Welcome to our third installment in our 276 part series, "Better know a paddling instructor". Last week, I sat down with Michael Pardy from Victoria, British Columbia.
Michael wears many hats in the paddlesports industry. He is one of the owners of SKILS (Sea Kayak Instruction Leadership Systems) as well the Executive Director of The Trade Association of Paddlesports. Michael is the past president of the Sea Kayak Guides Alliance of BC.
After reading about the Spot Satellite Messenger for sometime, I decided that it was time to take the plunge and pick one up.
Released in September 2007, the SPOT Messenger was developed by Globstar and designed to bring search and rescue technology to the general public who were not likely to purchase $700-1000 personal locater beacons (PLB's).
This clip is a great example of how not to pack your kayak. Notice the huge (and heavy) container of water packed on top of the boat? Sitting that high out of the water, it is causing his boat to become very unstable.
Pesda Press recently released the 2nd edition of their popular book, Sea Kayak Navigation by Franco Ferrero. The new edition is a completely updated layout including several chapter rewrites and updates to help explain the tougher concepts even better than before. A clearly written and very practical manual, this is a great book for anybody who is interested in learning more about sea navigation.
By L. Dee Fink Reprinted from the University of Oklahoma Instructional Development Program, July 19, 1999
Many teachers today want to move past passive learning to active learning, to find better ways of engaging students in the learning process. But many teachers feel a need for help in imagining what to do, in or out of class, that would constitute a meaningful set of active learning activities.
I was very excited recently when North Water Paddlesports Equipment sent me the guides vest recently to try out. Several of my friends have been using them for a couple of seasons now so I have looking forward to actually using it for some time.
Visit your local the book section at your local outdoor store and you will find a boatload of books on sea kayaking skills. Generally speaking they are written towards the novice paddler and cover a wide range of skills from packing your boat to how to keep your boat going straight.
When we teach forward stroke, we emphasize using torso rotation for greater endurance and strength rather then just using our arms. I have absolutely no problem with it. It makes sense to me as an advanced paddler and I believe strongly in it.
Introduction: Video is a flexible and powerful tool for the coach, its level of use is dictated by the coaches ability with the camera and confidence in it's application as part of the normal coaching process. The strength of video lies in it's ability to capture movement and speed rather than fixed shots. Many coaches are, needlessly, nervous because of the technology involved and it's application. The video should be built into normal coaching activity and viewed as additional to coaching activity.
Adapting your current paddling program is a
lot easier then you think. Here are a couple of small ideas that you can use to
help different people with disabilities.
As a guide or instructor, carrying and knowing how to use a stirrup rescue tool can be very helpful. It is a quick and easy assisting device to help and injured or weak paddler back into their boat.
It is fairly simple to make your own by going out and purchasing some tubular webbing from your local climbing store. What ever material you purchase, make sure that it doesn't float as it will make your rescue considerably easier.
For those of you out there who own a paddling/guide school, you collect lots of personal information including registrations, waiver/medical forms, payment information, etc. That information really ads up.
The human brain is a fascinating organ, but it's an absolute mess. Because it has evolved over millions of years, there are all sorts of processes jumbled together rather than logically organized. Some of the processes are optimized for only certain kinds of situations, while others don't work as well as they could. There's some duplication of effort, and even some conflicting brain processes.
In recent years, sea kayaking has been growing in popularity throughout North America and especially in Maine. Sea kayakers are regularly observed along our coastal shores; and sea kayak guides and outfitters are becoming a significant part of the working waterfront, with commercial operations spanning from Kittery to Calais. With such popularity, the potential for kayak collisions with larger vessels increases dramatically.
Global Positioning System satellites transmit signals to equipment on the ground. GPS receivers passively receive satellite signals; they do not transmit. GPS receivers require an unobstructed view of the sky, so they are used only outdoors and they often do not perform well within forested areas or near tall buildings. GPS operations depend on a very accurate time reference, which is provided by atomic clocks at the U.S. Naval Observatory. Each GPS satellite has atomic clocks on board.
How do barometers work? Why do meteorologists use barometers? What do barometers do? When were barometers first invented? How do you make a model of a barometer? How accurate are barometers?
In 2006 the British Canoe Union released an addition to its very popular Canoe and Kayak Handbook. The new Coaching Handbook is an ocean of useful information and practical tips for coaches and instructors whether you are involved with canoe, white water, sprint slalom, or sea kayaking.
Rather then just getting the perspective of one author or instructor, the Coaching Handbook was written by a group of 18 top BCU coaches in their particular sport. At over 380 pages there is more then enough information to satisfy both beginner and advanced coaches.
I had an epiphany this past summer. I was teaching at a Greenland Symposium in Wawa, Ontario, Canada and I was paired up for the weekend with Bonnie Perry from Chicago, IL. She is a level 4 paddler and holders her level 3 BCU coach.
For several years now, people have been arguing back and forth about the roll of GPS units during introduction to navigation lessons. There are two major schools of thought around the whole thing. The first group says that GPS's shouldn't take a roll and we should be focusing only teaching traditional map and compass skills. The other side of the table sits the group that says that we should be embracing this technology to help augment our map and compass skills.
Where do we go with this? It seems to me that anti-GPS crowd is entrenched in their belief but are we putting our own personal prejudices and biases ahead of the needs of our students?
I'll be honest, I don't own a GPS unit and for that reason, I don't spend a lot of time talking about them. I teach my lesson not mentioning them, hoping that nobody asks any questions. This past fall I was taking a trip and decided to bring it along. I realized quickly that I there was a whole lot more to this then just turning it on and going. I had to read how to set it up, how to add waypoints, how to figure out what the numbers meant. I then had to figure out how to put the UTM coordinates on the chart as the little map in the GPS was hopelessly pointless with little to no detail.
The worlds largest maker of GPS units, Garmin expects to sell 4.6-4.7 million units units by the end of 2006. Those numbers are huge. This shows that the general public is embracing GPS technology as their primary source of navigation much quicker then the maps and compasses that we all hold true to.
As paddling instructors, why are we so reluctant towards GPS's? I had one instructor tell me recently; "If somebody came on my course with a GPS, I would tell them to put it away as it has no place here." Is that the right attitude?
I am not advocating that you discontinue teaching the use of maps, charts or compasses. Please don't get me wrong. It is a very important and necessary skill that must be taught. Your students need a solid foundation of skills to make sure they get where they want to go and back home safely.
My trip this past fall taught me that using a GPS is just as much as learned skill as using a map. It takes practice and it's time that we provide the opportunity to develop those skills in a safe environment where there are little consequences.
Over the years I have heard many arguments against GPS use with the biggest one being your unit will fail when you need it most. You are right, it probably will fail, but GPS units are getting better each year and with submersible units now, they are a whole lot more reliable then older units.
I find the "fragile unit" argument difficult to understand as the primary reason not to talk about GPS units because these same people turn around and take out lots of other electronic devices including digital cameras, headlamps, VHF radios without a second thought. You are right that some of them might not put you in a life or death situation when they fail, but they are just as fragile to the elements but we don't worry about them. So why GPS units?
I am going to go out on a limb and say that the biggest reason we aren't using new technology is that we don't understand it so we are scared of it. We are also scared that by teaching people how to use GPS units, our students will lose the skill of how to use a map and compass. I don't believe that is true. You still need a map or chart and know how to read it as the little maps in the GPS aren't that great.
For that student who brought the GPS on your course and you told him to put it away, what is he or she going to do when they are out on the water in their canoe and kayak and want to use it. Are they going to use it correctly and to get home safely? You missed a great opportunity to help clear the air about some myths and technology hurdles that make the difference between a good day and a long stressful day.
For me, I still don't own a GPS but I have been reading up on them and learning how they work. I'm not an expert but I am confident that I will be able to help my students and answer their questions on the practical applications and limitations of some really cool technology.
For instructors who are currently teaching GPS use, I am interested in tips, games, and ideas of how you incorporated them into your lessons.
Like what you read? Hate it? Got an idea? Post a comment below.
We recently got an email from Vedharajan; a new paddler living in India. He is training for a large expedition to raise awareness about coastal conservation in that area. We posted info about the campaign a couple weeks ago in our news section.
Articles
Visit your local the book section at your local outdoor store and you will find a boatload of books on sea kayaking skills. Generally speaking they are written towards the novice paddler and cover a wide range of skills from packing your boat to how to keep your boat going straight.
How long is a long kayak? How wide is a wide kayak? How fast is a fast one? Who cares?
Global Positioning System satellites transmit signals to equipment on the ground. GPS receivers passively receive satellite signals; they do not transmit. GPS receivers require an unobstructed view of the sky, so they are used only outdoors and they often do not perform well within forested areas or near tall buildings. GPS operations depend on a very accurate time reference, which is provided by atomic clocks at the U.S. Naval Observatory. Each GPS satellite has atomic clocks on board.
I am not advocating that you discontinue teaching the use of maps, charts or compasses. Please don't get me wrong. It is a very important and necessary skill that must be taught. Your students need a solid foundation of skills to make sure they get where they want to go and back home safely.