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Essential Safety Tips for Casual Kayakers

Learn key safety guidelines, equipment essentials, and clothing tips for casual kayakers to prevent accidents and enjoy the water safely. Stay informed, practice basic skills, and dress appropriately for every kayaking session.

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Essential Safety Tips for Casual Kayakers

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  1. Casual Kayakers

  2. Casual Kayakers

  3. Overview • Safety • Equipment • Clothing

  4. Who is more likely to have a serious accident?

  5. A Few Boring Statistics • 70%of all fatal boating accident victims drowned, and of those,84% were not wearing a life jacket. • 8 out of every 10 boaters who drowned were using vessels less than 21 feet in length. Source: USCG 2011 Recreational Boating Accident Statistics

  6. Source: USCG 2011 Recreational Boating Accident Statistics

  7. Don’t be next! March 2012 Outside Air Temp: 81 Degrees Water Temp: 37 Degrees

  8. Best Safety Attributes • Common Sense • Good Judgement • Honesty with Yourself

  9. Rules 1 & 2 #1 Rule:Wear your PFD! #2 Rule: WEAR YOUR PFD!

  10. #3 - Dress for Immersion Everyone Capsizes…it’s not a matter of “if”, it’s a matter of “when”

  11. A Basic Guideline Air Temp: 50 = less than 130 You should dress with protective clothing + Water Temp: 60 * Anytime the water is 55 degrees or below, you should dress in protective clothing

  12. Good Judgement/Common Sense • Know the weather forecast and expected local conditions • Know the abilities/capabilities of the people you are paddling with • BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF ABOUT YOUR OWN ABILITIES

  13. Technique • Kayaking is safer and more fun if you have basic skills • Self and assisted rescue • Basic strokes • Don’t be too shy to participate in lessons or skill sessions

  14. Practice • Practice what your learn everytime you paddle…perfect your technique

  15. Equipment

  16. Minimally Equipped

  17. Well Equipped

  18. Everything in Dry Bags

  19. Kayaks • Choose a kayak for the “type” of paddling you do now……and plan to do in near future!

  20. Key Features All Kayaks Need • Water tight compartments or floatation • Deck lines – front and back deck (bungees are NOT decklines) • Grab handles – Front and rear

  21. Nice To Have Features • Comfortable seat with low back brace • Good arrangement of deck bungees • Rudder or Skeg

  22. Kayaks • Sea Kayaks: 14- 20 ft • Touring: 12-14 ft

  23. Kayaks Recreational: 8-12 ft

  24. Kayaks Sit-On-Top: 8 – 16 ft

  25. Kayak Floatation • Commercial Bags • Come in variety of sizes • $50-$70 a set Styrofoam Pool Noodles Come in lots of colors! About $1 - $1.50 each

  26. PFD’s Type III Type III Inflatable Type V Rescue

  27. PFD Key Features • Comfortable to wear • Does not “ride up” in the water • Adjustment straps at the waist, sides, and shoulders • Meets your needs as a paddler (pockets, etc.) • Meets USCG standards

  28. PFD’s

  29. Paddle’s Euro Paddles $75 - $500 Greenland Paddles $125 - $550

  30. Euro PaddlesWhat type is right for you? Low Angle High Angle

  31. Paddles - Pricing • Carbon Fiber • Extremely light weight • Durable • Expensive $300-$500 • Fiberglass • Fairly lightweight, but not like Carbon • Extremely durable • Usually have a carbon or lightweight shaft • Mid-range prices $200 -$275 • Plastic • Very heavy, usually heavy metal shaft • Blades is not usually rigid • Inexpensive $50 -$100

  32. Paddle Length • Depends on your style of paddling • High Angle (205 cm – 220 cm) • Low Angle (210 cm – 230 cm) • Go as short as you are comfortable • Don’t buy a paddle over 230 cm – it’s too long for any paddler

  33. Draw Stroke

  34. Clothing

  35. Dress for Immersion

  36. Clothing Basics Good Bad • Base Layers • Quick Drying • Moisture Wicking • Smartwool, PolyPro, Silk, Nylon/Spandex • Can Be Layered • Provides warmth when wet • Base/Outerwear • Slow Drying • Moisture Absorbing • Cotton, Denim, Street Clothes in General • Outerwear • Waterproof/Windproof • Protection From Cold Water • Gore-Tex, Neoprene • Definite No’s • Street Clothes • Sandals/Krocs • Shorts/Pants with Big Cargo Pockets/Cords

  37. NO….NO…..NO

  38. Clothing Basics Summer • Comfortable • Quick Drying • Offer good sun protection • Enough warmth for immersion • Sleek and won’t get hung up during a wet exit

  39. Warm Water SeasonJune 1 to September 30

  40. Clothing Basics Fall/Winter/Spring • Comfortable • Moisture Wicking Base Layers • Waterproof Outerwear or Neoprene • Head and Hand Protection • Sleek and won’t get hung up during a wet exit

  41. Cold Water SeasonOctober 1 to May 31 The Drysuit Option

  42. Cold Water SeasonOct –Nov April-May Farmer John/Paddle jacket

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