Recreation Newsletter Issue 3

Welcome to the third Australian Canoeing Recreation Newsletter. If there is any addition that you would like to see in this newsletter please let me know. Also if you have any contents that you would like to submit please feel free to email.

education@canoe.org.au

This Issue

Paddle Oz update

Feature app: Paddle prep

New Gear/Gadget: Moxie paddle

Feature craft: Scamper Duo

Feature location: Sapphire Coast

Paddling skills: T Rescue

Feature Club: Queensland Sea Kayak Club

Useful links

Paddle Oz Update:

If you are wishing to deliver Paddle Oz as a Volunteer for an Australian Canoeing club, then you can now register as a Paddle Oz trainer for free, please visit the following website for more details http://paddleoz.canoe.org.au/#trainers

Australian Canoeing clubs can register as a club to deliver Paddle Oz at no charge. Once registered you will receive a copy of the Paddle Oz resources for you to share with your Volunteer trainers to enable them the deliver Paddle Oz for your club.

Feature App: Paddle prep

Paddle Prep has been designed for all those that are new to paddlesports or those that are already hooked on this great life long activity.
Paddle Prep has a goal to educate and inform people on safety matters to make them better, safer paddlers and encourage people to have more fun on the water.

- Research what equipment you may need for your type of paddling
- Find weather, tides, swell and river levels for your paddling location
- Prepare, save and email your Trip intentions to a friend
- Find equipment lists for day and overnight trips
- Search for national and state paddling and maritime organisations
- Search for training providers and Australian Canoeing Instructors
- Demonstration of paddle strokes and rescues
- Top tips before going paddling
- Search for places to go paddling around Australia

New Gear/Gadget: Moxie paddle

www.moxiegear.com.au

Features: • Lightweight

• Full Carbon

• Adjustable length and blade angle

• Lever Lock joining system is reliable and easy to use

• Oval shaft for added comfort and control

• Soft hand grip to stop those blisters

• Our small-medium design blade is ideal for surf paddlers

• Very, very cool paddle bag

Description:

Moxie Gear's carbon wing paddle and its innovative design has an oval-shaped adjustable split shaft. Designed in Australia by the Moxie Gear team who has an extensive background in ocean paddling and multi-sport racing, and combining years of International race experience to provide quality wing paddles at an affordable price.With the popularity of the ocean racing ski it is crucial to get the right paddles to match your craft with your paddling style. Wing paddles will increase your efficiency allowing you to go further and faster – or cover the same distance for less effort! Used by fitness, racing and touring paddlers alike, this powerful and smooth design is ideally suited for ocean paddling. The stable handling maximizes paddling potential, longer distances for less effort! The 2 piece shaft is more convenient, they allow you to experiment with your feather angle and paddle length to fine tune your paddling style. They also allow adjustment of the paddle length to cater for different conditions or when swapping between different boats and paddlers.

Feature craft: Rosco Scamper Duo

SUPPLIED BY: Rosco Canoes www.roscocanoes.com.au

• Length 4.02m

• Weight: 22kg

• Width: 88cm

• Material: fiberglass

Price: $1549

Lightweight, stable, and versatile are the three keys to the success of the Rosco Scamper canoe. This canoe can be enjoyed by entry level or experienced paddlers alike and is ideal for day tripping on flat water. This craft is perfect for one and plenty of gear, or get the passenger seat to take the other half, a friend, or a child out on the water. Also available in an angler version.

• Integrated bow and stern keel for great tracking.

• Large Tumblehome design for exceptional stability.

• Top quality fibreglass techniques and materials for the best quailty canoes in Australia. More Info

• Double ripstop seating for ultimate comfort and strength.

• Aluminium gunwales for maximum protection and durability.

• Sealed foam bulkheads encourages self-righting of a swamped canoe.

• Both molded and carry toggles offer easy carrying and grab points.

• Custom colour choice available giving your canoe your own personal touch. More Info

• 5 year Rosco warranty. More Info

Made in Australia

Feature location: Sapphire Coast, NSW Far South Coast.

Area’s of interest: Montague Island, Mimosa Rocks NP, Ben Boyd NP,Nadgee Nature Reserve.

Getting there: Located on the far south coast of New South Wales between Melbourne and Sydney, the Sapphire Coast is a 3 hour drive from Canberra or a 6-7 hour drive from either Melbourne or Sydney.

Suitable Craft: Sea Kayak, Touring kayaks, Sit on top or ocean skis

The Sapphire Coast is known for its clean beaches, clear water and abundant flora and fauna. This includes some awesome locations for whale watching during their southern migration.

The Sapphire Coast has some amazing paddling locations. For less experienced paddlers you have pristine waterways such as Wagonga Inlet, Wallaga Lake, Bermagui and Pambula Rivers. For the more experienced you could take a look at Montague Island or at the southern end of the coast you have the Nadgee Nature Reserve, which contains the only Coastal Wilderness Area in NSW.

Different levels of camping are available in areas of Mimosa Rocks NP, Ben Boyd NP and Nadgee Nature Reserve. You could spend years exploring this coastal wonderland!

For more information you can go to www.oceanwilderness.com.au

Paddling skill: T Rescue

The T rescue is the most used buddy rescue in Sea Kayaking. It is a rescue when preformed well requires minimal strength, minimal time and provides maximum safety to both rescuer and swimmer.

The T rescue empties nearly 100% of the water that has entered the Sea Kayak cockpit due to a capsize. This rescue works best on kayaks that have bulkheads in each end of the cockpit. (behind the seat and in front of your feet)

With buddy rescues it is important that all involved understand what is required by both the rescuer and the swimmer. A complete understanding of the technique by both parties will enhance the speed, ease and safety of the rescue.

If you happen to capsize your kayak and are unable to roll.

You will have to perform a wet exit from your kayak and come up to the surface.

Once you have come to the surface it is important to hold onto the kayak and if possible your paddle if it is not on a leash.

You may then need to draw attention to yourself so that someone is able to come and perform a rescue.

While you are waiting for a rescuer to approach the front of your kayak, leave the kayak upside down so that it does not fill up with more water and continue holding on.

Rescuer: When you have noticed that you are required to perform a rescue, you need to check that the person in the water is okay and that they wish for you to perform a T rescue.

You then need to position your craft so that the two kayaks form a “T” shape with the bow of the kayak you are rescuing located at your hip.

Once you are in this position you will be able to collect the swimmers paddle if it is not on a paddle leash.

Store this paddle on your kayak.

You now need to get the bow of the kayak you are rescuing onto your cockpit coaming or spray deck.

There are a number of ways you can do this, but we are going to look at the most user friendly option.

The swimmer needs to make their way down to the back of the kayak making sure that they hold on at all times.

This is when deck lines become very useful.

Once the swimmer is at the back you can then work as a team.

While you pull up on the front of the kayak the swimmer pushes down with all their weight on the back.

Suction from air trapped in the cockpit can make the overturned kayak difficult to lift clear of the water, if this occurs roll the kayak on its side to release this pressure and continue the rescue

Once you have the front of the kayak on your spray deck, you then need to slide it across a little so that the cockpit of the swimmer’s kayak is out of the water.

This should be done while maintaining good communication with the person in the water to reduce the risk of injury.

Note: The swimmer needs to hold on at all times as the kayak is being moved

Once the cockpit is out of the water you can roll the kayak over to its up right position.

Make sure that you advise the swimmer to keep their head clear from any obstructions as you roll the kayak over eg: rudder, split paddle etc.

You now want to position the kayaks side by side but facing in the opposite direction.

Note: It is important that the swimmer is not positioned between the 2 kayaks to avoid possible injury.

The swimmer can then make their way down to the outside of the craft (holding on at all times) so that they are next to the back of the cockpit.

The job of the rescuer is now to keep the two kayaks side by side and maintain a solid raft for the conditions.

This is best performed by leaning over the swimmers kayak so that you can hold onto the deck line on the side of the kayak with one hand and the cockpit coaming with the other hand.

Swimmer: To get back into the kayak you need to kick your feet to the surface behind you so that you can slide yourself onto the back deck of your kayak like a seal. You can reach over and get hold of the rescuer’s kayak to help.

Once your stomach is on the back, turn so that you are facing the back of your kayak with your feet going into the cockpit first.

Once you have located the cockpit with your feet, slide backwards and slowly turn over towards the rescuers kayak

While you are moving yourself around into position ,lean on the rescuers kayak to maintain a solid raft.

Once the swimmer is back in their kayak, maintain the raft until they have their spray deck reattached and both people are ready to continue with the paddle.

Feature Club: Queensland Sea Kayak Club

http://qldseakayak.canoe.org.au/

QSKC is a recreational sea kayaking club. We welcome all sea kayakers interested in participating in and challenging themselves on organized trips and events. We promote the development of skills within the safety of the club environment. The focus of the QSKC is to provide training, education and organized recreational sea kayaking trips/events for its members.

QSKC is a virtual club; it has no physical clubhouse, so we have no storage facilities nor club equipment, so all members need to have their own kayaks and equipment, or hire it. Equipment hire is available from one of our sponsors; Rosco Canoes.

QSKC endorses the Australian Canoeing Minimal Impact Guidelines on all Club trips/events.