For instructors and guides?
Certificates are usually the credentials of those who make money from the activity. The insurance argument is a good one too. I’ve never tried for boat insurance, I don’t know if the company would even know to check credentials like these.
Of course…
…and I’m not pursuing any certification myself. Just liked the way it was put.
Maybe I would look into BCU if they’d relax the 4-star to include an iced tea option for us warm water folks… But that will happen as everyone knows iced tea is not REAL tea - and is only consumed by uncivilized colonials.
Practical Value
– Last Updated: Mar-16-06 3:16 PM EST –
We went for our BCU 3 star this last season, and found two things. First, it required a lot of time in the boats learning things. Second, it only made us want to learn more, because the 3 star really gets you to where you have a better fix on the continuum of skills. This has been the most active winter in terms of pool sessions we've had yet.
As a practical matter, it is very helpful if you travel. Jim's uncle brought our certificates down to a kayak place near his house before we visited this week to ask about our renting boats while we were there. It didn't work out because of timing etc, but those pieces of paper definately got the guy's attention and a serious answer.
Access
Certification gets you access to better boats, expeditions, and training.
That’s the concrete external aspect.
The best part of certing is the process of learning and linking skills. Getting certed is a part of a continual process.
Thanks
for the props, Greyak. As for the story, shall I change the names to protect the…well, the guilty I guess?
Gotta speed of to hockey, tell ya later.
Boat insurance…
…has nothing to do with paddler certification. I have my boats insured and the only thing they asked about was whether I ever rent them, as that puts you into a commercial risk category. They never asked about my paddling experience or ability.
Boat access
– Last Updated: Mar-17-06 9:56 AM EST –
We've never had anyone ask about certifications when we've rented/borrowed/demo-ed boats. I have been asked about my experience and equipment, however. Interestingly, as soon as I mentioned that we'd be bringing dry suits and Greenland paddles, the questioning ended and turned to what kind of high-end fiberglass boats we wanted.
Sometimes
We were lucky with getting what we wanted as well. At times I was impressed with people’s confidence in giving us good boats for somewhat challenging outings without any certification.
However, a friend had to pay an instructor to observe her demonstrate her skills before she could rent the Nordkapp she wanted to paddle in the San Juans.
Our BCU 3 Star cert has saved time and explanantion as well as garnering good response from outfitters.
To impress
Offer to demonstrate a roll at the launch.
Are you saying it’s…
… not normal practice for most to just pop off a few rolls in a rental to get acquainted with the boat?
3 star
I want it for a myriad of reasons. Knowing how to roll does not automatically suggest that you know really good boat control. while I have been working on my rolling and SOF skills, I have also gotten my 2 star rating and will be working on the three.
It is a motivation to practice and to hone skills. It gives you a specific framework of skill sets that you can build on and can only make you a better paddler.
does it mean anything to me commercially or ego wise? actually no. Do I expect it to open doors? no…a three star is probably not enough to impress anyway.
Just want someone other than my wife to look at my skills and say…ok you are at this level. Now drow and give me 20 chest sculls.
paul
no chest sculls needed… 
I don’t think either the ACA nor the BCU care if you can chest scull or not. Most of the curriculum is based on paddling strokes, decision making, reading water, etc. Now the ACA traditional certification may ask for a chest scull, but the mere fact that the ACA offers a certification in traditional paddling makes me a bit uneasy.
Uneasy, or just queasy?
I know they mean well - trying to share something - but that ACA Traditional Cert just seems SOOOOOOO wrong to me on several levels.
Nothing wrong with teaching it (skills are skills), and even charging for instructor time (time IS money) - but traditions are handed down, not traded up.
NORDKAPP; DANGEROUS!
When I first came out west the paddling community was afraid of the Nordkapp, didn’t understand it, I literally heard comments from Lee Moyer’s (Pacific Watersports) staff that it was a death trap and they should hang a sign on it ( in their showroom) saying paddle at risk of death.
I beleive the comment regarding paying someone to watch you demonstrate skills before being able to rent a Nordy.
Now that you got me started, I also had multiple paddlers tell me that my Romany must be a rec boat, not a sea kayak because sea kayaks have rudders on them and the Romany does not.
But this could be a masters thesis for somebody ( how different kayaking methods and ideas came about in different areas), I digress.
Showing up with equipment
We’ve gotten into a lot of boats simply by showing up with correct equipment, and in many places that’ll still work. But not everywhere, and with a cert you also have the option of better finding out ahead of time what is likely because you can just fax them the thing. And more people are going out now as fairly new paddlers and buying equipment that used to be a sure gauge of experience. Boomers often start having money again once their last kid is out of college.
Personally, I don’t see any reason that paddle shops shouldn’t require some kind of self-rescue regardless of a piece of paper, especially if the cert was received some number of years ago. But anything that makes renting a boat a little easier up front means less time talking, more time on the water.
Nordkapp = demanding
Even Valley has noted that the Nordkapp is for experienced paddlers. I would not go so far as to say it is an inherently ‘dangerous’ boat -simply a demanding boat.
Any boat can be dangerous when paddled by someone whose skills are not up to the assumptions of the boat’s design.
Dr. Jekel and Mr. Nordkapp
Norkapps have a bit of a dual personality. In their stock form, they can be a bit unpredictable. This is largely due to the seat being mounted very high off the hull (~1.5") to improve edging ability when the boat is loaded with gear. That makes it somewhat twitchy when paddled unloaded. Lowering the seat an inch completely changes the character of the boat and it feels as stable and comfortable as a couch. Unfortunately, that also effectively raises the already high decks an inch, making layback rolls even more difficult.
The “NoKrap…”
– Last Updated: Mar-18-06 5:22 AM EST –
I must thank Tsunamichuck for taking me out through the Golden Gate in his Nordkapp without a BCU/ACA cert. Maybe, I actually should watch my back with him given the above comments. :)
The Nordkapp felt pretty good to me. I was expecting it to paddle like a barge.
When I am ready to retire, travel and paddle, I'll have a Tom Yost folding greenland boat. Yeah, that's the ticket. :)
sing
intended use, seat placement…
All worthwhile boats are designed for targeted uses by a target range of paddlers in size and abilities.
As Brian mentioned, the standard Nordkapp is intended to carry lots of gear over open seas. I have heard of two common solutions to make the boat behave better unladen - one is Brian’s of lowering the seat, the other is carrying ballast (two paddlers I spoke to each used 50 pounds of ballast when paddling their Nordkapps unloaded).
Brian wisely noted that lowering the seat does increase the height of already relatively high decks (for a Brit boat) making lay backs even more uncomfortable. The LV should solve these issues, for the most part.
If Valley does not make the cockpits smaller in their LVs (and there is no indication that they will) a paddler may find it necessary to move the seat slightly forward, in addition to foaming out, in order to get decent thigh contact. I am 6’ tall and having the seat moved about an inch forward in my Aquanaut gave me noticably better thigh contact and made lay backs even more comfortable. I chose to not lower the seat (it is about 3/4" off the floor of the boat)because I don’t want the sides or rear deck of the boat to be any higher. I find rolling, sculling, and stretching easier with lower decks and sides.
Good equipment…
…that looks well used is probably a better indicator of experience. I always feel conspicuous when using new gear. It’s the people with new, shiny, pretty gear that tend to catch my attention as possible “poseurs”.