Hoosier Canoe & Kayak Club

Open Water Rescue Class for Sea and Touring KayakO

On Saturday, June 1, the HCKC will lead a one-day clinic and practice session on Open Water Rescue for sea and touring kayakers. Most of us have taken rescue classes at symposiums, the club, or studied techniques on the internet. 

This clinic is a chance for new paddlers to learn open water rescue techniques and a chance for more experienced paddlers to compare techniques and practice them in a safe environment.  This clinic is important since kayakers need to regularly practice these skills so they are “fresh” when we get into a real rescue situation —you want to know how to get yourself or someone else back in their boat quickly and on your first attempt.   Open water paddlers should take this course before attempting any "big water" adventures with or without a group.

We will start off each teaching segment by systematically walking through the steps to complete a rescue so that newer paddlers can learn the tricks associated with performing each rescue. After walking through “one way to do a rescue”, we will compare notes and discuss/demonstrate alternative approaches that people may have seen. 

Course Content: 

• Wet exiting your boat 
• Solo Reentries (Paddle Float, Cowboy, Reenter and Roll) 
• Assisted Reentries (T-Rescue, Stirrup Rescue, Scoop Rescue) 
• Towing - contact tows, short tows, and regular tows. Will discuss when to start towing and when towing may be needed to assist a rescue
• (I will bring extra tow ropes if you don’t have one.)