|
General paddling safety guidelines
The board of paddling safety has published safety guidelines for paddling in 2002. This is applied to canoe sailing with minor changes.
There are certain safety regulations only in racing rules and the class regulations of canoe sailing. The rest of general paddling safety guidelines and those of this page are recommendations, created the needs of canoe sailing in mind.On the other hand, you can never over-emphasize the safety issues, so these guidelines are worth reading as well-considered recommendations.
1.Personal safety guidelines of a canoe sailor
2.Group guidelines or additional guidelines of a solo sailor
3.Guidelines of a canoe sailing event
4.A proposal for a safety plan of a canoe sailing event
5.About safety risks of canoe sailing.
Despite of all warnings or even due to those canoe sailing is a safe hobby. Never abandon your sailing canoe on water, whatever the circumstance. On water it can be your best and only friend.
Equipped following the guidelines even an open sailing canoe is a very seaworthy and safe craft.
Personal safety guidelines of a canoe sailor
A sailing canoe should always be maintained in a good and seaworthy condition. The structure, equipment, robustness and stability of a sailing canoe must be such that it is secure in those conditions where used. One should be prepared of a capsize when sailing a canoe, so a heed must be taken about floating with a water load. A canoe should float high on side, so that as little water as possible remains in canoe when righted up. It is impossible to bail a water-loaded canoe floating deep in waves.
The basic equipment of a sailing canoe are:
- a suitable and approved PFD or safety suit for each sailor
- a bucker with straight edges, bailer or efficient hand pump (with attachment line)
- a paddle attached to the canoe
- light gloves protecting hands from exposure end rough ropes
- possibe spray covers for open deck structures
- a whistle or other sound signal device
- grap handles in bow and stern or deck lines
- a knife
- the possible tools to repair the rig, keel, leeboards or for fast reefing
- a helmet if needed because of the boom height, top speed or other events during sailing
When sailing an open canoe in conditions where the risk of taking in water is apparent, the canoe shlod be equipped with so much extra buoyncy that the canoe remains sailable even with a water load.
A canoe sailor should always wear a PFD and safety suit if conditions require.
Group guidelines or additional guidelines of a solo sailor
Other equipment depending on the consideration of the event leader:
- a safety suit or drysuit if the risk of hypothermia in capsize situation is apparent
- spare clothing packed waterthight
- a map and compass
- a white light if needed
- a sea anchor
Further a canoe sailor must take care of his visibility be reflectors, bright colours, pennant and other visibility aids in all weather and lighting conditions. Motor vessels must give way to a sailing vessel, but a canoe sailor shold avoid shipping lanes and give way to commercial traffic.
The equipment of the outing leader or instructor include also:
- a towing belt or line
- distress rockets or flares when sailing on open waters
- hypothermia blanket or bag
- first aid kit
- canoe repair kit
- mobile phone (packed watertight)
- radio for weather forecasts (packed watertight)
- spare paddles
- fire making devices
The safety equipment must be packed practically to be readily on hand when needed.
The leader of a canoe sailing fleet can be directly responsible of a group of 16 people at most in 10 sailing canoes at most. If sailing in larger fleets the leader must have named, capable enough aides to lead subgroups in order to meet the group number rules in each group. In winds exceeding 10 m/s canoe sailing cannot be recommended to other sailors thatn the really talented and experienced ones, whose sailing skills and safety equipment meet the weather demands.
Guidelines of a canoe sailing event
The organizer of a canoe sailing event should have a security plan, which is briefed to the participants in advance. At most basic level this means spoken guidelines about how close to the shore the sailing or paddling should occur or how to bypass a busy boating lane and what actions are taken if somebody capsizes.
For a demanding outing or when sailing frequently on same waters, the security plan should be a result of a careful risk survay done in advance. Each participant must become familiar with the safety plan. The authorities will be notified of the safety plan if needed.
The skill and experience of the participants of a demanding canoe sailing event must be examined. Special attention must be paid on safety planning and the participants must be notified in advance what kinds of requirements the sailing/paddling situation puts on one's health condition. When sailing on open sea this can mean, for example, rescue drills resembling the actual situation organized in advance. In easier waters with people with some canoe sailing experience this can mean tighter than normal instruction and supervision of its obeyance. The sailing risks can partly be compensated bu outside security arrangements, safety boats and beach rescuers.
The organizer should keep a log of accident cases and by analyzing them change the policies if needed.
The security chief of a large canoe sailing event or other person in response must have sufficient personal qualities, skill, experience and knowledge for the task. This is certified by a canoe guide or instructor certificate of the Finnish Canoe Federatior or by an equivalent certificate. The person in response mus be at least 18 years.
Taking into account skill levels of participants, in easier conditions these quidelines may be eased according to event leader's consideration. In demanding conditions a tougher safety norms must always be considered. In winds exceeding 10 m/s the sailing canoe event is postponed or cancelled.
A proposal for a safety plan of a canoe sailing event
Organization
1. Who is the responsible organizer of the event or contest
- Club and name of the leader
- address or email
- Phone number
2. How many people are involved in the event (preparing, during and after event)?
3. When and where is the organizing meeting of the officials?
Place of event
4. Make a detailed description or picture of the place of event.
- First aid spots and routes and places of emergancy vehicles.
- Put in and take out places, parking, camping and other important areas.
- Make a memo of all known safety threats (as a special addition to be informed and evaluated by everyone)
5. Make a list of contact informations of the people and firms who have promised
to give or lend property for the event (try to get written agreements)
6. Make a list of other contractors and their event products, equipment or gifts that are placed on the event scene or routes.
7. Make a list of other event-related contracts.
Insurance
8. In a contest participants must have valid licences, that are controlled by the organizer
9. A voluntary insurance is recommended for the event organizer. Its details are included in the safety plan.
10. Make a list of other possible insurances.
11. The permits, competence and driver's licences of people involved in transportation tasks are controlled.
Arrangements on event
12. How many participants ar expected? How large public?
13. Schedule all event places and make a backup plan for the foul weather.
14. Take a look at local weather and rainfall statistics of the same time of recent years.
15. Make a technical safety plan including
- Safety boats – number, type and proportion to the number of participating sailing canoes.
- Safety equipment – throw lines, rescue rings, floats, spare paddles etc.
- Communications – telephones, mobile phones, radiophones, loudspeakers etc.
- The way of counting those on water accurately all the time.
- The decision making procedure – how the decision of starting or aborting the event is made based on weather or water conditions.
16. Make of contact information list of the safety personnel
- the responsee of first aid and search and rescue
- the security chief
17. Make task descriptions of the safety organization
18. Make emergency number list
19. Make a plan of actions taken in a distress (like threatened by approaching thunderstorm).
20. Make an evacuation plan of the participants and public including reporting the decisions and actions.
21. Record each participant and committee member.
22. Copy the possible racing rules and class regulations as a security plan appendix.
About safety risks of canoe sailing
An american research considering paddling in general, not only canoe sailing, US COAST GUARD RECREATIONAL BOATING ACCIDENT REPORT DATABASE (BARD), 1996-2000, shows that the reasons of death resulting accidents are:
1. Danderous water or weather conditions, 23%
2. The inexperience or error of the paddler, 19%
3. Alcohol or alcohol combined to other factors, 18%
4. Dangerous water or weather conditions combined with paddler's inexperience or error, 13%
5. Passanger or other outside person, 10%
6. All other factors and their combinations, 18%
It is worth noticing that most accidents happen to experienced paddlers who have misjudged the weather or water conditions. The paddler's inexperience or error was only the second significant reason. Experienced open canoe paddlers were often also influenced by alcohol. Thereis usually also some other factor involved in alcohol accident such as misjudgement of the situation. Surprisingly often the cause of accident was a passanger sitting in the canoe or outside person. The bottom line conclutions were:
1. 75% of death resulting accidents happen in open canoes.
2. 83% of victims were not wearing a PFD.
3. 50% of open canoe victims lost their lives in capsizes caused by sudden movement and/or shift of center of weight too much sidewards.
4. 50% of accidents involved fishing
5. 40% of accidents occurred in cheap, aluminium open canoes.
6. 25% (or more) of victims had used alcohol just before accident.
A canoe sailor must keep clearly in mind these safety issues:
- An experienced canoe sailor must familiarize himself to local conditions more carefully
- Every crew member must always wear a PFD
- Experience should be accumulated phase by phase and not by trying to learn lot of new issues at once
- A canoe sailor should focus on sailing and not on fishing
- The structure and safety equipment of a sailing canoe must be in excellent condition
- Train the passangers and other participants about special features of canoe sailing and be extra cautious when having passangers aboard
- Make sure that every participant wears safety equipment and can swim and survive the immersion
- Sailing under influence of alcohol is forbidden without exceptions.
An example of a sudden distress
A canoe can sometimes happen due to outside factors so fast that it is impossible to foresee or hinder. Therefore a canoe sailor must always be prepared for a capsize, that is to have spare clothes packed watertight, wear a safety suit and PFD, to have enough flotation in the hull and access hatches closed and a spare paddle tied up. Here is an example of a sudden and unpredictable capsize:
Mrs Sari S. was sailing in heavy downwind on the sailing canoe 'Mira' on a course between the Simsalö islands with plenty of surface and submerged rocks. Suddenly the canoe hit a submerged rock that caused the swinging keel to jump up. The canoe turned sidewinds and the wind pressure on sail capsized the canoe on lee side.
|
