Pioneer Water Activities - Sea Kayaking

To achieve the Pioneer Water Activities Target, the scout must be able to recognise four different types of craft constructions and and compete the requirements below, together with an elective - sea kayaking.

1. Weather

• Be able to locate weather forecasting information appropriate to the activity requirements
• Explain the effect of weather on the activity 

2. Safety

• Demonstrate wearing an approved personal floatation device (PFD)and knowing when it should be worn
• Without a PFD - stay afloat for 3 minutes
• Be able to swim 50 metres
• Explain the importance of staying with an overturned boat and of never boating alone

3. First Aid

• Know the Citizenship First Aid Requirement for Pioneer Level
• Know the most frequent medical hazards associated with boating (sunburn, eyestrain, sunstroke, seasickness, immersion, hypothermia)
• The appropriate treatment for these and precautions to avoid them

4. Knots

• Know the Scoutcraft and Pioneer Campcraft knotting requirements
• Learn the use of the following knots for boating activities
• figure of eight knot
• anchor or fisherman's bend
• bowline
• clove hitch
• Learn and use a common rope whipping, eg. simple whipping, west country whipping

Sea Kayaking 

In a sea kayak and sit on top kayak, complete the following:

1. Learn the main parts of a kayak and paddle
2. Demonstrate paddling forwards, backwards and emergency stopping
3. Demonstrate steering strokes:
• Forward and reverse sweep
• Stern rudder
• Draw stroke
• Support stroke
4. Choose appropriate launch and landing sites
5. Launch kayak, paddle, return and make a clean landing to the landing stage, bank or shore
6. Capsize the kayak and re-enter with assistance (sea kayak) or remount sit-on-top
7. Paddle for a minimum of 3 hours

The Program

The sea kayaking program takes place over 5 sessions:

Session 1 - Information evening: overview, weather, equipment and clothing
Session 2 - Pool session - swim test, rescues
Session 3 - Training Centre, Sandringham (2-3hr) - sit on top kayaks
Session 4 - Training Centre, Sandringham (2-3hr) - sit on top kayaks
Session 5 - Overnight trip (base camp) on Mornington Peninsula in sea kayaks

6 Reasons to do our Sea Kayak Course

• Fun, fun, fun. Good kayaking skills means you can have more fun on the water
• Become a better paddler faster! Good instruction means you can gain skills immediately
• Increased confidence
• Good habits from the beginning
• Our small group sessions are supportive and enjoyable.
• Some stuff is just too hard to learn from books - we believe in “learning by doing”.