BCAB Inland Open Water Safety and Rescue

Learn the essential safety and rescue techniques to operate confidently in a moderate inland open water environment on the British Canoeing Inland Open Water Safety and Rescue course!

This 8-hour course is designed for all paddlers wanting to expand their safety practices in this environment, be it kayaking, canoeing, SUP or any other type of craft.

Through interactive, practical sessions, we will discuss equipment use and explore possible solutions to common issues. we'll look at frameworks for evaluating risks, strategies for providing assistance as well as deep water rescues and self-rescues.

You'll also get a chance to practice scenarios so they can take away an improved understanding of how they can apply these lessons in real life situations.

Doing a safety and rescue course early on in your paddlesports journey is really important, but you'll want to have some basic skills.

Mainly:

1. Remaining upright while focusing on other things,
2. Getting your boat/board moving,
3. Stopping your boat/board,
4. Turning your boat/board,
5. Moving your boat/board sideways.

This is an in water course so you'll want to be dress yourself to not only stay warm but also stay in the learning zone.

To achieve that it normally means warm layers with either waterproofs, wetsuits or drysuits PLUS extra layers to throw on over the top to give us the extra warmth and stay in the learning zone.

Footward needs to stay on our feet and cover our toes, that means crocs and flip flops are out and trainers and wetsuit boots are in.

If you have your own buoyancy aids, boats/boards safety kit bring that along, if not let us know and we'll have for you.

We will explore simple strategies and safe skills that can provide the tools to solve common paddling issues. 

Focus will be on rescuing from the your specific craft and covers equipment, safety frameworks, as well as a range of rescues including contact and towing rescues, self-rescues and deep water rescues.

The day will consists of 7 modules.

1. Safety frameworks
2. Clothing and equipment
3. Providing assistance
4. Deep water rescues
5. Self-rescues
6. Rescue scenarios
7. Reflection and skills checklist