Advanced Swiftwater Safety & Rescue Skills
A single day course targeted at paddlers with class
II+–III skills and above. Objective is to
teach paddlers and others additional skills and techniques used
in more difficult rivers or in more difficult rescue or recovery
situations.
(Course covers similar topics as the first day of ACA course.)
This class is taught every summer by the
NH AMC Paddlers, a
group (committee/interest area) that is part of the
New Hampshire
Chapter of the
Appalachian Mountain Club.
The AMC is America's oldest outdoor organization with over 100,000
members—11,000 of them belonging to the NH Chapter. The NH
AMC Paddlers has approximately 300-400 active members with over 1000
active participants in all types of paddling activities (whitewater,
touring, sea kayaking, etc.)
Course Description:
This course has
the objective to teach paddlers and others additional
skills and techniques useful to improve safety
on more difficult rivers and assist in more
difficult rescue or recovery situations.
Each river emergency is unique. The more information and
skills a paddler has developed the higher likelyhood
of quicker and more effective resolution of river
emergencies.
This course is not a
introductory or a comprehensive safety course designed
to address general problems.
Instead consider this course of adding
more tools to paddlers' 'bag-of-tricks' to keep themselves
and others safer on the river.
This is a single day course. Paddlers should have class
II+–III skills, and be actively working on
improving their river skills. Additionally each paddler
should have attended the Basic Safety & Rescue Course
(usually held in June).
Students should be familiar with topics addressed in the
Basic Safety & Rescue Course, such as identifying river
hazards, use of a throw rope, boat-based rescues, etc, as
they will not be mentioned in this class. (Although those
skills will be put to use since students will take turns
providing safety for other students performing drills.)
Especially important is that students should already
have a few 'swims' under their belt and not be afraid
to be in strong current or be banged around by the river.
Skills taught will include aggressive swimming techniques,
wading in swift water, use of rescue vests, entrapment
rescues, belaying and zip-lines, snag lines, and a strainer
swim drill. (Note: Recovery techniques such as 'Z-Drag'
and the 'Steve Thomas Rope Trick' are covered in the
separate 'Boat Recovery Workshop' course.)
Students should bring river clothes, helmet, PFD, throw
rope, carbiner, prussic line, and a 6-12 foot length of
1-inch webbing. (Last three are optional, loaners will be
available; but be prepared to buy your own after the
class.) Knee and elbow pads are not required but you may
appreciate them as the rocks are slippery and a few
people are guaranteed to take a spill. Also, don't forget
your lunch, energy snacks and plenty of water. You should
expect a long day. Class will be scheduled to start when
the release starts (usually 9 or 10am), and will usually
last 1 or more hours after the release ends (usually 5-6pm).
Topic List
- Aggressive Swimming Techniques
- Barrel Roll into eddy
- "Belly Flop", protecting face entry
- Swimming using paddle assist
- Swimming/Escaping from holes
- Swimming over drops
- Wading in Swiftwater
- Single Paddle Assisted
- canoe paddle vs. kayak paddle
- Tandem/Pairs
- Circle 3 or 4
- Wedge/Pyramid
- Line assisted wading
- angle of line/vector pull vs 90deg
- Belaying Techniques
- Zip Lines to cross current
- Use of rescue vest
- Belay w/controlled lower in current
- (two ropes with belay preferred)
- Teathered swimmer rescue
- Entrapment Rescues
- Foot Entrapment
- Tag Lines
- Tying into victim
- Limited Slip Knot Vs girth hitch
- Strainer swim drill
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