ahead so weaker paddlers do not get taken into narrow gaps by the tide
between yachts. Shoulder injuries These
are a perennial risk for paddlers as a paddle is just an extended arm
and it can have big forces acting on it. Try to avoid any recovery
strokes being practiced by paddlers with an unbent active arm.
A slight bend at the elbow reduces the risk considerably. Need for all in rescue Windy
weather could conceivably result in all paddlers being in the water
together. The ‘all in’
rescue is worth practicing from time to time when the water is warm
enough. Paddlers blown out to sea In
this location offshore winds mean there will be shelter close in to our
(very high) cliffs and as long as groups stay near the shore they should
not face any risk of being blown offshore.
If the wind is strong additional care should be taken near the
castles when re-entering the river. Onshore winds A
capsized paddler could be blown onto rocks by an onshore wind if strong
so keeping far enough out to effect a rescue is useful, Have enough
towlines and the knowledge to deploy them to slow the drift of a rescuer
toward the rocks while an X rescue is effected. VHF issues Test
batteries by turning radio on briefly before you leave for longer trips.
Don’t leave radio on, keep it off and use for emergencies only. Don’t
use it for inter group chats. Take more than one, this is helpful if the
group decides to split. Club radios are
fitted with non-rechargeable batteries as the rechargeable type so often
have reduced life after a while. Spare batteries are kept by the VHFs.
No VHF- look in buoyancy aid rear pockets (explorer type) for the VHFs
if they are not on shelf as its easy to forget to take them out again at
the end of a paddle. From
time to time do a radio check call, and learn where the blind spots are
(near cliffs). Manage the risks that you can appropriate to the circumstances If
you can see risk increased because of one factor try to take
compensating action to reduce the risk on another area. Examples:
If you have some larger inexperienced paddlers who are more
likely to capsize in waves, alter your route to avoid the waves.
If you find you are out with no towline, don’t go so far from
base (but remember kayaks can be pushed or a towing method can be
improvised so abandoning the paddle is not essential).
A good response to having increased risk in one area would be to
adopt a tighter group paddling formation.
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