A Course for Safe Boating

California Boating

A Course for Safe Boating

Chapter 3

Vessel Operation

Calm water rescue alone and with buddy

– Don’t leave the paddleboard

and swim to shore. Don’t try to swim with the paddle. After falling off the

paddleboard, return to the board first, then recover the paddle.

River current rescue with a buddy

(never paddle alone in whitewater)

–

In whitewater, never wear a leash around your ankle. Either attach the

leash to a quick release system on your life jacket or don’t wear one at all.

When dumped into the water hold onto your paddle, swim aggressively back

to your board and mount it as soon as possible. If you are unable to pull

yourself on the board, angle it toward calm water or the shore if the shore is

a safe option. Never try to stand up in current. If swimming without board

and paddle, angle the body away from rocks, strainers and debris. Swim

towards safety.

Surf zone rescue alone and with buddy –

Always protect the head when

surfacing. A downed paddleboarder in a surf zone should never position the

board between him/herself and the oncoming waves. Don’t try to swim with

the paddle. Get on the paddleboard first then recover the paddle. Do not

wrap the paddleboard leash around the hands or try to hold the paddleboard

from the leash connections.

Wind and weather rescue alone and with buddy –

In bad weather or

choppy water, always paddle on knees or lie down and hand paddle. A tow

line or leash may be used to rescue another stand up paddleboarder.

WHITEWATER PADDLING

Whether you paddle a kayak, canoe, or raft on a river, you must know about

river hydrology (the way the water moves)

before

you put in. It is important to

know about currents, eddies, holes, and other river features in order to paddle

safely. It’s best to hire a professional guide, or take classes on river running

and safety, before you take your own river trip. California has world-class

rivers, but you can enjoy them safely only after instruction.

River Features

A rapid is a section of turbulent water. Rapids usually run through steep

terrain, which increases the water’s speed. Rapids can vary a lot in length

and severity.

An eddy is a current that tends to flow upstream, usually found downstream

of an obstruction in the main current. An eddy creates a calm spot in the

river that paddlers can use to rest, regroup, scout and pull out of the main

current.

The terms “hole,” “reversal,” “keeper” and “hydraulic” all describe the same

river feature. This is where the river current pours over an obstruction or

dam and the water reverses, causing a revolving current that can trap boats

and people. You should avoid these “holes.”

A “strainer” is an obstacle the current flows through.

Whitewater raft

Whitewater kayak

WHITEWATER CLASS SYSTEM

Whitewater rapids are classified by

six degrees of difficulty:

Class I: Easy

Class II: Novice

Class III: Intermediate

Class IV: Advanced

Class V: Expert

Class VI: Extreme

See Appendix C on page 123 for a

detailed description of the whitewater

class system.