I guess I want to take a crack at how we each determine that we are ready for a venue or some increasing level of challenge and difficulty within that. Here is where BCU and ACA (not so sure with the latter) shine. You meet the proficiency level, it signifies a level of competency and set of skills in a certain venue, at a certain time. If you're not BCU or some other rated paddler, e.g AMC WW class I, II, etc. , how do you assess your capability for a certain venue.
Here's how I do it. I take on incrementably challenging conditions and try to assess my comfort and ability to perform maneuvers that I think I should be able to do, based on what I have researched, heard or seen others do. How I perform and feel about it shape whether I step back, stay there, or move up eventually. I should also state very openly I have overstepped on more than a couple of occaisons where I have been spanked big time in ww and surf where I literally accepted the very real possibility that I was likely going to die. Memories of those incidents come back to pull me back if I think I am overstepping. My approach is definitely not recommended for anyone else.
What's you approach? Self assessement, ACA/BCU, AMC, whatever...?
sing
trusted friends
Someone who can say “I can get you down the xyz if the level is 123.” They, of course, have to have the skills, experience, and familiarity with xyz to deliver. I am fortunate to know a number of people like this. Some are certified to teach (as I am) but that makes no difference. “Stars” from BCU, or whatever, are not at all relevant to my decision. I almost never paddle alone since sharing the journey is a big part of the fun.
gut feeling i guess
When true fear (pit of stomach kind) outweighs nervous fear (adrenaline) that’s when it’s time to walk around the rapids for me. When I have paddled a certain river (say class II or III) to the point of extreme comfort (can practicaly lay down and float through everything), I consider myself potentially ready to move up to the next level or try a different river. Of course you can always practice advanced moves on easier rivers until you get the hang of it and are ready to try it on harder stuff (catching micro eddies, must make moves, strong back ferries, etc.) I also take things cautiously by running harder rivers at lower levels until I’m ready to try it at higher flows. Of course my confidence has several times been humbled on the river (strainer experience like you sing) and that’s when I turn to my paddling friends to give me an objective evaluation. As I have paddling friends who are class V boaters and extremely safety conscious, I defer to their judgement if they feel that I’m not ready for a particular stretch. If I can potentially put my friends in danger, I’ll walk. If I can responsibly get down a river safely, I’ll run it. For sea kayaking, I’m even more careful as I am pretty inexperienced in surf. When in doubt, I play it safe.
I guess I’ve only determined it from
failure, I’d go out and try to do something, and essentially fall flat on my face.
I tried and tried surfing even before I could roll. Eventually that prompted me to learn to roll so I could surf longer with more rides.
But even now I only know what that next level is when I see it in someone more experienced than myself, or when I try to do something and then fail. Like now I am trying to learn all the forward finishing hand rolls, and failing alot. Doug helped me in the pool and I got one out of about five. So I suppose that is a next level in skill progression for rolling.
For being capable in conditions I just keep going out when it is rougher and rougher. I have definitely discovered when it is too windy to go out on lake michigan. I had a day where I wasn’t strong enough to get out past the line of breakers at the beach, I just kept on getting blown back in by the wind and waves. Frustrating and satisfying at the same time. Like talking to greyak 
Funny…
"For being capable in conditions I just keep going out when it is rougher and rougher. I have definitely discovered when it is too windy to go out on lake michigan. I had a day where I wasn't strong enough to get out past the line of breakers at the beach, I just kept on getting blown back in by the wind and waves. "
I had to laugh on this one because it reminded me of a storm riding trip with one of the Walden Pond Scum. Full blown Nor'easter, we were trying to surf our skinny yaks on a east facing beach. Tried as we might, for about 20-30 minutes, we couldn't get past the first set of breaks. It was just continuous combat roll practice. Finally, the other guy called it quits and it didn't take much for me to agree with him. He is a big guy. He said that he took a hit right on the chest and head that literally knocked the wind out of him. That was it. Interesting to note, that I have gotten out a couple of times in conditions worse that in my surf yak this past year. Of course, on one of those occaisions, alone, I took a very nasty swim when sucked out of the boat...
sing
side topic
do you think having a small ocean sized, or round cockpit opening on your surf boat would stop you from being sucked out?
It Would Help But…
I don't think so. At RISK, I got completely sucked as in: "Whoosh! Poop! Where's the boat!?" At Nantasket, I was partially sucked out but enough to pop the skirt entirely. Effectively, I had no choice but to swim. Both boats are small keyholes. Thinking about wet exit practice from the SOF and the Greenland S&G (both ocean cockpits), it wasn't that hard to exit. I think on a big plunging wave, one would come out, or at least enough to break the skirt seal. Read Dan's description of what happened to him on Plum Island, how the tuiliq seal broke. I was out that same day, the waves he was on were decent size but not near what some of us NNESK folks have been out in. So, it's a matter of picking the right size waves to to surf. Or, get a seat belt.
sing
many variables
1. How comfortable am I with my current level of ability under somewhat similar conditions. For example, if you are extremely comfortable with good sized class III wave trains and holes (getting bored), then you should move up to class IV river running, but may not be ready for class IV creeking which requires more specialized skills such as micro-eddy catching, and being used to bouncing off shallow rocks and shelfs.
2. Who am I with? Solo paddling vs. group paddling is totally different. I only step up a significant level on whitewater if I know the people in my group well, as well as their knowledge of safety. I don’t want to put others in danger to save me, unless its a group that is comfortable with setting safety for me (and vice versa)
3. What are the consequences of finding out you weren’t ready for the step? Will you die? Injure your body? Injure your pride? Are you prepared for dealing with the screw-up (ie- do you have an alternate line picked out, or are you gonna get stuffed in the cave without rescue access)
4. When do you want to stop moving up? This is an important question only you can answer.
Also Requuires Constant Reassesment
Use it or lose it. I am not at nearly the same level of surf kayaking that I was this time last year, or even the year before.
After a long lay off it pays to start over with easy stuff. You will advance back to your old level much faster.
No Seakayaker Responses…
except from Kwikle talking about surf. Hmmm…
sing
interesting yes
maybe because moving up “levels” is more distinct with surf kayaking and whitewater. The sea kayaking i’ve done has been in different conditions/situations, but its hard to compare overnight camping trips on lake superior, to overnight camping trips on calm rivers, to open water night crossings under calm conditions to daytime crossings with strong waves and wind. sometimes its just different, not harder or easier, so its hard to say if you are moving “up” a level. i don’t consider myself an experienced sea kayaker though, so others may have different opinions. thoughts?
as I continue
to learn ww solo canoe, one of the best pieces of advices I’ve been given by an ACA WW Intructor is to start practicing class III moves on class II water to get a feel and understanding of what needs to be done in more turbulent water. As I (slowly) get better I find myself trying to challenge myself a little bit more and more each time I get out there on water I’m comfortable with. Once I’m able to make more advanced moves on the smaller water consistently and without hesitation, I’ll start looking at bigger and more technical water.
sea kayakers
For those of us starting out, and in sea kayaks, I’ve found the BCU format to be helpful. It is well defined with clear steps for each assessment. And each time you do one you find more things to work on. So If you’re a methodical type like me and enjoy the skills side of the sport, then I would certainly try the BCU track. Another thing it does is to make you do more self assessment. This is particularly important if you have any limitations, such as age, or a disability, for example, my own hearing loss. You have to be honest with yourself and what you want to do. I think it’s equally important to mix this step by step approach with new challenges and work with your own peers. It’s great to try rough water and surfing which I do whenever I can and build on those BCU skills in more challenging conditions.
Jon Rose
Seakayaking Has Broader Realm
and more skill components across wide ranging conditions and distances:
Endurance
Technical paddling/boat control skills.
Recovery and Rescue skills
Group leadership skills
Navigational
None of the above are linear. For example. I know I can handle my boat and do self recovery in conditions associate with 20-25 knot winds. But my endurance is suspect in distances over 15 miles, especially adverse wind or currents. I don’t really use navigational skills because I mostly paddle home waters and know my compass. I don’t do group leadership since I am mostly on my own. I know assisted rescue but won’t claim to be adroit at it since I don’t practice as much as those who go out often in a group.
In comparison, someone else may be able to paddle up to 25 miles a day, maybe in windy conditions, but has no roll but knows assisted rescues well. So this person has to be in a group. S/he may also be a wiz at dead reckoning and chart and compass. There are other combinations, etc., etc.
Of course, there are those who progress and are certified at the ACA/BCU levels/standards. I am not sure what all these different levels entail.
sing
Hey, A Seakayaker And…
a long boat surfer too. Haven’t seen you in awhile. Down on the islands and getting waves with the SOT, I hope.
sing
Failure?
Those aren’t failures. They’re accelerated learning days!
What more can you really learn when things go right?
Failure is not getting back to family and friends. Anything else is experience.
and safety / help is often further away
Near the end of my first year of paddling when I started BCU training there were limits that were clearly defined as being within my skills. Unfortunately those limits were too modest for my ego and so I regularly paddled in conditions exceeding those limits. The published limits did cause me to consider the potential ramifications of my choices at least, to the extend ignorance can image such things.
Reliable self-rescue techniques provided access to better paddlers and more challenging conditions. Similar to a Class IV paddler offering to shephard a Class III paddler down the Dryway. We went out in conditions that were over our heads and thankfully returned relatively unscathed but certainly wiser and techically more profficient with each push past our safety envelope. As long as I never needed to be rescued and avoided becoming a speed liability, I had unrestricted access to the better paddlers
A strong desire to be self-reliant led to the classic “BCU Boy Scout Syndrome” with it’s pounds and pounds of safety / emergency gear. The safety-bent crowd to which I was exposed made it easier for me to imagine surviving pushing further and further until I found myself running out of other paddlers willing to endure the conditions or the mileage (or maybe my company). In most cases for all of my time paddling I have regularly sought conditions that were beyond my technical certifications.
These days, like you, I need to keep my schedule as flexible as possible to take advantage of conditions that arise with timing not necessarily compatible with a day job. Such is life I guess, too much work, too little play time.
Sea kayaking requires skills and judgment for which the progression of skills acquisition is not easily defined compared to some of paddling’s other disciplines. I tend to train for each of the various sea kayaking skills you mentioned (boat handling, endurance, rescue skills, group management, navigation and a few you didn’t mention - weather & conditions forecasting, emergency survival, search and rescue, emergency boat and/or body repair) as separate pursuits in and of themselves and then test the balance of those skills in real world situations that require such balance and that show any weaknesses with brutal honesty.
The lack of linearity of the progression towards sea kayak mastery is more than half of the attraction for me. It’s very chess-like in that no one component is especially difficult to develop. It’s the complexity of various potential combinations can wreck havoc with linear thinking and take a lifetime or more to master. To this end well defined systems of study and training are advantageous.
One of the reasons sea kayakers tend to come off so anal is that the more we study, train and learn the more we come to understand that we have so little real control in changeable conditions beyond knowing when to stay or get off the water. This is both the curse and the saving grace of sea kayaking. We must first learn to survive our arrogance and ignorance if we are to grow old and grey.
cheers,
jed
PS if you have interest in understanding the various BCU levels, I have a bit of experience and also have the Coaching Directory, the BCU’s published / official standards.
Limit Pushing
I guess I’m in the class of slowly pushing the limits and see how bad I scare myself. I think that for surfing that pretty much has to be the way to go. Nobody is going to hold your hand or give you a test and then give you an arm patch.
For seakayaking I take trips with our local store/outfitter. I also attend their training classes. I just simply ask the folks that are leading the outings if they think I can handle it; they’ve paddled with me alot and are supportive of helping people learn safely after I’ve done something with a well organized group I judge whether I can handle it alone or with less experienced paddlers.
Training Mindsets…
Thanks for a very thoughtful and insightful post. While I can't relate to all the specifics, I can to the notion of training mind and body for physical and psychological skill sets to deal with contingencies of serious consequences.
"Sea kayaking requires skills and judgment for which the progression of skills acquisition is not easily defined compared to some of paddling's other disciplines. I tend to train for each of the various sea kayaking skills you mentioned (boat handling, endurance, rescue skills, group management, navigation and a few you didn't mention - weather & conditions forecasting, emergency survival, search and rescue, emergency boat and/or body repair) as separate pursuits in and of themselves and then test the balance of those skills in real world situations that require such balance and that show any weaknesses with brutal honesty."
Such "testing" and necessary "brutal honesty" with oneself often take skills development outside of the safety net of most structured progression programs. This is where one enters into the realm of the "hardcore." I think, it is at this point, where most simply won't cross. This is the point of going beyond the structure and recognizing that while such a structure may have provided a foundation of basic skills, you have now put yourself into the realm of mental and spiritual.
"The lack of linearity of the progression towards sea kayak mastery is more than half of the attraction for me. It's very chess-like in that no one component is especially difficult to develop. It's the complexity of various potential combinations can wreck havoc with linear thinking and take a lifetime or more to master. To this end well defined systems of study and training are advantageous."
Again, the structure provides a basic foundation but when dealing with complex, interconnected and changing variables, the proponent's mental and spirtual predilections and abilities kick in to make the connection with the physical skill sets. Some argue that a certain amount can be trained. Perhaps. I actually think it is likely innate. Rhetorical question: Do you know people with all the requisite certifications, but who you would not want at your side when the poop hits the fan?
"One of the reasons sea kayakers tend to come off so anal is that the more we study, train and learn the more we come to understand that we have so little real control in changeable conditions beyond knowing when to stay or get off the water. This is both the curse and the saving grace of sea kayaking. We must first learn to survive our arrogance and ignorance if we are to grow old and grey."
The "anal" or obsessiveness is a result of what I call the "what if" syndrome. I think the "what if" syndrome hits especially hard the the "hard core" types. They address one contingency and then encounter another "what if", another contingency. They work to address that and encounter another one after that. And developing the skills to deal with a contingency, the skills can only be accepted as truly integrated only when they are performed in a challenging environment. Essentially, the contingency development/planning/implementation must always be "tested" or it cannot be trusted. Sometimes the "testing" leads to or includes real life (threatening) situations. Again, even as one contingency is addressed, always another crops up. It goes on and on. In my circle, it's call hypervigilant as opposed to "anal."
Within such an individual, I think eventually an inkling emerges that total preparation and control are beyond the realm of the possible. The anal/hypervigilant person can be a hard person to be with. In fact, the individual struggles with him/herself. Such a person is likely fated for a burn out, or possible death in some "testing scenario." The other way out is simply to recognize that fate, destiny, variables, or whatever can trump anyone no matter how seemingly trained and prepared. The training can then simply retreat back to training-as-a-process as opposed to training-as-an-unsatisable-quest.
Jed, I'm not directly the above specifically at you. These are just some of my thoughts triggered by your post. Aside from the aspects of skills, we also need to self assess every so often why we do what we do -- our drives, ambitions, quests, etc.
sing
At My Level
I didn’t drown; so I’m ready to move onward and upward.