Personal Preparation

• Personal Ability

• Current speed, direction and changes caused by streambed features

• Swimming Ability

• Water comfort & confidence

• Exercising judgment, safety as a state of mind

• Fitness, conditioning, and warm up

• Principles of Rescue

• Safe paddle and boat handling

• • Priorities: first people, then boats, finally other gear 

• Safety and rescue considerations

• • Responsibilities of the victim 

• Personal equipment (reviewed by Instructor)

• • Responsibilities of the rescuers 

• Judgment. In addition to learning hard skills, the importance of developing personal judgment and group responsibility increases on more difficult paddling venues.

• • Responsibilities of the group 

• Types of Rescue

• Warm up and stretching

• • Essential self-rescue and access tool

• How to pick up a kayak safely

• • Boat assisted rescue, towing or bulldozing a tired swimmer, towing or bulldozing a capsized boat 

• Car topping: loading and unloading, racks, straps

• • Shoreline Rescue: Extension rescues, use of throw ropes/bags

• Launching and landing

• • Boarding, three points of contact, weight kept low, etc

• J-lean / Heeling the boat

• • Posture, safety, comfort, effectiveness, rocking, balance

• Paddling in a reasonably straight line

• Water comfort and confidence

• Spins

• • Wet Exits

• Stopping: boat stops within a reasonable distance

• How to empty a kayak

• Ferries

• Basic Terminology

• Eddy Turns

• Types of strokes: power, turning

• Peel Outs

• Stroke components: catch, propulsion, recovery (CPR), control, correction

• Moving Abeam

• Safe and effective body usage

• Life jackets (PFDs): fit and regulations

• Kayaks: types, materials, parts (including safety features such as flotation)

• Paddles: types, materials, parts, length, blade size & shape, hand position.

• Spray skirts: types & material, grab loop!

• Care of equipment

• Personal equipment: water, food, shoes, hat, sunscreen, bug repellent, sun glasses, eyeglass straps, protective clothing for heat or cold, sponge, bailer/pump, whistle, knife, light

• Optional Equipment and Outfitting