Paddlesports

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Paddlesports

Paddlesports: The Coast Guard Auxiliary's Next RBS Frontier

File:Teaching paddlesports.jpg
Get out there and teach a Paddlesports America course

Paddlesports is one of the fastest growing forms of recreational boating in the United States. The Outdoor Industry Association reported in 2008 that about 17.8 million people participated in some type of paddlesports activity getting out on the water more than 50,000 times daily. With nearly one half million paddlecraft being sold annually, the US Coast Guard anticipates that by 2020 as many as 47 million paddlers will be using paddlecraft for touring, physical exercise, fishing, hunting or other activities. With an investment of just a few dollars people can gain access to the nation’s waterways and therein lies the problem. Most of these paddlers lack experience. They underestimate their skill level and fail to properly assess environmental conditions. Worse yet they often lack the proper safety equipment and the training needed to use that equipment to stay safe on the water. Consider as well, the potential for conflict as this multitude of paddlers interacts with all manner of motorboats, sailboats, and commercial vessels navigating the same nearshore waters.

There are lots of paddlers on America's waterways

The paddlesports community thus becomes fertile territory for the Auxiliary Recreational Boating Safety program. Unfortunately, the explosive growth of this segment of recreational boating has led to a disturbing upward trend in the number of injuries and accidents. Between 2005 and 2009 the Coast Guard found that canoe and kayak fatalities rose by nearly 70 percent. The sad part is that this loss of life could have been avoided with proper education. Most paddlers want to learn to how to be safe on the water, but don’t know where to go to get the necessary guidance and training.

This creates a tremendous opportunity for the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Members can engage the paddling community through our Public Education, Program Visitor and Vessel Examination programs. Auxiliary members are undaunted by new challenges like this one. Although the potential audience is quite large there is little doubt that effective safety training and counseling will lead to a marked reduction in the number of paddlesports accidents and fatalities. Initially, the workload will be significant, but remember all of those paddlers have the potential to become members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary easing the burden of this new endeavor.

In the News

Auxiliary Promotes Paddlesports Safety

File:Aca-aux signing.jpg
ACA & Coast Guard Auxiliary sign a Memorandum of Agreement

The American Canoe Association (ACA) and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary announced signing of a Memorandum of Agreement to promote safety among those who use kayaks, canoes and other paddlecraft. The new agreement establishes cooperative efforts broadening outreach and education to the paddle sports community. Paddlesports boating is one of the fastest growing recreational activities in the United States. In 2008 the Outdoor Industry Association reported that approximately 17.8 million people participated in paddlesports, getting out on the water nearly 50,000 times daily. Read More >>

Memorandum of Agreement

American Canoe Association

This Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) is entered into by the American Canoe Association and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary for the purpose of establishing a framework for a cooperative relationship under which the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary (Auxiliary) and the American Canoe Association (ACA) will assist one another in areas of mutual objectives. Read More >>

Implementing the Memorandum of Agreement

Reaching Out to the Paddlesports Community

Paddlesports Resources

Paddlesports Standards and Best Practices

Auxiliary and General Media Articles on Paddlesports

Paddlesport Safety / Educational Videos

  • Life Jackets Float. Do You? (YouTube) [1]
  • Rescue for River Runners - R3 (YouTube)[2]
  • Decide to Return (YouTube) [3]
  • It's Your Turn - A Defensive Boating Primer (YouTube) [4]
  • Coastal Kayaking - National Paddlesport Safety System (YouTube)[5]
  • Whitewater Kayaking - National Paddlesport Safety System (YouTube)[6]
  • Whitewater Rafting - National Paddlesport Safety System (YouTube)[7]
  • SmartStart for Paddlers - A Paddlesport Safety Orientation (Vimeo)[8]
  • Cold Water Boot Camp (NWSC)[9]
  • The Ultimate Guide to Stand Up Paddling trailer [10]

Paddling TV on YouTube channels

Sea Kayaking

Brochures

NSBC-wear-it-logo-06.jpg

Auxiliary services to paddlers

Reading list

The Reading List is a compilation of print and web resources that will be of useful to instructors, vessel examiners and others involved in paddlesports safety. This list is a living document that will evolve as time goes on.

The Kayak reader

  • Alderson, Doug. Sea-Kayakers Savvy Paddler. Camden: Ragged Mountain Press, 2001.
  • Burch, David. Fundamentals of Kayak Navigation. Old Saybrook: Globe Pequot Press, 1993.
  • Diaz, Ralph. Complete Folding Kayaker. Camden: Ragged Mountain Press, 1994
  • Dillon, Pamela and Jeremy Oyen, eds. Kayaking, Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2009.
  • Dowd, John. Sea Kayaking, A Manual for Long Distance Touring. Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre Ltd, 1988.
  • Gronseth, George and Matt Broze. Sea-Kayaker Deep Trouble and Their Lessons. Camden: Ragged Mountain Press, 1997.
  • Gullion, Laurie. Canoeing and Kayaking Instruction Manual. Birmingham: Menasha Ridge Press, 1987.
  • Hutchinson, Derek. Eskimo Rolling. Camden: Ragged Mountain Press, 1992.
  • Hutchinson, Derek C. Expedition Kayaking on Sea and Open Water. Old Saybrook: Globe Pequot Press, 1995.
  • Johnson, Shelley. The Complete Sea Kayaker’s Handbook. Camden: Ragged Mountain Press, 2002.
  • Killen, Ray. Simple Kayak Navigation. Camden: Ragged Mountain Press, 2006.
  • Robison, John. Sea Kayaking Illustrated, A Visual Guide to Better Paddling. Camden: Ragged Mountain Press, 2003.
  • Seidman, David. The Essential Sea Kayaker: A Complete Course for the Open Water Paddler. Camden: Ragged Mountain Press, 1992.
  • Snyder, Rocky. Fit to Paddle: The Paddler’s Guide to Strength and Conditioning. Camden, ME: Ragged Mountain Press 2003.
  • Wyatt, Mike. The Basic Essentials of Sea Kayaking. Old Saybrook: Globe Pequot Press 1990.

The Canoe reader

  • Dillon, Pamela, ed. Canoeing. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2009.
  • Foster, Nigel. Open Canoe Technique. Guilford, CT. Falcon Guide, 2004.
  • Jacobson, Cliff. The Basic Essentials of Solo Canoeing, Merrillville, IN. ICS Books, Inc. 1991.
  • Mason, Bill. Path of the Paddle. Buffalo, NY. Firefly Books. 1999.
  • McGuffin, Gary and Joan McGuffin. Paddle Your Own Canoe. Ontario: Boston Mills Press, 2005.
  • Ray, Slim. The Canoe Handbook. Harrisburg: Stackpole Books, 1992.
  • Rounds, John, ed. Basic Canoeing. Mechanicsburg: Stackpole Books, 2003.

The Stand Up Paddleboard reader

  • Burgoyne, Nate. The Stand Up Paddle Book. Lava Rock Media. 2010.
  • Casey, Rob. Stand Up Paddling: Flatwater to Surf and Rivers. Seattle: Mountaineers Books. 2011.
  • Marcus, Ben. The Art of Stand Up Paddling: A Complete Guide to SUP on Lakes, Rivers, and Oceans. Falcon Guides. 2011.

Paddling groups

Paddlesports events are great places to recruit paddlers for the Paddlesports America course and Paddlecraft Vessel Safety Checks

Keeping current

Don’t just take your lifejacket with you, wear it!

Contributed by

Don Goff, BC-BLC, American Canoe Association Branch Chief

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