Small Craft Safety Certification
Description
Small Craft Safety certification is the current Safety-Wise requirement for a canoe trip leader. Learn the skills necessary to prevent, recognize, and respond to canoe emergencies, and gain the knowledge to assist a troop in planning and implementing a canoe outing. This certification covers flat water canoeing, rowboats, and small sailboats and is valid for a three year period. Please note that this is a safety and rescue certification course, not a canoeing skills class. Participants must be experienced canoists who are prepared to pass a prerequisite canoe skills test that will be given at the beginning of the class. There will be no practice time before the test. Participants who are unable to pass the prerequisite test will be unable to continue with the training.
Details
Required: No
Who Should Attend: Experienced canoeists who are planning on leading girls on a canoe/rowboat/small sailboat trip.
Prerequisites:
In order to complete the mandatory prerequisite test, you will need to demonstrate the following:
- Float or tread water for one minute without a life jacket
- Swim any stroke for 25 yards without a life jacket
- Swim any stroke for 25 yards with a life jacket
- Safely launch and control a canoe using the proper strokes while paddling forwards and backwards, turning, stopping, and holding position
- Paddling will be done solo, either alone in a canoe or with a non-paddling partner to help balance the canoe.
When paddling forward and backward steering strokes, such as J-strokes or sweep strokes, must be used to maintain a straight line course without switching sides or ruddering.
Duration: Eight and a half hours
Cost: $15.00. This fee includes the cost of certification and the required textbook.
Materials to Bring:
- Your favorite paddle
- Adult-sized life jacket (if you have one). A limited number of life jackets will be available at the training.
- Comfortable layered clothing and/or swimsuit
- Change of dry clothes/shoes
- Sunscreen
- Hat
- Sunglasses
- Pen/notebook
- Bottled water
When to Complete: Before leading girls on a canoe trip
How often to Complete: Every three years
Date Range(s): April -
Ways to Complete:
- Scheduled facilitated session
