Kayaking & Canoeing thread

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Nellers May 2013 8:38pm, 19 May 2013 25,130 posts	0 Nellers Jubear, the key is to take your time. Let the boat settle, legs together, hands on the sides of the cockpit and push, then roll forward. Do that and you'll fall out. Do you have access to a swimming pool session anywhere local to you? It's a lot less intimidating if the water is warm and clean and you can see what's what, although if you stay calm it's not actually too bad in a river or lake.
Jubear May 2013 8:47pm, 19 May 2013 562 posts	0 Jubear Hello Nellers! Yes, been doing the pool sessions and they are.. well i get through them! Trouble is I've had too long to think about that reflex that means you take a huge gasp of air when you tip into cold water.... upside down... I mean, what sort of survival instinct is that?? I'm sure the instructors must have a technique for dealing with people like me, and not just advise to learn knitting
Nellers May 2013 8:56pm, 19 May 2013 25,131 posts	0 Nellers If you can do it in a pool you can do it in a river. Seriously, how much of what you do in the pool relies on being able to see anything? Exactly! And that reflex only kicks in very rarely, and mostly when people aren't expecting to hit really really cold water. If you're doing capsize drill as part of a 1* course you'll not really be surprised, and at this time of year the water won't be all that cold (OK, you wouldn't want to take a bath in it but it won't be freezing).
Jubear May 2013 9:06pm, 19 May 2013 563 posts	0 Jubear I love logic! Thank you Nellers. I shall keep cudgelling my primeval brain with said logic until it gives in; plus I assume they'll start dunking us in the river fairly early in the course, so I'll have time to stop thinking about it and jfdi
JJ Flash May 2013 10:55am, 20 May 2013 4,917 posts	0 JJ Flash The water in my part of the midlands is already relatively warm. I just spent the weekend doing a White Water Safety and Rescue course at Canolfan Tryweryn and on the Dee - that was quite cold. As a coach I like to get people over their fear of water fairly quickly - but with patience if you are worrying about it. It's a difficult area - if we push people too hard they can give up on the sport - but if we don't get you to practice and find that really isn't that big a deal you can get into trouble if you accidentally capsize somewhere less safe than a sheltered environment. My 1 and 2 * students swim most weeks if the weather permits. It's amazing how quickly they pick up confidence in the water. It's much better to be practiced than to become a victim and you will only be a victim if you don't practice.
Jubear May 2013 12:52pm, 20 May 2013 564 posts	0 Jubear JJF - yep I need to get to the point of thinking, "oh I fell in, and got out of the boat - so what?" I did some pool sessions last autumn then spent all winter thinking about how much I dislike the capsize, thus demonstrating the folly of having unfinished business! None of the friends I'm doing the course with have expressed any emotional difficulties, they know vaguely that it scares me but don't make anything of it. I'll be better once we've started falling into the river next week. Can the instructors read Big Jessy or should I spell it out to them? What do we think?
JJ Flash May 2013 9:20am, 21 May 2013 4,919 posts	0 JJ Flash I prefer people to let me know. It alows me to structure the session to take account of individual needs. That could mean separating you off from the group to allow you to work one to one, not putting on the spot in front of your peers or running a specific break out session to help you deal with it. I alway include something like the following in capsize briefings for newbies: "It doesn't matter if you forget these instructions because you will still come out of the boat. If you follow the instructions you'll come out more easily but whatever you do your BA will still bring you to the surface and we'll be tere to help you." Last night I ran a taster for a group of guides and (as frequently happens) the most nervous was our first swimmer. Once she'd got over the shock of te cold she was back in her boat grinning from ear to ear for the rest of the session. Another tip is to get wet before you start. Especially of you're wearing wet suit. Half the reluctance and fear in situation come from being dry. If you have had a quick swim before the session starts you will have reduced your concern significantly. Good luck and have fun.
HappyG(rrr) May 2013 9:57am, 21 May 2013 20,228 posts	0 HappyG(rrr) There's a really good looking quadrathlon up here in July, with a 7 mile kayak. Is that a long way to kayak? :-)G artemisgreatkindrochit.com
JJ Flash May 2013 3:19pm, 21 May 2013 4,920 posts	0 JJ Flash It really depends what they provide for you to paddle. A good touring or racing kayak will cover that distance in an hour or two. You'd need half a day in my little white water boat. It looks as if you pair up on a sitontop. It's a good straight line boat and if you and your partner do any practicing you should be able to do that in a couple of hours at most. Do get some training and practice. Effieicent and effective forward paddling is about using your back muscles, not your arms.
AngusClydesdale May 2013 8:22pm, 21 May 2013 5,147 posts	0 AngusClydesdale Bloody Hell :-)G, I don't know where to start. They want HOW MUCH to enter?!! And you still have to raise HOW MUCH for their charity?!!! Guest tickets are HOW MUCH per night?!!!! Given that it's sponsored by a bunch of robdog investment bankers who've spent the last decade fleecing people of their pension funds, I'm surprised they're not paying us to take part. In addition to donating for me everything I might have raised for their charities. I won't even get going about the footfall they're encouraging on our precious land. I hope they've got a plan for the inevitable gel wrappers. GRRRRRR!