And you label others coaching
being a cabal of murderous instructors. That guy is a piece of work. (Edited: I meant he, not you. Some of the strangest kayak related literature is on Timmy's website.)
Dogmaticus
That’s what the coast guard does.
Not a single one of them were drafted. They relish the opportunity to rescue someone as it’s practice. How long is the waiting list in your community to be a firefighter? Tell me they have to go begging and throw around hundreds of thousands a year and lifetime benefits to sucker in an applicant. The coast guard attract people who want to do that job. They are not drafting anyone. The local SAR units are all volunteer and they do trainings. They hit the trail on a missing notice gladly.
If you go missing your community will go looking for you. It’s what people do. We have evolved structures to accomplish these goals. Your taxes pay for this. Take a look at your pay stub, property tax, sales tax estimate, the taxes on utilities, real estate taxes, airline ticket security taxes, hotel and car rental taxes to pay for the local sport team, fuel taxes, etc. The taxes we pay in this country are astonishing. If you want to give more, by all means, pony up.
Dogmaticus
PADDLE FREE OR DIE!
1134…I’m gonna be a member of the first Outlaw Kayakers who wear the ONE PERCENT’er patch like a biker…
Amen !
there is a list a mile long waiting for a chance to get in the CG.
There are very few paddlers that they have to rescue.
Most of the time it is power boaters.
Cheers,
JackL
regulations
the more kayakers who are rescued by the CG the higher the chance regulations will be imposed.
Kayak rescues represent a significant percentage of their total rescues, while only a very minor percentage of boaters out there. While they are rescuing a kayaker other people need to be rescued. The CG budget goes up and taxes and regulations go up to bring down the number of kayakers in distress.
Please don’t expect the government to always bail you out, just because they enjoy it. Some one has to pay.
You need to back up your clains
with actual data. Show us the “significant portion of rescues.”
Dogmaticus
But his license had been suspended
because of his drug and alcohol problems, if I remember correctly?
Good point
Even having requirements or designating a trip leader can increase a club’s liability. Pretty much the safest way to do it is have the trips be as informal as possible, kind of like “hey, I’ll be paddling such and such river tomorrow, anyone going my way?”
The only regulation
I’m in favor of is mandatory psychotherapy!
It’s clear you have no respect for me or what I have to say and will continue to take anything I say out of context.
If you need a reference, scroll up.
While you are up there you can request everyone else to provide references for their accusations, and when you get to your own post you can provide references there as well.
I scrolled up
I didn’t see anything to substantiate:
“”"“is the Coast Guard has to rescue an inordinate number of kyakers.”"""
or
“”""“Kayak rescues represent a significant percentage of their total rescues, while only a very minor percentage of boaters out there.”"""""
If the news is an indicators, the majority of rescues around here are tourists in the surf. Some of which get washed out and require Coast Guard and FWCC searches for the corpse.
Maybe we should require a license of tourists before they wander into the surf.
We get your point regarding avoiding drawing too much attention to paddle sports in the form of incompetent paddlers needing assistance. However, I’d like to see some stats supporting the claim that kayaks represent a significant number of SAR events relative to other forms of boating or even hiking for that matter.
Agreed
Saw a very good presentation by the CG (CoastGuardian?) here in the Pacific Northwest. He said he doesn’t worry about the kayakers because they tend to be dressed for conditions and wear pfds. The fishermen on the other hand go out further with less preparation.
It was really good to get an idea on what to expect if they come for you. I asked him about static buildup on the basket and he said for the public they discharge it first but when they are practicing the pilots will try to zap them…
IMO mandating safety won’t work but teaching, encouraging, and expecting it will work and won’t piss people off.
A wee bit sensitive, are we?
This is not a case of disrespect, you’ve simply made claims aren’t true.
I’ve been in meetings with a couple of our local Coast Guard crews and the commander for the New England area. While they are concerned with the safety of all boaters, kayakers are not considered to be a particular problem. Their mission is to save lives and they are concerned that kayakers are adequately informed, skilled and equipped for coastal paddling. However, as has been pointed out, they stated that kayakers as a group are the BEST prepared boaters on the water and thus, more likely to survive a mishap.
They definitely do treat kayaker rescues as practice. Compared to power boater, sailors and especially fishermen, kayakers are rarely out in conditions that would put a CG crew in any significant danger. They don’t have to deal with large, heaving boats with masts and other rigging, so a rescue is usually just a matter of plucking a person or two and their kayak(s) from the water and dealing with any injuries, hypthermia, etc. The greater challenge for them is finding missing or stricken kayakers, but again, it’s great practice looking for tiny boats in a big sea.
As for who pays, the CG is funded by tax dollars. We’re paying for it anyway and they are going to practice in one form or another, so it’s not as if kayakers are significantly adding to the cost of operating the CG. I’m certainly not advocating that kayakers go out on the water with no regard for the dangers or implying that we’re performing a service as “test dummies” for the CG, but they gave us no indication that kayakers were a problem of the level that you indicated.
I assume you mean…
…no GOVERNMENT MANDATED safety course. Surely you’re not against voluntary training?
The best outfitters offer safety training and/or introductory courses to their customers. Rental companies should provide a basic safety briefing as well, rather than just handing customers their gear and wishing them “happy paddling”. Some that I’ve met would refuse to rent gear to people who would not be willing to got through a safety session, which just seems smart to me. Everyone in the kayaking business - and all paddlers, for that matter - should be advocating for safety and skills training, whether it’s paid training with a coach or free training with a club or mentor, as it ultimately benefits all paddlers and the entire industry.
I’m all for courses on a
volunteer basis.I don't know many kayakers who don't practice.It's almost a must in our sport.I plan on getting qualified through paddle canada however I have learned quite a bit over the past two years just from fellow paddlers.
I plan on retiring into instructing/guiding kayaking.And have nothing but the utmost respect for the instructors I have met.
Abduk
http://awholebunchofings.blogspot.com/
what a hoot
Oh please!
I mean really, Coast Guard worried about kayakers?
Let me wipe my eyes I am laughilng so hard.
Coast Guard has other issues much more pressing than a few kayakers.
IE: drunk boaters, drug runners, national security issues and the like.
Paddling License
I currently have to pay up to $5 for kayak launch fees in my area. I think that’s enough tribute.
Kayak Rescues
Sorry yakwise to take something else out of context, but what is - “While they are rescuing a kayaker other people need to be rescued.” - supposed to mean? The implication is that kayakers in trouble are somehow less worthy of rescue than others. The logic escapes me.
Respectfully, same here
I have been told to my face by a CG MSO “Sea kayakers are TRUE mariners, and some of the best prepared boaters I’ve met”
A GC Auxie who inspected my kayak at the lake down the street from my home said I was “Better equipped than 99% of power boaters”
In my state (CT), people who paddle in salt water are among the safest of boaters statistically. Here, on average, we lose 1.5 paddlers per year. Most of them are either fishermen in canoes, whitewater paddlers (SH$#T happens there, no way to stop it), or rec kayak paddlers in over their heads.
Just the facts.
Bingo dog