BCAB Paddlesport Safety and Rescue

The Paddlesports Safety and Rescue course gives you the basic tools for solving problems when on the water.

During the course we'll explore the techniques and tactics we can deploy to help ourselves and others when things go a wee bit wrong.

This award is perfect for everyone regardless of the craft that they like to paddle, you'll learn from your chosen craft how to rescue a range of boats.

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 6 modules.

1. Clothing and Equipment
2. Safety frameworks
3. Contact and Towing rescues
4. Self-rescues
5. Deep water rescues
6. Reflection and development