Sea Kayaks Techniques Bulletin Board

Re: Teaching Kids to Kayak

Posted By: John Montgomery
Date: Wednesday, 19 January 2005, at 1:54 p.m.

In Response To: Re: Teaching Kids to Kayak (John D.)

: AND, THEY ARE FREQUENTLY
: REQUIRED TO REHEARSE THE EMERGENCY SPRAYSKIRT REMOVAL DRILL -- IN THE
: MIDDLE OF DOING WHATEVER THEY MIGHT BE DOING, I GIVE THEM THE "TAKE
: OFF THE SPRAYSKIRT", AND THEY HAVE TO IMMEDIATELY POP IT OFF.

Great idea! I actually do this when I lead adults on trips, too, except I say, "Now without using your grab loop, pop off your spray skirt starting NOW!"

: WE HAVE
: ALSO PRACTICED THE DRILL WHERE THE CAPSIZE AND WAIT 5 SECONDS, THEN TAP
: THE BOTTOM OF THEIR BOAT FOR ME TO ROLL THEM BACK UP -- GOOD PRACTICE IN
: FENDING OFF THE PANIC OF A CAPSIZE.

Excellent, excellent idea!

: OUR RULE IS THAT IN ORDER TO GO FARTHER FROM THE BEACH, YOU CAN ONLY GO IF
: YOU GO WITH DAD, AND THEN ONLY IF YOU HAVE PRACTICED A WET-EXIT AND
: ASSISTED RE-ENTRY. I THINK THEY DID THIS AT 7 OR 8 YEARS OLD (I THINK OUR
: 4 YEAR OLD JUST MIGHT MEET THIS QUALIFICATION CRITERIA THIS SUMMER, AND I
: THINK HE MIGHT JUST HAVE ABILITIES TO PADDLE A COUPLE OF MILES IN HIS
: LITTLE BOAT BY THEN TOO -- DIFFERENT KIDS OBVIOUSLY DO AND LEARN THINGS
: DIFFERENTLY)
: IT TAKES A LITTLE MORE STRENTGH TO DO A SELF RESCUE, HAVEN'T WORKED MUCH WITH
: THAT YET, WE SHOULD THOUGH

Your rules sound good. One additional factor I'm sure you take into account is water temperature. If we're playing in a warm lake or pond, that's one thing. If you're out in the San Juans (where I live) that's another.

: TEACHING KIDS THE FUN OF KAYAKS IS GREAT. A LOT OF THE PROCESS SIMPLY
: INVOLVES GETTING THEM IN A BOAT, THEY'LL COME WITH FUN THINGS TO DO, AND
: LEARN ABOUT BOAT CONTROL IN THE PROCESS. TO A POINT, IT NEEDS TO BE DONE
: ON THEIR TERMS TOO -- IF IT IS SOMETHING YOU TRY TO MAKE THEM DO IT THEY
: PROBABLY WON'T LIKE IT.

I've heard that my nephew hasn't always been crazy about his swimming lessons, but my brother-in-law informed me that's starting to change now that my nephew can see that swimming lessons lead to cool things like kayaking and SCUBA diving.

Thanks for all your great pointers, John M.

Messages In This Thread

Teaching Kids to Kayak
John Montgomery -- Tuesday, 18 January 2005, at 12:35 p.m.

Re: Teaching Kids to Kayak
Brad Farr -- Tuesday, 18 January 2005, at 11:29 p.m.

Re: Teaching Kids to Kayak
John Montgomery -- Wednesday, 19 January 2005, at 1:18 p.m.

Re: Teaching Kids to Kayak
Bill Haller -- Thursday, 20 January 2005, at 12:35 p.m.

Re: Teaching Kids to Kayak
Karl -- Tuesday, 18 January 2005, at 11:59 p.m.

Re: Teaching Kids to Kayak
John Montgomery -- Wednesday, 19 January 2005, at 1:37 p.m.

Re: Teaching Kids to Kayak
John D. -- Wednesday, 19 January 2005, at 12:09 a.m.

Re: Teaching Kids to Kayak
John Montgomery -- Wednesday, 19 January 2005, at 1:54 p.m.

Re: Teaching Kids to Kayak
John D. -- Wednesday, 19 January 2005, at 2:22 p.m.

Re: Teaching Kids to Kayak
don flowers -- Wednesday, 19 January 2005, at 11:13 p.m.

Re: Teaching Kids to Kayak
dave mcadoo -- Saturday, 22 January 2005, at 3:28 p.m.

Sea Kayaks Techniques Bulletin Board is maintained by Nick Schade - Guillemot Kayaks with WebBBS 5.12.