Story: Andy Oughton
Freelance canoe coach, coach educator and field IV officer for British Canoeing

Photos: Andy Oughton
and Alexandra Van Den Elsen

I set off on a recent trip with the question in my head – was it just delivering to a group that spoke a different language that was going to be the challenge? The answer to that question was a resounding no because of the importance Europeans place on learning languages, rather than anything I was bringing to the occasion. Thinking more broadly, there were other differences between myself and the group that may have been playing on my mind.

Is FSRT a common language?

So back to the beginning, I was observing Tim Scott running a Racing Coach assessment down at Norwich Canoe Club. There was only one candidate who was a Dutch racing paddler and aspirant coach from Rotterdam. The coaching sessions were a pleasure to watch, imaginative and engaging, promoting good progress for each of the three learners. The personal skills were likewise polished and effective. So that left rescues.

With the co-operation of the learners and a larger group of club paddlers, scenarios were set for Alex (the aspirant coach) to demonstrate her skills. In comparison to the other aspects of the assessment, the rescues did not have the same degree of practiced proficiency. Questions were asked about the likelihood of scenarios happening and techniques for resolving the situation. It transpired that a Foundation Safety & Rescue Course had not been completed prior to assessment and, to be fair, that is not a pre-requisite of a Coach Assessment in the Sheltered Water environment.

The rescues had been secure, effective and at the standard for the assessment but the conversation between Tim, Alex and myself at the end of the day questioned the preparation and framework for rescues on Sheltered Water, specifically in racing boats. Attending a Foundation Safety and Rescue Training (FSRT) course is an option, does it include enough about skinny boats? Too much about plastic boats? In short, is it racing relevant?

meeting the six racing coaches

This was the more concerning difference in my mind as I crossed from Harwich to Hoek van Holland to meet the six racing coaches from various clubs and national squads for an FSRT at Leiden Canoe Club. I was really grateful to Alex for taking rescue training as an action point from her assessment and wanting to do more both for herself and the coaches in the Netherlands. Before the FSRT, she had already organised a day of informal rescue practice for some of the group. By keeping to the syllabus for the rescue training, was there going to be enough relevance for racing disciplines?

Talking about rescue protocols at the start of the day, brought together the thinking on good briefings being the place where rescues begin. Paddling groups who have a clear understanding of the physical boundaries, distances between boats and their role should a rescue be necessary, are easier to manage.

This led onto discussions over PFDs and the perceived trade-off between performance and safety. The notion that freedom of movement is sacrificed by a PFD has its roots in the old fluted jackets of the 1970s through to the modern white water BAs but these are not the only choices available. Peak UK offer the Olympic cut, racer pro with Gaia Foam, which is ISO and ICF approved (other manufacturers have similar PFDs designed to allow freedom of movement). SUP paddling has increased the options with the availability of waist worn inflatable life jackets (NRS Zephyr and Palm Glide for example). Then there is always the option of an inflatable sport life jacket predominantly used in sailing (Crewsaver style).

The consensus in the room was that PFDs were less restrictive than the perception and that the practice of lone training, either solo or where there is loss of sight between the group leans towards some personal floatation being worn. The biggest obstacle to the wider up-take of PFDs in their racing community was the lack of use (when training) by those at the top, coaches and athletes. This was one of many action points to take forward from the day.

“Grab the shaft”

Shout and reach rescues made a lot of sense to a group used to paddling on canals, although there was an acknowledgment that they also used meers and lakes. There was nothing lost in translation of the phrase, “Grab the shaft” when offering a kayak paddle as a reach aid. The group were less convinced about rope rescues but were happy to be active outdoors throwing things at each other as a warm-up in preparation for getting out on the water.

On the water, we looked at towing and assisting. This was late morning, much the same time as it would have been without having included a selection of racing boats in the characteristics and safety features of boats session.

The tow and assist session was a mix of sharing ideas and techniques and looking at the transferability of these ideas between the different craft and practicing them. Inflatable SUPs were new to some of the group and proved very popular. Racing craft without grab handles required different line tows but these were shared between the group along with ‘foot in cockpit’ tows for the skinny boats.

‘like for like’ rescues

After lunch we looked at the classic ‘like for like’ rescues in plastic kayak, canoe, SUP and racing boat followed by a great session of problem solving some mixed craft rescues using a selection of techniques from earlier. As the session was now truly a practical wet session, challenges were issued to complete a solo deep water re-entry of a K1 and to try different ways of assisting deep water re-entry. Several of the coaches showed amazing agility and balance and were able to sit back in their K1 unaided.

By the end of the day there was a real buzz amongst the group having tried so much stuff.
One of the changes in thinking to come out of the experience was to look at using SUPs rather than power boats as safety cover for the organised races. The group had been so impressed with how easy it was to empty a racing boat from a SUP and to then get the paddler to re-enter from the same SUP. Earlier in the day, when talking about briefings, one of the coaches had recounted the example of a power boat aiding a capsize only to cause several other paddlers to struggle with the wash created.

A success

A day working with a group of paddlers and coaches from a different background is always to be valued and this was no exception. I had started a little apprehensively, not sure that the training would ‘fit’ but by refocusing the content to cover the group’s needs and encouraging them to pool their experience, it was a great day of sharing safety thinking and practice.