Canoeing is a very pleasant and extremely attractive form of active leisure, and although it is very safe, it is worth keeping the basics of kayaking and, above all, knowing them. Because no sport gives one hundred percent guarantee that we will not suffer, for example, any injury.
Compliance with safety rules reduces this risk to a minimum. You should take a first aid kit, protect it from drowning and remember the basic principles of first aid, you never know when this knowledge can come in handy, and then instead of standing like a salt pillar we can save someone’s life or at least not disturb someone who has such help grants. Giving first aid is a duty, never leave those in need without help!
Basics of safety on kayaking
Apply the right route to your skills, adjust the route stages to the capabilities and expectations of the users used. People who start the adventure with kayaking, before navigating the routes learn about the basic techniques of rowing, how to avoid obstacles encountered on the route, or boating label and the basic functions of use in waters.
Let’s not forget that we are not alone on the river, there are other kayaks, other participants. Therefore, pay attention to the appropriate distance of our kayak from the preceding kayak so that, for example, collisions available and subsequent dumps. Always, if we have thousands of kilometers covered by kayak, we can meet on the trail of an amateur who will lose control of his kayak in the lowest possible time and then it will not always be possible to use a collision.
In the case of group rafting of the least experienced people who can swim inside so that you can have a given kayak on the eye and if necessary in the field of distributed assistance Almost every canoeist once had a dump truck, which is why the life vest is the basis. Important as the fact that we do not kayak after dark and under the influence of alcohol. In the event of a dump truck, the rescue operation is very difficult, besides, it is worth making sure that you are someone who will help us, only experienced kayakers can afford to wander alone.
What dangers can you face when kayaking?
One of the most common is the dump truck, in which we leave the canoe while under water. The most common causes of dump trucks are the lack of technical skills of people who come into contact with a kayak for the first time and an attempt to stop the kayak by catching e.g. a branch. Just like getting into and out of a kayak, it is worth practicing it before setting off, then the chances of not having an unexpected bath will increase significantly. When the tipper truck is certain, it is often a mistake to stick to the side and aimlessly fight the inevitable. Lowering the kayak is also not always that easy, especially when it is equipped with an apron to prevent water from entering. In the described situation, pull the head to the knees and with one hand holding the paddle, remove the apron using the special ear, which is usually located at the front of the apron. Getting to know the equipment we will be able to swim can be beneficial for us.
After rising to the surface, we grab the handle located on the bow or stern of the kayak. One of the first things that comes to mind is trying to turn the kayak away, which is not always a good idea. This can be done when it is shallow, but when we are in deep water, only the air inside the kayak protects it from sinking. During attempts to turn it over, when we do not have ground under our feet, it is very easy to drown it (except for unsinkable kayaks). During such an attempt to reverse the kayak, the air inside will escape and then the probability of sinking the kayak increases significantly. Therefore, we do not do it when we do not have stable ground under our feet, it is also worth asking someone to help, the lack of skills and experience can make the task alone much more difficult than we think.
Let’s return to the situation when we have surfaced and mastered our situation. If other people stayed with us in the kayak, please check that they are safe and do not need our help. If children are sailing with us in a kayak, it should be remembered that one adult will be able to save only one child in the event of a dump, this should be remembered before getting on the kayak, deciding who with whom it goes. When everyone is safe, we secure the kayak on the shore and only then is the right time to save our equipment.
Dangerous element of water
Water is a dangerous element, so bathing outside of a canoe, although they are a source of fun, can be very dangerous. Falling into water, even if we can swim, one should take into account that wet clothes will limit our movements, water temperature, surprises, currents and, as a result, what seemed simple will suddenly prove to be a challenge. To read more about safety and dangers during swimming, I invite you to this article: Canoeing and bathing in water
When taking part in a rafting trip, we choose one person in command (the most experienced), and in the event of unforeseen situations, she decides which one should absolutely obey. The rescue operation is provided by the most experienced crew, the remaining kayaks should stop at the shore and wait for the end of the rescue operation. Unless the commanding person turns to us directly for help.
Canoe versus yacht!
The kayak is such a small boat, it is much more maneuverable than larger vessels, which is why we have the obligation to give way. In the event of a blockage on the river, we sail to the shore and wait for the kayak that caused the blockage to return to its proper course. By swimming forward and trying to get around it, we will usually be more disturbing than we will help at all costs.
Canoe on the lake
Before sailing out into the open water, check the weather for the next few hours, in the event of a sudden deterioration in the weather, appropriate clothing can be truly beneficial. When a larger wave occurs, e.g. after sailing near a motor boat, it is safest to set the kayak on the “waves”.
This article did not exhaust the topic, the most important basics of canoeing safety were discussed here. It is impossible to predict everything, so do not raise the bar too high, especially at the beginning of the adventure with kayaking. That would be enough, I skip such obvious things as keeping silence, not littering the womb of nature, not destroying vegetation, this is not the subject of this article, but we should be able to behave properly in every situation.