Sea Kayaking Finland
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1.
Group size
Max 8 clients on the water/guide at any time.
Larger groups will be taught best by dividing them into subsequent
groups of 8, when using our gear (kayaks etc.).
For advanced classes, where some clients typically bring their own
kayaks, group size can be larger than 8, provided that the instructor /
student ratios are met.
2.
Basic Class (BCU 1 Star)
A basic paddling class includes two 3-hour sessions, typically during
two weekday evenings or am/pm classes on a weekend. We recommend to
take the class in two seperate days, as six hours in the boat is quite
a long time if you aren't used to it. In
addition to the content of an instructional tour, we will teach and
train:
-
Low brace (how to prevent a capsize)
-
Wet exit (how to safely exit a capsized kayak)
-
T-Rescue (how to rescue your paddling partner back into his/her kayak)
-
Self Rescue (either by swimming kayak onto the shore or by a
paddlefloat)
-
Lectures of paddling safety, kayak design, basic seamanship, etc.
You will get into water during this training. This class is
best done when water temperature is pleasant enough to swim.
Paddling class corresponds to BCU's 1 star curriculum. It
exceeds typical Finnish paddling clubs' beginner class skills content,
and a
Sea Kayaking Finland certificate will be issued for completion.
A basic skills class can be combined with a 4-hour instructional tour
to comply with the Finnish Canoe Federation's time requirement of a
Basic Class. Some Finnish paddling Clubs will require a 10-hour total
Class for membership requirement.
3.
Fundamental Skills Class and Canoe Safety (BCU 2-Star)
Our next level class works well with people, who have acquired basic
paddling skills from our own Basic Skills class or some Kayaking Club's
beginner class. It would also be good to have some 'time in
the boat' between the beginner class and skills class –
typically a minimum of 100 km or one season of paddling.
In this class we will start making you more comfortable and efficient
with paddling strokes, including edging, etc. skills. We even
teach you the basics of an eskimo roll.
We will run the skills class according to BCU 2 Star award criteria,
and it can be completed by a 2 Star test. Those participants
who want to register their skills with the British Canoe Union can do
this by paying BCU's handling fees after passing the test.
Link
to BCU website 2-star curriculum
4. Sea Kayaking
Skills Class (BCU 3 Star Sea)
Our current top level class includes all the paddling techniques to a
proficient level in modest sea conditions. Holding a BCU 3 Star
award is an internationally renowned proof for paddling skill,
and many kayaking outfitters around the world will recognize it as
sufficient for an unguided kayak rental, in conditions within the award
criteria.
This class will teach you most paddling strokes to the level
of the pro's, i.e. done with proper edging of the
kayak. It does include recovery strokes like a high brace
from a true off-balance position: kayak's seam is vertical before the
brace.
The new 3 Star Sea includes also handling incidents in moderate sea
conditions. This involves rescues, towing, etc. skills that need to be
performed comfortably in Force 4 conditions (8m/s wind. 0,5m waves).
Arranging the test is depending on conditions to be at or above Force 4.
We cannot guarantee that all students learn all the strokes immediately
to the required level in the 3-star test, so in most cases it is
advisable to take the test after some quality time practising the
strokes.
3 Star instruction HSKG '08 picture taken by Jukka Honkala
Link to BCU website 3-star Sea curriculum
5.
Leadership Classes (BCU 4- and 5-Star Sea Leader)
Due to the lack of tidal waters, these classes cannot be officially
held in Finland. However, we can train you in many of the
required aspects locally, and then refer you to completing and testing
your skills with some of our network of paddling centers in the British
Isles.
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