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A Practical Guide to

Sea Kayaking

By

Howard N Jeffs

British Canoe Union level 5 Coach (Sea)

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Introduction

In 1984 when I first produced “A Practical Guide to Sea

Canoeing” the sport had gone through a lot of changes. Today it

is one of the fastest growing recreational activities in the world!

However much of the basic theoretical information that is needed for safe participation has remained the same?

Although the original version of this publication has been out of

print for some years now, I have always been surprised by the

steady demand for it, a number being sold on EBay for far more than their original cover price!

The original version was produced on a good old fashioned

typewriter and type-set by hand! We now have the convenience

and speed to do this from our own home on a PC. The great advantage of this is, is that I can now slowly update the text,

insert digital photographs and additional chapters, providing the

honest purchaser these amendments free of charge via email.

If you have any comments please contact me via email at the following address h.n.jeffs@btinternet.com

Sea Kayaking is an “assumed risk” sport and should not be undertaken unless the person(s) involved have appropriate

training and experience for the conditions undertaken.

This guide should be used as a means to increase your knowledge

within the sport, in conjunction with appropriate training and where needed guidance and supervision.

Although the author has made all efforts to ensure the contents

of this publication are correct, the application of this material is

entirely the responsibility of the reader/paddler. If you are in need of training or guidance within the sport at

what ever level, I would be more than happy to discuss your

requirements?

Howard N Jeffs

B.C.U. level 5 coach (sea) March 2007

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INDEX PAGE Introduction 1 1. Sea Kayaks Innovations: Designs: Range: Construction: 2-23 Manufacturers: Options: Hatches: Bulkheads: Pumps: Skegs: Rudders: Deck Layout: Cockpit: Comfort: Packing: Storing: The Future 2. Equipment Design Criteria: Paddles: Clothing: Keeping kit Dry: 24-49 Containers: First Aid: Repairs: Emergencies: Shelter: Special Equipment: Camping Equipment 3. Towing Towing Systems: Types of Tow 50-57 4. Tides Range: Phases of Sun and Moon: Springs and Neaps: 58-80 Tide Tables: Standard Ports: Rule of 12ths: Drying Heights: Flood Streams: Eddies: Overfalls: Races: Tidal Diamonds: Pilots: Tidal Streams Atlas: 1/3rds Rule: Computation of Rates 5. Navigation Nautical Charts: Ordinance Survey Maps: Latitude 81-106

And Longitude: Measuring Distance: Grid References: Which Chart or Map: Graticule: Intersections: Working Tools: Transits: Speed/Distance Table: Tidal Drift: Laying a Course: Tidal Timing: Tidal Diamond Hourly Plots: Tidal Vectors: Leeway: Buoyage: Rules of the Road: Planning

6. Night Lighting: Flares: Compass Lights: Illuminating 107-112 Paddling Equipment: Navigation at Night: Group Control 7. Weather Weather Effects: Wind Speed Chart: Wind Effects: 113-125 Air Streams: Forecast Sources: Shipping Areas 8. Emergency Preparation: Coastguard: Average Sea Temperature: 126-150 Immersion Survival: Deep Water Rescue b: VHF Radio: EPIRBS: Flares: Sea Dye: Heliograph: Radar: Helicopter Rescue FURTHER REFERENCE 151 APPENDIX 152-155

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1 Sea Kayaks

In the last fifteen years, sea canoeing, especially in Britain, has grown from strength to strength, from a very limited range of sea kayaks and equipment

usually adapted from other types of canoes, we now have a very comprehensive range of kayaks made of space-age materials and purpose designed equipment, a

far cry from our ancestors, whose simple lives depended on the kayak for hunting food and transport.

As a result of the advances, standards and skill levels have increased in leaps

and bounds, trips are now being done solo to remote parts of the world in what the naïve public call a small and frail craft. Luckily we know different and the

only limitations to where we can venture are in our minds.

So what will the next ten years bring?

To date we have:

Specialist Sea Kayaks Neoprene Spreydecks

Retractable Skegs Retractable Rudders

Hatches and Deck Fittings Cockpit Liners

Foot Pumps Electric Pumps

Sea Canoeing Clothing Water Resistant Flares

Expedition Buoyancy Aids Waterproof VHF Radios

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Construction of Sea Kayaks The range of sea kayaks available to the canoeist is immense. The designs are usually sound and reasonably well proven, but the quality of construction varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, in some cases from boat to boat within one manufacturer. Therefore, before you buy a kayak try to paddle the one you are thinking of purchasing first. Inspect the kayak for standard of workmanship and ask the opinion of others who may already own the same model; remember ‘One man’s meat is another man’s poison’. The manufacturers offer a vast amount of options, some good, and some bad, so know exactly what you want before you buy what can be a very expensive piece of equipment. What do we want from a Sea Kayak? Colour

The colour of the boat is very important, but also a personal decision. If you are a keen birdwatcher or coastal environmentalist using the kayak as a tool for studying these subjects, then a Day-Glo orange sea kayak may not be the best way to blend in with your surroundings. Conversely, if you have just put up your last flare hoping someone spots you, green or dark colours are not going to aid your rescuers. Perhaps different hull and deck colours may be the answer here. We are a very small craft and easily lost in rough seas so we need to be easily spotted, bright colours are the only answer. Opaque (solid) or translucent (see-through) colours do have some advantages and disadvantages. A translucent boat is usually lighter in weight mainly due to the manufacturer being able to see when the fibreglass matting is fully wetted out, without applying too much resin, which results in making a boat heavier. It is also useful to find kit when it is packed in the boat as you can see through the hull. The translucent boat however, is not as aesthetically pleasing to the eye as an opaque one. To help the boat stand out in dark or overcast conditions, Day-Glo or reflective tape can be applied. Construction

Most modern sea kayaks are made of some form of glass reinforced plastic (G.R.P) more commonly known as ‘fibreglass’. Other specialist materials are also used, Diolen, Kevlar, Carbon Fibre, etc. etc. Resin with chop strand mat (CSM) and woven cloth is the basic form for a kayak and is quite rigid but to increase strength the number of laminations has to be increased therefore making the boat heavier. Also, it does not take the knocks that landing on a rocky shore could subject it to and therefore punctures quite easily. A G.R.P. deck and a Diolen hull is one compromise. The deck is not usually subjected to heavy blows and as long as it is reinforced around the hatches, cockpit, pumps and towing system areas this should be more than adequate; to reduce costs you can do the last two items at home. A Diolen hull has great strength because of the nature of this man made woven cloth; the kayak would survive a bad landing, and be easier to patch up in a remote situation, as the cloth will hold the bits together if the damage was great although this will make the kayak slightly heavier.

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The Diolen hull is available as standard on some models or at extra cost on others, this is not normally too expensive for this important part of the kayak however. Kevlar and Carbon fibre are highly specialist man-made materials giving high strength to low weight characteristics with the main disadvantage being cost. A Kevlar/Carbon fibre kayak could cost up to twice as much as a conventional G.R.P. kayak. It also suffers ultra violet degradation to a greater extent than G.R.P., which slowly rots the fabric. A boat for the rich I’m afraid. Seams

A high proportion of seams on kayaks tend to leak after a while. The only way around this is to have an external seam fitted during construction or to do the work yourself; in the long run it is well worth doing. Future Materials

What lies to the future nobody knows? A Polyethylene sea kayak would be an interesting concept, whether it could be made rigid enough and light enough only time will tell. Various fitting like bulkheads etc may also prove expensive to fit, as they would probably have to be welded into place. Vaclite is another new material showing promise that is being developed by Pyrhana. It is a high impact ABS plastic shell with a Kevlar laminated internal hull, giving very high strength to weight rigidity ratio without being too expensive. It is being used for slalom canoes but whether a manufacturer would take up the challenge and produce a sea kayak from it remains to be seen. The plastic industry is very fast moving and highly developed so fingers crossed for a sea kayak made of some space age material being light-strong-rigid and cheap, or, should we go back to grass roots and make an original skin, wood and bone kayak, far more pleasing to the eye and mind if you constructed it yourself. Manufacturers Options

Most manufacturers give a long list of options available for their crafts; some of these have been well thought out, some have not. The cost of these options range from the sublime to the ridiculous. With a little thought and planning a lot of the work offered along with any personal modifications to suit yourself can be done quite easily at home, thus offering a large reduction in the initial cost. In this way options can be added at a later date when finances allow. Recessed Deck Fittings

These are virtually essential fittings but the exact positions of each should be carefully thought out as they can work out expensive and in the wrong position can be more of a hindrance than help. Think carefully where your charts, split paddles, compass, deck lines, towing systems, etc. could be fitted and measure the exact position before you send off your order to the manufacturer. Avoid a fitting in the position near the cockpit area where your hands travel during forward paddling, when tired your stroke height drops and you can catch your hands on the deck hitting the fitting en route. Some manufacturers offer reinforced deck fittings with a small stainless steel bar inserted during manufacture. Having broken and seen many a RDF broken I would suggest this to be a good idea.

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Hatches

There are four types of hatches available to sea canoeists: 1. Henderson Lever Hatch 2. Henderson Screw Hatch 3. VCP Hatch 4. Gaybo/Vyneck Hatch

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Henderson Lever: This was the first hatch used by sea canoeists and is still seen today on older sea kayaks. It was made of plastic covered aluminium which eventually starts to corrode and a waterproof seal was made by a rubber '0' ring compressed by the lid and a cam lever. It worked very well when looked after but was slightly heavy. Henderson Screw: This hatch is still widely used today and is made of plastic with a rubber-sealing ring compressed by a screw thread. It works very well but is often abused and therefore leaks. It is very easily cross-threaded so care is required and it should not be over tightened as this damages the seal. Both of these hatches have to be bolted to the deck and sealed with a gasket or silicone sealant. VCP Hatch: This hatch was designed and developed by Frank Goodman of Valley Canoes for sea canoeing. It is simple and works well being made of plastic and has a rubber hatch lid. It also has a stainless steel clip/band to make a better seal but this does not usually work very effectively and even occasionally breaks. It is in fact adequately waterproof without it. A large stainless steel jubilee clip can be used but it must be tightened very gently by a screwdriver. Gaybo/Vyneck Hatch: This hatch is basically a small fibreglass rim similar to a cockpit rim and has a small cover similar to a spray deck to fit over it. It is simple and works well but the hatch covers need to be put on the right way up (lining outwards) and tends to stretch after a while allowing water to leak in. Both of these hatches are glassed into place but the VCP can be bolted if necessary. Hatch problems

If the hatches are bolted or screwed into place, the screws should be as short as possible otherwise they have a tendency to puncture or rip waterproof bags when packing the kayak. In the morning when the boat is being packed it is often cold and thus, during the day as it gets hotter, the air expands creating pressure behind the hatch making some types difficult to remove or in extreme cases to blow off. The opposite also happens when the boat is packed during a hot day. The boat is put on cold water and then the temperature drops, e.g. paddling into the night, the air contracts and pulls some hatches inwards again making them difficult to remove. Worst of all if you have a small leak below the water line it will actually suck water in'. One way to alleviate this problem is to drill a very small hole (3/32) at the vary top of your bulkheads to allow the pressure to equalise into the cockpit. If you do take a swim during your travels, the water entering through the hold would be very small indeed and only for a short time. Hatches work well as long as they are looked after. Before sealing your boat down for the day, clean the rim and the hatch so it is free of sand and grit, this will save you a lot of problems in the long run.

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Removal of hatches at sea is a very controversial issue. A large sea-canoeing epic occurred off the north coast of Ireland purely because a hatch was removed and then dropped into the sea. If you pack your kayak correctly and have all the kit required for the day's events at hand, there should be no need to remove a hatch whilst at sea. If you do need to remove one, then it should at least be tied on to the deck by a short length of cord so it cannot be lost. Bulkheads

The position of bulkheads is, in my opinion, very critical, manufacturers and canoeist’s alike give very little thought to this and therefore a lot of space is wasted. For someone of average height the distance from the footrest to the front bulkhead on some kayaks can be over 12 inches wasted space. If you are to paddle the kayak most of the time, then why not make the bulkhead your footrest? The rear bulkhead can also be fitted to critical distances, most people fit BDH containers behind the seat for equipment they may need during the day. If the bulkhead is fitted so it allows the BDH's to just fit then this makes best use of the space. Better still; fit another bulkhead directly behind the seat with a hatch in it, or on the deck above this compartment to allow access. Kit can be stored in here and kept perfectly dry, but is easily accessible. The other great advantage of this system is that it reduces the volume of water which enters the cockpit during a capsize, allowing the boat to be paddled and less water to be pumped out. This results in reducing immersion and rescue time to a minimum.

This system is very similar to the 'cockpit pod' designed by Alan Byde and fitted to the Sea Tiger as standard or a Nordkapp to order. Basically it is a fibreglass liner shaped roughly to the lower part of the body and glassed into place around the cockpit. Approximate Water Volumes held in a Cockpit Area Standard Nordkapp 11 galls or 1161bs Personal Nordkapp 6.5 galls 69lbs Sea Tiger 2.5 galls 27lbs Bulkhead Problems

There is not a lot to go wrong with a bulkhead, and the only problem that I have come across is that when a bulkhead is glassed into position it creates a hard spot on the hull. After a while the gel coat cracks around this area that could possibly lead to an eventual leak. Some manufacturers are now using polythene foam for bulkheads. This can be glued or glassed into position. As it is a slightly flexible material it will give slightly and so may stop the cracking, it also provides some buoyancy to the kayak should it become swamped.

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Pumps

Any sea kayaker who goes to sea I feel is morally obliged to have some sort of personal bailing system, usually in the form of a pump. Bailing buckets and sponges are not really practical but are better than nothing. For some time now a variety of rescue techniques have shown people rafting up and pumping other kayaks out with their pump. In my experience this does not work, especially in the sea conditions which may have caused the capsize in the first place. There are four types of pump available to the sea kayaker: Hand Pump Foot Pump Portable Pump Electric Pump The Hand Pump: This pump is usually of the Chimp or Whale design and is fixed to the boat by bolting it through the deck. Depending on its position it can be easily operated or can become a nightmare. It is very effective in pumping large volumes of water in sea canoeing terms and is also very reliable and robust. The Foot Pump: These come in two types, the Lendal type and the modified Chimp type. The Lendal pump is a long rubber tube fitted with a non-return valve at either end and mounted to the footrest or bulkhead. By squashing the tube with your foot it forces water out from one end, by releasing your foot it sucks water in from the other. It is a very basic and reliable system but can only cope with relatively small volumes of water, and therefore as a main pump is slightly limited. Banks of two or three have been mounted together to give a larger output volume, but this has not been too successful. As a secondary pump it is ideal and can keep the boat dry of all daily water seepage and keep a leak in the hull at bay until it can be repaired, or to remove water that the main pump cannot get at. The modified Chimp was thought to be the answer to all sea canoeists dreams but I'm afraid this is not so. The pump is mounted in the foot area with a bar or pedal attached to the diaphragm. By pushing the pedal the pump operates. The problem here is that quite a large amount of effort was needed to do the pumping and this could not be applied very easily. In -a normal sitting canoeing position, twisting to one side made life easier but also made you unstable.

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The Electric Pump: This is a relatively new idea to sea canoeing but has been used in the marine industry for years. It consists of a small submersible electric pump, a waterproof switch and a non-leaking lead acid (motorbike) battery. In theory this should be the perfect answer, but only time will tell if it can stand up to the rigors of sea canoeing over a lung period of time and remain waterproof and reliable with an output of 4 to 6 gallons per minute. It is also very expensive. The electric and the foot pump systems are very good ideas as they leave the hands free to allow the paddler to remain upright and once refined will probably be the answer. The Portable Pump: This is manufactured by Whale and is similar to and operated in the same way as a bicycle pump. The bottom end is placed in the water and you pump the handle up and down to remove the water. It is a cheap basic reliable system and can be passed from boat to boat if necessary. An ideal piece of club kit Pump Position

The position of the main hand pump is critical and manufacturers have not put a lot of thought into this. Usually it is mounted flat on the rear deck at a strange and awkward angle, making it very difficult to operate by oneself when the kayak is half full of water and in rough conditions. Some people have mounted the Standard Chimp pump to the front deck with a reasonable amount of success, but the handle either faces towards or away from you and can be awkward to operate.

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Chimp do make a pump that can be mounted through the deck in a vertical plane with a removable handle. This can then be mounted flush on the front deck between the legs at a comfortable arms reach. The pump and pipe work do not interfere with the feet and it takes up what is usually a wasted space. The advantage with this system is that the handle can be fitted quickly but operated easily with one hand while the other can be used to scull with the paddle. Normal paddling or pumping can be resumed quickly if the conditions dictate this. The only disadvantage to this system is that the handle could be lost or dropped into the sea, but as long as it is tied on this will never happen. Pump Problems

Usually pumps are very reliable with little to go wrong. Don't forget to wash them out with fresh water occasionally, this will give them a long and trouble free life. Some problems that I have encountered are hoses coming off the outflow skin fittings allowing water to enter the cockpit. Careful use of stainless steel jubilee clips will stop this. The pin that attaches the pump handle to the diaphragm can sometimes be lost. If this happens at sea when the pump is needed then there is little that can be done unless you can improvise. Most kayakers wrap the long length of suction hose around the seat so it can be uncoiled and used to pump someone else out. The problem is that unless the end of the pipe. is fixed semi permanently when the pump is operated the pipe lifts to the surface of the water in the cockpit pumping little or no water out of the kayak'. To solve this a short length of suction hose that can be semi fixed behind the seat, and an extra length of hose can be carried which can be plugged into the suction side of the pump hose for rafted rescues, or to pump someone else’s hatch compartment out.

Skegs and Rudders

To help a kayak run straight (especially in windy conditions) the stern of the kayak needs to be modified in some way to give it grip in the water and to stop it being blown off its intended track. Skegs come in all sorts of shapes and sizes but we can group them in the following way: Slip over skegs Fixed skegs Retractable skegs Slip over skegs: This is the most basic form of skeg and can be fitted to any type of kayak, but is the usual method of giving a slalom type kayak some directional stability, though is often overlooked as being suitable for fitting to a sea kayak which suffers from directional stability. For a sea kayak it is better to make the skeg long and thin (in width) for when a kayak is pitching up and down in a short choppy sea the rear of the kayak lifts out of the water, so the skeg needs to be long to give grip. The skeg is basically a moulding of the outside of the kayak that slips over the kayak with the fin on the bottom. These can quite easily be made at home. The fin is best made too big and then trimmed down after sea trials in a variety of sea conditions until the best compromise of performance is found. Its only disadvantage is that it has to be fitted usually on the water by a friend after launching and removed before landing.

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Fixed skegs: Fixed skegs are moulded into the kayak during manufacture as part of the design. Some are very good and some are poor, especially in strength of construction so care is needed in launching and landing if the skeg is not to be permanently damaged. As with a lot of things they are a compromise of design and each kayak will behave differently in different winds and sea conditions. There is no such thing as a perfect skeg. Their main disadvantage is that they are fixed and cannot be removed so they do make the kayak difficult to turn. Retractable skeg: The retractable skeg has been around for many years and is fitted to the Maridian, Sea Tiger and Fjord as a standard fixture. It is exactly the same as a centreboard and case fitted to a sailing dinghy but made of fibreglass and obviously a lot smaller. Fitted just behind the back hatch it is operated by a length of cord to pull the skeg down, locked off by a cleat and retracted by a short length of shock cord. It has the great advantage of allowing the kayak to be very manoeuvrable when retracted but under windy conditions can be set to the desired amount to keep the kayak on track. It works very well and its only disadvantage is that it takes up some room in the back hatch as it protrudes from the top deck through to the hull, though with careful packing this can be overcome. It can also jam up with small stones when landing and launching on gravely type beaches so some care is needed here. The Maridian has the skeg mounted inside a cylinder that allows the skeg to turn and therefore acts as a retractable rudder. Operated by a foot pedal, its only disadvantage is that it takes up more room inside the back hatch.

Rudders

Rudders have also been around for many years on sea kayaks and have been the centre of many controversial arguments, some for and some against. Whatever system is used, if any, it must be reliable and robust. A rudder jammed in a turning position could be disastrous if on a solo sea trip, or in heavy seas where a friend could not free it very easily. They also reduce your forward paddling speed very slightly.

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There are many types but the three most common are: K 1 Aluminium Type Skeg Type (enclosed and open) VCP C Trim Rudder K1 Type: This is the normal aluminium rudder fitted to racing canoes. It tends not to be very strong and being aluminium corrodes badly. Its size also is a limiting factor, being not very deep it comes out of the water when the kayak pitches up and down, having only a limited effect. Skeg Fitted Rudders: These were designed primarily with the sea canoeist in mind and are part of the kayaks skeg. They are either enclosed or open. The open style is basically the bottom part of the skeg cut off and attached to a pintle and tiller arm. As in the Nordkapp type, they are quite small in size and are very prone to damage. The enclosed type as fitted to the Ocean Master was designed to overcome the problem of damage as it is fitted inside the skeg. This is a better design but is still quite small in size. The problem with both is that the rudder spindle passes through the hull so any damage or problems could result in a leak into the back compartment unless it is bulk headed off. C Trim Rudder: This rudder was designed and used by Paul Caffyn on his 11,000 mile solo circumnavigation of Australia. He showed the design to Frank Goodman of Valley Canoes who now makes the rudder commercially. It can be fitted to a new kayak by VCP or is available as a kit for the DIY man if he has the courage to cut off the back of his kayak. Proof to its design Paul Caffyn had no trouble on his long journey. It has a long rudder blade so the blade stays in the water in choppy seas, but if trouble was encountered, or for landing and launching, the rudder can be raised onto the back deck. It looks to be a very sound design, though it is expensive.

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Deck Layout

Some people like to carry nothing on the decks of their kayak whereas others litter the deck with a vast array of goodies.

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Certain items are needed on deck, e.g. split paddles, compass, charts, etc. Whatever you carry it is important that it is at hand and/or in the right place, secured by some means so it is not lost into the sea, but it should be kept to a minimum. Securing things to the deck can be done in a variety of ways; 5mm shock cord being a common way. Self-adhesive Velcro is also a very convenient method being strong enough to resist the force of a wave yet easily removed quickly if needed.

Split paddles have for a long time been carried by many people on the back deck, though the one problem with this is that they are difficult to get at if needed quickly. Fit them to the front deck in an easily accessible position, one blade pointing forward, and one blade pointing aft. A handle from a Canadian paddle can be fitted into the loom of the blade pointing forward but held in position with canoe tape - the advantage of this is that the paddle can be used to roll up with it the main paddle was lost, and control of the paddle is made easier by use of the Canadian handle, allowing forward paddling with a J stroke until the split paddles can be assembled properly. Another advantage of having the splits on the foredeck is that waves breaking over the deck are diffused before they hit the occupant. Compass

Types of compass will be dealt with later but the position of the main steering compass is important. If the compass is close to the cockpit the paddler has to look down from the horizon to check his course. This can induce seasickness in some people and in certain sea conditions. It is far better to have a compass with large numerals placed as far forward as possible - this will help the seasickness problem and make it easier to keep on course. Towing Systems

This will also be dealt with later, but it is often overlooked. The position of the cleat, strength of the deck, length of the towline, etc. are all very important. (see Chapter 3) The facility to carry equipment on the rear deck is handy, most people in good conditions carry their buoyancy aid on the rear deck as it is then handy if needed quickly, but it is also a personal decision. Small patches of white Fablon in front of the cockpit are useful for information needed during the day - use a China Marker pencil or a spirit pen to avoid it being washed away by the first wave. Reflective tape on the deck is also useful for night paddling. Cockpit Comfort

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Unless the kayak fits you then you cannot expect it to perform properly. On an extended sea trip comfort is of a prime consideration so we have to find a compromise between the two - too tight a fit then cramp and pins and needles will be the problem - too loose and the next time you try to roll you may fall out of the cockpit. The knee tube was thought up by Channel Island paddlers; This it is a moulding of 6" drainpipe which is then cut in half and glassed into position under the deck - it is another way of taking up wasted space and a useful storage area for flask, Cag, flares, food etc. It does not interfere with the legs if they are put out straight but gives very good grip to the knees in rough conditions or when rolling; its only disadvantage is that if you need to exit the kayak quickly, for example when landing on a dumping beach, it can be a little awkward, though possible. Exit during a capsize is very easy though. Lining under the deck including the knee tube with 3mm Karrimat in the knee area also helps comfort and warmth. Some kayak seats are very uncomfortable and in extreme cases I have known people cut out the seat and fit a more comfortable one. This is not as big a job as it sounds; lining and padding out the seat with 9mm Karrimat makes it very comfortable but can cause you to sweat in the summer. Fibrepile can overcome this and make it even more comfy. Karrimat, polyethylene foam and fibrepile can be stuck in with Evostick or Eva adhesive from a hot glue gun. A small patch of Karrimat in the foot area is very good to alleviate pressure sores on the heel if you paddle in bare feet; it also makes your wetsuit boots last that big longer. Backrest

This is a very important piece of kit; lower back problems are common amongst sea Kayakers and even a short sea trip without a backrest can bring on backache. A rolled up karrimat pushed behind the seat is a cheap and effective method; manufacturer's backrests are quite good and not too expensive; an HP belt of a Karrimor rucksack also works well. They can also be made at home in a variety of ways quite easily and cheaply. A 2" seatbelt or climbing tape with Velcro sewn to it is one way, or a sheet of fibreglass moulded to the rear curve of the seat and cockpit rim then lined with Karrimat is very comfortable. Packing,

Packing your sea kayak for an long trip is an important and personal aspect. You sometimes wonder when sitting on the beach if all that equipment will fit into the kayak through those small holes. The first consideration is weight. Every effort must be made to keep the bulk of the weight as close to the cockpit and as low in the hull as possible; the further away from the cockpit the more the kayak will pitch in a choppy sea and turning will also be found more difficult due to the increased pendulum effect. It is advisable to put equipment which must be kept dry, e.g. sleeping bag, spare clothes, etc., in dry bags just in case you develop a leak during the day. The handling characteristics of your kayak will change drastically from when it is loaded to when it is empty. Mien loaded it tends to be more stable and responsive and carries its weight/speed when you stop paddling. If you, use your sea kayak for day trips then some form of ballast can make the kayak more pleasurable to paddle. I have seen large rocks fitted into hatches for this purpose: Not really advisable. Two long sausage shaped bags filled with sand then fitted into each hatch could be the answer. During day trips trimming the kayak so it is slightly stern heavy I have found to be the most efficient for general canoeing, but if paddling into the wind for most of the day then try being slightly bow heavy; if on a down wind/swell run

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try to keep the bow light. As with all sea kayaks it is an experiment to get a compromise of performance from your kayak. PERSONAL COCKPIT LAYOUT

Storing

Storing your kayak is an often-overlooked aspect. If you have bought a new kayak try storing it upside down off the ground with the hatches off, this will allow any styrene fumes that build up to flow out of the hatch opening. Styrene fumes have tainted the food on more than one sea kayak expedition making it unpleasant or impossible to eat. Also make sure the kayak is well sponged out and bone dry especially during the winter months otherwise frost can cause a lot of invisible damage. The Future

Materials have already been dealt with but designs I still think have a long way to go especially in the two-man sea kayak area. Many long open sea crossings have been carried out and were probably only possible because of two seat kayaks, but only a few and very limited designs are available in this country. It would cost a lot of money by a manufacturer to develop a two-man sea kayak for a very small and limited market. The electric pump has a lot of scope but battery power could be worrying on a long expedition. Some experimentation in small solar panels used for charging the battery would be interesting especially if they could be glassed into the deck during the initial lay up. Some slalom kayaks are now fitted with etherfoam seats as standard. These would be a definite asset in a sea kayak, reducing weight but adding comfort, warmth and buoyancy. Hatches, especially their diameter, are a big limitation and more thought is needed here. A removable section of deck or a larger hatch opening would make life a lot easier; something similar to the Gaybo/Vyneck system would be the easiest. A neoprene/nylon liner the shape of the front and back compartments which could be sealed at the hatch opening would allow gear to be kept dry but also act as a large buoyancy bag in the event of the hull being punctured.

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2. EQUIPMENT The amount and range of equipment available to us as sea canoeists is immense and we need to be careful not to adorn our kayak with every conceivable item of equipment until it looks like a Christmas tree! Some people take very little gear; some people take everything including the kitchen sink! But as with everything in sea canoeing it is a compromise. Before you buy any item of equipment ask a friend who may have the very item you want. What dies he think of it? If he is a good friend he may even let you borrow it: The old motto still applies here, 'You only get what you pay for' so look carefully before you buy and see if some of the criteria below fit the bill. Design Criteria

1. Does it float? 2. Is it waterproof? 3. Is it easily seen day or night? 4. Can you use it without anyone else's help? D. Can you use it with one hand only? 6. Is it easy to operate in the dark or with cold numb hands? 7. Will it stand up to repeated long journeys? 8. If it breaks is it repairable at sea or at the campsite? 9. Can someone unfamiliar with its use easily learn to operate it? 10. Does it have another use it? 11. What would happen if you are wiped out in surf or by a large wave? Paddles

Without our paddles we are at the mercy of the sea so we must have a reliable tool to work with and some form of back up in case our main engine is lost. The original Eskimo paddle was a working tool as well as a means of propulsion, handmade to his own requirements; today we walk into a canoe shop and are stuck for choice. So what do we choose? There are basically three types of paddle available: Standard Slalom Blade. Asymmetric Racing Blade. Sea Paddle Standard Slalom Blade: These come in all shapes, styles, sizes and weights. They tend to be too heavy and short for serious sea canoeing though they are strong for general work. Asymmetric Racing Blade: These are a lightweight racing paddle designed for touring, sprinting or long distance work and are common place amongst sea canoeist, allowing efficient, comfortable strokes for long periods of time. Sea Paddle: This is a copy of the Eskimo type of blade being long and thin, but still having the same blade area as a normal paddle; the shaft length is usually longer giving an

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impression of paddling in low gear. They are very much a personal preference and take some time to get used to.

Blade Construction: Wood and fibreglass are the most common though plastic is a sometimes cheaper paddle. Wood is comfortable to use and pleasing to the eye but very prone to damage and needs looking after, e.g. varnishing, whereas glassfibre is stronger and needs little maintenance, asymmetric blades have thin edges which damage very easily - use of insulation tape here will prolong their life. Shaft Construction: There are five types of shaft in common use: Wood Aluminium Glass fibre Carbon Fibre Carbon/Kevlar Wood is warm and springy in use but needs maintenance; aluminium tends to be cold, heavy and suffers badly from corrosion especially when the plastic covering is torn.

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Glassfibre is warm, strong with some spring and not too heavy. Carbon Fibre and Carbon/Kevlar are very light, stiff and strong but also extremely expensive. The last three types of shaft need care from crushing to avoid irreparable damage. Most sea canoeists tend to use a slightly longer paddle for sea touring; this keeps their stroke rate down. Drip rings can be cut and stuck onto the shaft in an effort to keep the hands drier'. The Royal Yachting Association recommend to board sailors that they carry a small orange flag to use as a distress signal. If used on the back faces of your paddle are painted Day-Glo orange then it could be used for the same purpose; it also increases the range at which we can be seen by other canoeists on the water. This distance is often greatly overestimated by paddlers expecting to see many miles looking for other canoeists or a buoy that may be needed for navigational purposes. The diagram illustrates the maximum a canoeist could see in perfect conditions. Split Paddles: These are important and should really be carried by each member of a group. Ideally they should be of the same type, which are used for normal paddling though this can work out, expensive. Lendal make a very good joining ferule and if you are contemplating air travel splitting your main paddle could make life easier and avoid damage. A paddle leash or paddle park is also very important allowing you to put paddle down without it floating away, or if long enough it can be left clipped in windy conditions in case it is blown out of your hands. Gloves

Pogies are a type of glove for the canoeist. Originally from America (hence the name) they fit over the loom, your hand then fits inside the glove allowing you to grasp the loom. They do not keep the hands bone dry but do keep the wind off letting them warm up quite considerably. They are made of nylon or neoprene - the nylon type allow you to remove or put your hands on the loom with ease, whereas the neoprene type are difficult to put on without help and can be worrying if you need to remove them quickly. A compromise is a fibrepile lined type made by Splash Sport - these were used on the recent Brabant Island Expedition (Antarctica) with great success and may be the answer if you suffer from cold hands. Lendal of Scotland probably make the best and most comprehensive range of paddles for the sea canoeist including the Nordkapp and Seamaster. Though they are not cheap they are well worth it. My personal preference is a glassfibre or carbon shaft with a glassfibre blade. These need little maintenance with just the occasional wash off in fresh water. The only problems I have come across are chips or tears in the plastic covering on the loom. These can cause blisters or cuts if left, but are easily removed with very fine wet-and-dry paper. Bruising of the palms of the hand were a problem on the Caffyn/Dennis circumnavigation of Great Britain - thin Karrimat glued to the loom in the hand area alleviated this.

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CLOTHING What we wear when on the water is very much a personal thing, but the two most common garments are the longjohn wetsuit or the fibrepile sallopette or suit, both having advantages and disadvantages. Wetsuit:

The great advantage of this garment is providing insulation and warmth for a limited period if immersed in water. However, it can become uncomfortable and will chaff if worn dry for longer periods of time. The longjohn double lined type is probably the best investment - a zipped fly is a useful extra, especially at sea. (Presuming you're a fella of course) Fibrepile: The advantage of this garment is its low weight and bulk, giving good insulation and comfort when dry; its insulation value in water though is very limited. Lightweight polypropylene underclothing, e.g. Lifa by Helly Hansen, works well with both the above garments and are easily washed out in fresh water and dried quickly. Generally most sea canoeists dress for comfort whilst in the kayak, expecting to stay dry and rolling up if they capsize. Fibrepile clothing does drain off and warm up very quickly if by chance you do take a swim. Footwear

Most people use a hard soled wetsuit boot, e.g. Javlin 'J' boot or similar. These protect the feet very adequately when scrambling among rocks etc., as well as keeping them warm. Close fitting yachting wellies or Nokia Bogtrotter wellies are also very good, socks can be worn underneath and if the chances of getting wet are high then over trousers can be sealed at the ankles with heavy duty elastic bands or straps. This virtually stops any water from entering, therefore keeping you warm and dry. If you paddle in bare feet during the summer, be careful of fibreglass splinters; these can turn septic very quickly and are difficult to remove as they break easily - care is also needed during landing and launching obviously. Waterproofs

Canoe cagoules vary considerably from lightweight, short sleeved competition cags to the heavyweight, neoprene cuffed type. Materials also vary from polyurethane proofed nylon, neoprene proofed nylon and gortex. Polyurethane proofed (PU) nylon is usually quite cheap but after a while it de-laminates (polyurethane proofing comes away from the nylon) and therefore leaks. Neoprene proofed nylon; this is more expensive than PU nylon but lasts a lot longer so it is a better investment. It does wear at pressure points so painting the area with Evostick will give the cag a longer life. Gortex is a relatively new fabric that is designed to allow condensation escape through millions of microscopic holes. The problem in sea canoeing is that salt blocks the holes so condensation still exists - it is also very expensive. The design of the garment is important if it is to be functional. Bright colours, heavy duty nylon, sealed seams, well designed cuffs, neck seal, hood, pockets, hand warmer and possibly retro reflective tape on the sleeves and hood if you intend doing a lot of night

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paddling, are some features for a good garment. Wild Water do make a sea cagoule and this has many of these ideas. Waterproof trousers or sallopettes do go a long way to keeping you dry, usually made of the same or similar type materials as the cags. Double seat, double knees, chest pocket and leg widths which are designed to allow you to put them over footwear are useful - Henri Lloyd, Helly Hansen and Wild Water have some very good designs. Immersion Suits

In the past immersion suits were very bulky and cumbersome, but modern fabrics have now changed all that. A new immersion suit top with rubber seal at the waist and wrists, a bottom that also has a seal at a waist and rubber boots, is now available in a lightweight fabric allowing a lot more freedom of movement, but being totally waterproof; whether these catch on or not only time will tell, but for cold climates where total immersion could prove fatal within minutes or you happen to fall in quite often then this could be the answer. The only drawback is the price, they are quite expensive'. A set of dry land type waterproofs are good to have once you are ashore and the weather is bad, in case you do a lot of walking, photography, etc. Spraydecks

In recent years all manner of fabrics have been used in spray decks in an attempt to make a waterproof seal. 'Neoprene works very well and can be made by yourself quite cheaply and easily. The Wild Water twin seal is probably the most waterproof nylon type spray deck available and is cheaper to buy than the neoprene type. The design of the upper body tube is also important if it is to make a good seal, the bib and brace type being the most common and effective. A pocket in the chest area is also useful for carrying small. items when your cag is not worn. A pocket on the front part of the deck is also useful for cameras, etc, protecting them from the elements; a zip in the front panel (similar to those used in marathon boats) allows access to the knee tube under the deck or to allow a pump suction pipe in or out of the kayak during rescues without letting too much water in. Make sure the design of the garment does not allow a pool of water to collect behind your back; this can cause a chill to the kidneys, or backache, and in extreme cases can cause the collapse of the deck. Buoyancy Aids

There are many types of buoyancy aids on the market but the Wild Water expedition buoyancy aid is now commonplace amongst sea canoeists, having five pockets - four on the front, one on the back - it allows you to carry a lot of items on your person whilst afloat and when things go wrong it is the best place to have them. What you carry in each pocket is up to you, but I usually carry a plastic bivi bag in one pocket and flares in another one or two pockets, this allows at least one pocket free for items needed during the day, such as food, etc. The large back pocket was originally intended for carrying a lifejacket, but for many years people have used it for carrying other equipment - bivi bags, flares, etc., as lifejackets were out of fashion. In recent years people have started to use or carry lifejackets again and these are the lightweight, folding type sometimes with a CO2 self-inflating cartridge. If the situation was bad and the chances of a long swim inevitable this item of equipment could quite easily save your life by keeping your head above water even if you became unconscious. Its only disadvantage is its price (£30 in 1986) and it is yet another piece of equipment to carry.

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If you cannot afford an expedition buoyancy aid, Suzy Products make a vest with pockets that can be worn over the standard buoyancy aid giving all the advantages but without the extra cost. Retro reflective tape is a useful optional extra available from Wild Water to their buoyancy aid, especially if you paddle at night. A small loop of tape in the middle of the back at the bottom can be used to clip your towline into if you have to leave the kayak for some reason, e.g. difficult rocky landing, someone in difficulty in the water or stuck upside down in their boat. It allows you to swim on your front with the kayak in tow. Another way to get by the storage problem is to use a skiers 'bum' bag, this is fitted around the waist but pulled around until it sits on the front of the spray deck. Some types have an extra compartment with straps which allows it to be turned into a small rucksack/bum bag - this is very useful for carrying equipment when ashore, e.g. cameras, etc. Helmet and Headgear

Helmets are not often used for sea canoeing, carrying them until they are needed being one of the problems, but if you are practising rescues or contemplate a nasty landing along your travels then they could prove useful, is up to you. A good hat is a necessity, one for cold weather and one with a peak or brim for sunny conditions. Neoprene scull caps used by surfers are very good at keeping you warm and are easy to make at home. Keeping Your Kit Dry

Keeping your equipment dry is very important and there is nothing more annoying after a long, cold, wet day to find your spare clothes and/or sleeping bag are soaking wet; radios, cameras, etc. can work out very expensive even if it is possible for them to be repaired if they take a dip in the sea. No matter how dry your bulk headed compartments are it is no use relying on them being completely dry all the time, it only takes a small knock in the hull for a leak to develop and you will end up with wet gear: Packing your equipment in bags or containers is the usual method and this also acts as buoyancy in the event of a big leak. Dry Bags: These are long sausage shaped bags made of neoprene nylon or PU nylon; they are sealed at the neck with cord or a commercially made plastic clip. The clip works well for a short period of time but wears out very quickly so cord is a better option in the long run. The air is expelled from the bag, the neck sealed with the cord then folded over and re-sealed again with the cord. Wild Water now make dry bags with a double neck and this is very effective at keeping the water out. Bags can quite easily and cheaply be made at home, the seams sealed with a tent type seam sealant; the advantage of this is that bags can be made in different sizes and colours to make packing and unpacking easier and tailored to individual items of kit. BDH (British Drug House) Containers: BDH containers are probably the most common form of container used by canoeists; they come from industry where they are used to transport drugs and chemicals, and are cheap, robust and if looked after properly are very effective. They come in four sizes, the smallest not commonly known about and riot so-easily available as the others. Except on one or two sea kayaks the large BDH

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containers will fit through a normal hatch opening but will not turn enough to fit inside the compartment with a lid on - if they do fit inside without the lid it is then very difficult to pack the container and put the lid back on with both hands inside the hatch opening, so this size or container is not really very practical for storing gear in sea kayaks unless it fits behind your seat. Large 12" long x 6" dia (30.5 x 15cm) Medium 9" long x 42" dia (23.9 x ll cm) Small 72" long x 4" dia (19 x 10cm) Baby or Mini 52'" long x 22" dia (14 x 7cm) Some minor modifications can be made to them to make them more effective. The gasket in the top is made of cardboard, once this has become wet it tears easily and becomes ineffective, it is better to remove it and replace it with cork (flooring tiles) or neoprene (old wetsuit) which makes a far better seal. The threads can be smeared with silicone grease or Vaseline. A rubber collar is available to fit over the top and lid on the outside, these can be bought or cut out of old car inner tubes and are the best first line of defence against water penetration. As the containers are round they are difficult to carry especially if you are carrying more than two or three. The two horizontal grooves around the container are ideal for tying on a small piece of cord to make a handle or a long piece of cord so you can tie the containers into the kayak to stop them floating away during rescues. Make sure you mark the containers on the outside so you know what's on the inside: I put a complete list of contents around the centre of the container then cover it with clear Fablon (self adhesive plastic sheet) to protect it. Remember it is not only you that needs to know the contents but also other people as you may be the person who needs to receive the first aid, and yours is the only first aid kit amongst half a dozen plain black containers. Line the inside of the BDH with a plastic bag first before you pack the items into it, this can then be sealed before the lid is put on. I always put a J-cloth on the top of the contents just under the lid; inevitably when you want to get items out your hands are wet so at least you can dry them first and then lay the contents out on the Jaycloth. I also stick a 10p piece and a small book of matches inside all the lids of my BDH containers, this makes sure you always have at least one dry source of flame and a 10p for an important phone call (such as the Coastguard at the end of the trip). Lining the inside of containers with sponge/foam or karrimat is a very safe and waterproof way of protecting cameras or delicate equipment, especially if you wrap the lens or camera body in a plastic bag first. Once you return from a trip though I would remove the camera gear from the BDH containers and put them in their proper cases. I once had mould and corrosion setting in on a camera body after leaving it in a sealed BDH container for some time after a trip. NB: Don't jam too many items in BDH containers as it is very easy to split the lids when they are screwed down tight.

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Shell Containers: Recently ex military shell containers have been available to canoeists; these are slightly thinner but longer than the large BDH containers. They are strong and robust but very heavy. DoT (Department of Trade) Flare Containers: These containers are manufactured out of tough polythene for commercial vessels to store flares in. They are robust and waterproof and available in two sizes The long thin container is more use than the short fat dumpy container, but neither will fit through a hatch although both sizes will usually fit behind the seat. Drainpipe Containers: Flares have always been a big problem (if you carry them) to store and keep dry for sea canoeists. The most effective method I have seen is to use 2" plumbers down pipe and glue specialist 'rodding end' fittings to the ends of the tube; these can be made to any size to suit one or any number of flares. They are robust and waterproof but slightly heavy; you must use the glue specified by the pipe manufacturers for effective sealing and securing of fittings. Other Types of Containers: There are many other forms of containers to use; you just need to keep your eyes open to see what you can adapt for your own purposes: Tupperware or freezer containers. Various shapes and sizes, reasonably waterproof. Pill or drug containers Usually small but effective and very waterproof.

Try asking at your chemist. Large plastic sweet containers Available from sweet shops, waterproof (change

gasket) but not very robust, split easily in cold conditions.

Film containers Very good for small items, the old aluminium screw

type being the best use to store matches, spare bulbs (in cotton wool) emergency fishing kit. Container can be used as a float (sealed) or as a weight filled with water and a stone.

Transparency containers Handy shape, robust but not waterproof unless

sealed with tape. Inside separator can be cut out with a sharp or hot knife to make better use of storage space.

Personal Equipment and Storage

What you carry in your kayak and how you carry it is entirely up to you, but I believe we should be like our mentors, the Eskimos, a complete self sufficient unit, reliant on no one except yourself, knowing your own limitations, strength and stamina. Pack your kayak, even if it is for a day trip, as if you are a solo paddler so if conditions do get bad or for some reason you become separated from your companions (you may have gone for help?) you can at least rescue yourself, paddle to safety, land, repair your kayak,

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or yourself if needs be, and survive a night or two out in the open without any harm coming your way. If you think in this frame of mind it will make you a better, safer and more aware sea canoeist. My kayak is kitted out so everything is at hand during the day, whilst sitting in the cockpit. There is no need to remove main hatches whilst at sea thus eliminating any chance of becoming swamped. All the equipment I carry on a day trip or on longer expeditions fits in a small bulk headed compartment behind my seat, access to which is through a Henderson screw hatch; the main bulk of equipment is then stored in three medium sized BDH containers consisting of a first aid kit, a repair kit and an emergency kit, the rest of the space is then filled with torch, radio, spare jumper, over trousers, knife, food, etc. Two baby/mini BDH containers fit directly behind my seat and contain all the first aid (sun cream, plasters, lip salve, etc.) and repair kit (Denso tape, black tape, 15min Araldite, etc.) needed for emergencies during the day. What you store in your own individual containers to deal with emergencies is up to you, but on the following pages I have listed incidents that have happened to me or friends and colleagues, what caused them and how the problem was solved. This may give you an idea what can go wrong whilst at sea or a long way from home, and what equipment you could carry to try and cope with the problem. The lists are by no means endless, there will always be something you won't have but try and keep your gear and weight down to a minimum without going over the top, as with everything, it is a compromise.

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FIRST AID KIT (Medium BDH container)

1 Triangular bandage 5 5cm x 5cm Melolin gauze 3 10cm x 10cm Melolin gauze 8 Plain gauze sheets 1 7.5cm x 4.5m crepe bandage 1 7.5cm x 1.5m self-adhesive stretch bandage 2 7.5cm x 4.5m stretch bandage 1 7.5cm x 3.5m bandage 1 Pack cotton wool 1 Eye pad 2 Sheets steri-strips 1 Tube Lip salve 1 Tube insect repellent 1 Tube antiseptic cream 1 Tube Anthisan cream 1 Tube Algipan 2 Needles 7 Safety pins 4 Surgical blades 1 Pair scissors 1 Tin opener 1 Eye bath 1 Durex 2 Packs of plasters 2 Packs of matches 3 Sachets of surgical wipes 2 12" stretch tubigrip bandages 1 Tenosynovitis splint (right hand medium) 1 Sachet of salt 1 Sachet of sugar 10 Dequadin lozenges (sore throat) 12 Puritabs (water purification) 13 Senokot (laxative) 16 Entrosan tablets (stop diarrhoea) 5 Avomine tablets (stop seasickness) 10 Flucloxacillin BP 250g (general antibiotic) 11 Aspirin (mild pain, colds, etc.) 20 Distalgesic tablets (medium pain) 5 Dihydrocodine 30mg (severe pain) 1 Jaycloth 1 10p piece Weight 21b l0oz/200g Baby (BDH Container)

12 Aspirin 10 Distalgesic 5 Avomin

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20 Puritabs 4 Coramine (high energy glucose tablets) 1 l oz sugar 1 Lip salve 1 'Snik' high protection glacier cream 1 Insect repellent gel 1 Durex 2 Nappy pins 1 Pair folding scissors 1 Spirit marker pen 1 Jaycloth 1 l0p piece Weight 9oz/240g FIRST AID

Related injuries whilst canoeing Tenosynovitis: Caused by the repetitive twisting action of the controlling wrist whilst

forward paddling. Complete immobilisation of the wrist by means of a splint is needed. If you feel the complaint starting (a grating feeling above the wrist) whilst paddling, try using your split paddles with the opposite feather to that which you are used to - it is difficult at first but does help

Dislocated Usually caused by a snatching of the paddle above the head, e.g. high shoulder brace. It is a common complaint with some people and they usually

know how to put the shoulder back: If it is the first time then it can be very painful, the victim will usually hold the arm in the most comfortable position possible (so they cannot paddle or support themselves). I always carry two large nappy pins and splint the arm in this position, pushing the pin through the sleeve and into the jacket to make a rigid fixture. Painkillers may also be needed.

Bruised palms: This happened on the first circumnavigation of Britain making the

palms very tender. Padding the shaft of the paddles and rest helped this. Smashed face: Caused by the loom hitting you in the face, usually when paddling out

through surf or in waves. Surgical wipes and steri-strips (adhesive skin closures) are the best way to close cuts on the face, try changing your paddling technique through waves.

Strained back: Usually caused by people lifting loaded sea kayaks incorrectly.

Algipan or Deep Heat and rest may help. use a backrest whilst canoeing, try lifting using leg muscles and spread the load amongst the group or empty kayak first.

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Very bad cuts: Landing on rocky shore, glass on beach or sharp knives. Use steri-strips or bandages, but clean wound well first, wear proper footgear.

Burns: Usually a campsite injury but could happen if you spilt hot drinks over yourself whilst at sea. Cool the burn (immerse in the sea?) cover with a clean, dry dressing such as Melolin, and keep dry. Take care with stoves, fuel and hot liquids.

Strains & sprains: Same as strained lower back but elasticised bandage (Tubigrip) or

crepe bandages can help. Pulled knee Caused by fighting and kicking to get out of a capsized kayak. ligaments Support bandage - painkillers; practice capsize drill. Broken ribs: Usually a result of impact from another kayak in surf or when running

in front of a swell. A buoyancy aid will give some protection and is probably the best form of splinting if any is needed, but loosen any tight clothing around the chest if breathing is difficult

Blisters: Very common on the hands in between the thumb and forefinger, or on

the inside of the fingers. Try to avoid bursting, tape and pad well before the blister starts, Micropore (surgical tape) works very well it applied to dry skin, wrap around the finger and stuck back on itself.

Fishing hooks: Usually when inspecting people's lines whilst they are towing. in fingers Very painful with a high risk of infection (clean well). Barb or eye of

hook will have to be cut off with pliers then pulled through. Midge bites: Midges can ruin a trip; pick the time of or stings the year and your

campsites carefully. Good midge repellent essential. Stings from wasps/bees or jellyfish can be very nasty and painful (allergic to some people). Cold compress is best relief for swelling

Piles: Usually a personal (but common canoeists) problem, can be very painful

and irritable. Painkillers, ointment and suppositories.

Constipation: Can cause very painful stomach cramps until you can relieve yourself

(very difficult at sea.) Mild laxative may help.

Diarrhoea: Painful stomach cramps and difficulty controlling bowels.

Choose your clothing for easy removal at sea: If you have to paddle (not very pleasant) mild anti diarrhoeal may help. Don't eat, and drink very little.

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Dehydration: Usually all sun related - dealt with in the weather chapter. Sunburn Headaches Sore Eyes An eye bath can offer great relief to sore eyes, or removal of foreign

bodies (sand?). Boil water and allow to cool. Hypoglycaemia: This usually happens when excessive exercise, as in canoeing, has (diabetes) burned up and lowered the victim's blood sugar level. They will usually

know that this is happening (possibly faint, dizzy, confused, disorientated, etc.) and must have sugary foods or sweet drinks until they can take medication or inject themselves with Insulin. If the victim becomes unconscious possible hospital treatment may be needed. Most diabetics carry a card or bracelet indicating that they have diabetes.

Seasickness: Long spells of navigating (watching the compass), swell, and loss of

horizon, illness or some people just get seasick: This can be a very demoralising condition, the victim will have no will to help themselves, staying upright will be a problem in itself. (Raft up and tow). It also can be infectious with other people starting to suffer in a very short space of time once they have seen someone being sick, or just thinking about being sick. Can cause large losses of fluid (dehydration) become very weak, in extreme cases damage the stomach lining and bring up blood: Seasickness tablets do help (if you can keep them down) but can cause drowsiness and weakness (I fall asleep :) so use them with care.

Fear: Everyone gets frightened but the level of fear is different in

everyone. Conditioning yourself to the environment in which you are working will only come with experience, and experience only comes with time so build up slowly. Talk to your inner self and convince yourself you can do it, you're not going to come to any harm, a lot of the time it will just be a wet pride - so take it with a laugh and a smile.

If you are with someone who is frightened paddling next to them can be a great help (psychological boost, moral support) talk to them, reassure them, and tell them they can do it. If you can, remove them or yourselves, from the environment that is causing the fear (not always possible). Stay calm, think clearly (take deep breaths) and positively, but try to avoid (it can be hard) shouting at people who are frightened.

Drowning Not very pleasant. You must be able to perform EAR - expired air or death resuscitation - and cardiac compression/massage quickly and

efficiently (not easy over the deck of a kayak, but possible). We all tend to think we can do it without any problem, but as with anything we need practise. Your local St Johns or Red Cross usually have a dummy and are normally very willing to help out. It is an ideal winter club evening session, so turn it into an annual event. It may be your friend doing it to you one day.

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Giving medication, i.e. drugs, to people is a very sensitive subject. In sea canoeing we may not be in just a first aid situation, we may well have to look after someone for a number of days or it may just be a stomach bug caused by contaminated fresh water and an ant diarrhoeal will stop the ruining of a holiday. Some people may be allergic to some drugs or medication (sticking plaster is very common) so ask, if possible, first. Some drugs may mask other symptoms or delay the use of other medication to the victim once in the hands of specialists (strong pain killers can do this). I personally know that if I take seasickness tablets I fall asleep or find it very hard to stay awake, not a lot of use in a sea kayak. Many people cannot take aspirin as it causes stomach bleeding. So be careful before giving any drugs to anyone and if in doubt don't give them anything; it is probably the safest bet in the long run. REPAIR KIT (Medium BDH container)

1 Chouinard expedition sewing kit 1 2mm drill bit 2 Sailmakers needles 3 Surgical blades 1 3.5m of 3mm nylon line

1.5m of 5mm shock cord 3m of 2" nylon climbing

1 Roll of black tape 1 Roll tent repair tape 1 Neoprene nylon patch 1 S sharpening stone 3 Large hacksaw blades 3 Small hacksaw blades 3 Abrafile blades 1 Plastic patch 7" x 13" 2 Sheets of sandpaper 3 1.5oz CSM patches 9" X14”

120g Acetone 300g Resin 50g Hardener

1 Large Hose clip 1 Small Hose clip 1 Footrest wing nut and bolt 1 Tube of Evostick 1 Disposable Stanley knife 3 Blades for knife 1 Screwdriver 1 Pair of pliers 1 Coil of stainless steel locking wire 1 Stick of Petex 1 Tent pole repair sleeve 1 Durex 1 10p piece 1 Book of matches 1 JayCloth Weight 41b 50z/1960g

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Baby BDH Container

9 Penlite long life batteries 1 Roll denso tape 1 Roll black tape 1 Disposable Stanley knife 1 Wing nut and bolt 1 Jaycloth 1 Tube 5min Araldite 1 10p piece Weight 11b 4oz/560g REPAIRS

Damage and breakages at sea and on shore Pump hoses coming off. Usually happens after a rescue when victim has kicked or

pulled the hose off. Use a piece of tape over outlet or hose clip. Stainless steel hose clips fitted in the first place will stop this.

Pump failure. Blockages sometimes occur so you may have to take the pump to bits when ashore (screwdriver and pliers). A strum box would stop this. The pin that attaches the handle to the diaphragm is sometimes lost (check the retaining clip) carry spare or improvise (safety pins).

Leaking hatches Clean all hatch rims and hatches before sealing down to or compartments. hull can be fixed on the water with denso or black tape. GRP

repairs can be carried out in the campsite if the boat can be dried.

Leaking seams. Black tape, GRP or araldite. Tape seam and gelcoat the kayak

yourself, or have it t done when new. Leaking recessed. Instant araldite works well for this. deck fittings Jammed Rudder. Lift onto deck if possible (C-trim) screwdriver and pliers -

repair ashore. Broken rudder cable. Inspect before trip or carry a spare. Jammed retractable skeg. Usually caused by small pebbles. Clear with screwdriver or

thin stick - the boat may have to be turned upside down. Broken paddles. Use splits or splint paddle - glassfibre repair or black tape.

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Ripped spray decks. Usually happens during rescues: Sew and/or stick patch with Evostick.

Ripped tents. Poor care of tent or windy conditions. Sew or use repair

tape. Yacht chandlers supply spinnaker repair tape for spinnaker sails; this is a lightweight rip stop nylon, very self adhesive tape and is good for tents, caps, dry bags, s1eeping bags, etc. etc.

Broken poles. Very wind conditions or poor assembly of poles, care needed

on modern tents. Some tent manufacturers supply a repair sleeve to fix poles so carry one, if not splint with tent peg and tape.

Stove problems. The meths burning Trangia type stove is very foolproof with

little to go wrong - pressure stoves may need spares, carry a small kit. Filtering fuel before it is used helps a lot.

A comprehensive repair kit is invaluable but the ability to improvise is an art. A Swiss army knife is a very useful tool to have on your person at all times, it is a pity they don't float. Resin, acetone and hardener are a big problem to store. I have tried many ways in the past and had a lot of failures; hardener is a very strong corrosive acid and on opening my repair kit at the end of a season some years ago found nearly all the contents had been eaten or dissolved away by leaking hardener: You can buy hardener in tubes which is a convenient way to carry it, but check it will activate the resin before you pack it away. I now carry the resin, Acetone and hardener in small polythene bottles with screw tops (check gasket) available from glassfibre suppliers. Do not fill bottles to the brim, but allow room for expansion during hot weather. Screw lids down tightly and seal with sticky tape, wrap whole bottle in a freezer bag (some plastic bags dissolve) and seal with a wire twist type seal. Self adhesive tape such as black, spinnaker or insulation tape works better if it is warm and the surface it is to be stuck to has been warmed by a stove or the sun; it obviously has to be bone dry also. EMERGENCY KIT

My emergency kit is designed to cope with the problem of a forced overnight stop or the protection of a hypothermic victim on a day trip. Do I need to really open this pack? Stop – think and weigh up the situation. What do I have to deal with? E.g. what are my priorities? What other equipment do I have which may help the situation Priorities Protection Location & lighting

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Water & Food Tools Protection

There is a high chance of you being wet from the days paddling, so try and dry yourself off and put on any spare clothing you have. Keep warm. You will probably have at least one bivi bag to sleep in; the kayak will give you some protection from the wind, or improvise a small shelter with your split paddles and main paddle as poles and ridgepole. One bivi bag can be split open to make a large sheet. Pebbles in the corners will allow you to tie on pieces of cord for guylines. Insulate yourself from the ground with moss, bracken, heather, etc.

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Location (and lighting)

You probably will have flares with you unless you have already let them off. Torch, whistle or heliograph could also aid someone seeing you. It will no doubt be dark at sometime or other so use whatever form of lighting you have sparingly (you may be out for another night). Consult your map or chart if you need help - is it quicker by foot or kayak? You can travel through worse weather by foot so it may be quicker in the long run. Work out exactly where you are and write it down (grid reference or lat/long) or mark the map in case you have to send someone for help. Water/food

You can live without food, but you must have water. Consult the OS map, this will give you the best detail for streams and lakes, purify if you suspect contamination. No matter how desperate you are do not drink seawater or dilute/mix fresh water with seawater. Conserve any food you have and if possible don't eat for the first day. Hot drinks are an invaluable moral booster as well as the physical warming effect. A small pot/cup made of aluminium is the most effective, solid fuel blocks provide instant hot drinks without too much bulk but light a fire as well, there is always plenty of driftwood about and they do give warmth. Tools

Any tools will make your life easier or more comfortable. A long length of cord is invaluable, a good knife is a necessity and there are many survival knives on the market nowadays with hollow handles in which you can store small emergency items such as matches, fishing gear etc. A ring pull wire saw is very useful for cutting branches, tent poles, even kayaks. The list of tools is endless so think carefully what you might need. Survival is very much a mental as well as a physical problem; if the will to survive is there then you have a very good chance. There will be many failures and success will be slow but think positive.

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EMERGENCY KIT (Medium BDH container)

1 Meta 71 boiling set 20 Meta tablets (solid fuel) 25 Lifeboat matches 1 Flint and magnesium fire starter 10 Surgical wipes 1 7ft x 3ft lightweight 1 20 gauge bivi bag 1 Water bag 6ltr 1 Ground air emergency code and razor blade 1 Spoon/baby can opener 1 Mini survival tool 1 Wooden spatula 1 Knife (2.15" blade) 1 Wire ring pull saw 1 Fishing kit 1 Cvlume (light stick) 1 Saltwater activated battery 1 Durex 1 SR compact food ration 28 Dextrosol tablets 3 Sachets of Horlicks 2 Sachets of Ovaltine 10 Stock cubes (fish, vegetable, beef, lamb)

Toilet paper 1 Jaycloth 1 10p piece weight 31b lloz/16bOg Other Equipment

Watch: The time is very important to us as sea canoeists; we need to know what time the tide will change, time a set distance or know how long we have been paddling to work out our speed, know when to listen to the radio for weather forecasts or just to rendezvous with someone on the water or a pick up on the land. Watches obviously need to be waterproof and there are now many digital type watches available quite cheaply. If you have just bought a new non-waterproof watch or cannot afford a new watch then there is an option. You can pick up non-waterproof watches very, very cheaply (some garages give them away with a gallon of oil:) remove the strap and then seal the whole watch in clear resin (after you have set the correct time). Holes can be drilled in the block of resin once it has hardened then threaded onto your deck elastics or on a cord around your neck. It is very cheap, strong and will last for one to two years until the battery runs out. Torches: Torches and lighting will be dealt with in the night paddling chapter, but they are handy to keep around in daylight hours in case you go into sea caves.

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Knives: A knife is an invaluable tool, afloat or ashore. Swiss Army knives are very good and have many tools on them; they are expensive but if looked after will last a lifetime. Fishing knives usually have very long thin and sharp blades for filleting fish; they normally float and are very useful if you plan on catching, and eating fish. Watch your fingers on the blade. Floating yacht knives are more robust than fishing knives and are handy to in the pocket of a buoyancy aid. Survival knives are now becoming more common, the long strong blade is useful for hacking and the hollow handle handy for storing small items. Fishing Gear: The old hand line is still a common and useful piece of kit for sea canoeists if you like catching and eating fish, but are tedious to wind back in. A small section of old broken fishing rod with a few ferrules left on and an old reel can make life easier. A device called a Paravane made in Sweden is very useful for trawling. It consists of a ball of aluminium with a ‘T’ shaped fin on the back, the towing fishing line is attached to the top of the ball and a trace with a spinner or bait is attached to the bottom fin of the 'T'. If you hook a fish the pull on the trace causes the of device to tilt upwards and eventually surface with your catch still attached; they work very well but do slow you down slightly. They come in two sizes, the smallest being best for our needs and are available from most sea angling shops. Kites: In the last couple of years sea canoeists on the west coast of Canada and America have been experimenting with the use of kites to pull them along. This is not a new idea; the Japanese used to trawl fish thousands of years ago using the same method. The kites used are wing type kites that need no poles once launched (the first 20 to 30ft being the most difficult) and can pull you along at a couple of knots depending on the direction of the wind. The fishing reel can be used for the line and winching in or out. Kites were also used during and after the Second World War as flying aerials for radio distress beacons and marking the position of a life raft - maybe we can learn something from this? Drogues: A drogue or sea anchor is a device that is usually streamed behind a boat or ship which has lost the use of its engines and wants to slow down its rate of drift, or it is struggling in heavy seas will allow the bow to point down wind/sea, stopping it surfing down the front of a wave or from turning sideways on (broaching) to the sea. We as sea canoeists could use the same techniques to help us in difficult or survival conditions. A drogue is a small parachute, streamed behind the kayak with the towline, but threaded through the toggle first to keep your back into the wind and to slow down your rate of drift. Yachtsmen loop a long piece of floating rope from one side of the boat around the stern and then attach it to the other side of the boat, this gives the boat some steerage way but helps stop the broaching problem. This system could work well for sea canoeists with a long floating towline for the same reasons as above or as an improved skeg in windy conditions.

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Camping Equipment of Use to Sea Canoeists

Most sea canoeists use equipment from mountaineering as we share similar problems (weight, bulk, etc.) but if you are buying new items one or two ideas for modifications can make life more comfortable. Sleeping bags: Synthetic materials (Dacron, hollofill, and fibrepile) are probably the better buy than down if your bag should become wet. They will remain warm whereas down will give no insulation and probably be ruined. Synthetic bags are cheaper and can be washed in a washing machine more often, though they are a little more bulky than down bags.

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Tents: The new breed of dome type tents have great advantages for sea canoeists; being self supporting they can be assembled and placed wherever you want to sleep, which is very useful on pebbles or sand as pegs are not needed to hold their shape. Guylines can be tied to kayaks or buried paddles to stop them being blown away, and an optional extra or a home modification of a snow valance or sod cloth is very useful - this is a piece of old or heavy duty material sewn onto the bottom edge of the flysheet, which allows you to place rocks or shovel sand onto it and this helps to stop the tent being blown away. Stoves: The Swedish Trangia type stove is very useful in that is compact (complete with pots and pans) light, robust, simple and foolproof with no moving parts or jets to block or break (no need for a repair kit). The medium size will just fit through a normal hatch opening with slight modification and gentle persuasion. It runs off methylated spirit that can work out expensive, may be difficult to obtain in Scotland, and is sometimes difficult to store without leaking, but it is probably the best, cheapest stove on the market. Water Bags: Carrying water on long trips is important in case you do not find any when you land and camp. The commercial boxes of wine available have a reasonably strong plastic/foil bag inside them, the plastic tap can be prised out carefully with two spoon handles then washed out in hot water to stop water becoming tainted with wine. The bags are cheap and adequately strong. I have only ever broken one (dropped it :) but a small nylon cover could quite easily be made at home to protect them. You can carry one as a spare/buoyancy bag and are easily stowed under deck elastics. PS: A boxed wine container just fits in the front hatch of a Nordkapp: (if you like wine that is). Care of Equipment

Mark all your equipment with your name, address and phone number, this deters theft, but also, if lost, there is a possibility of it being returned. I recently lost a flare container three miles out to sea, four days later it was washed up on a beach, picked up by a man walking his dog, handed to the Police and I received my container and dry flare a week later. Make your equipment stand out and be seen - use of self adhesive Day-Glo sheet, Day-Glo paper covered in clear fablon, Day-Glo or luminous paint sprayed over with clear lacquer, light reflective tape, etc. The list is endless - it may look loud but you won't lose your gear. The biggest hassle with sea canoeing is washing your gear. Some people do not bother but if you want it to last, wash everything thoroughly in fresh water after each trip; it does not take long and saves you money in the long run.

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3. TOWING Towing is one of the most basic fundamental skills a sea canoeist must master and practise if he is to render fast and efficient help to someone in trouble. Over the years I have seen all manner of towing systems on all types of canoes and kayaks. I am concerned here with towing sea kayaks rather than slalom canoes, but many of the systems will work with slalom boats if you try them out first. The reasons for towing someone are as long as the towline itself, but it must be comfortable, efficient and work well for you. You may have to tow someone, or a raft, for many miles or hours, and it is no use if you have to constantly keep fiddling or adjusting for it to work properly. The following is a list of design criteria that I think a towline should to conform to and may help you come up with a design that works well for yourself. Float Brightly coloured Strong Contain a shock-absorbing feature Compact storage system Quality/reliable hook Efficient/reliable cleat Efficient towing point Correct length for all conditions Float: It goes without saying that any equipment used for sea canoeing should float if possible. The towline is especially no exception. Use a quality non-kinking, soft floating line (Marlow Marstrom is very good). The clip and shock cord are usually quite heavy so you will probably need a small float at the hook end (chandlers or commercial fishing shops have a good range). Brightly coloured: If you have to release/ditch the tow for some reason you will want to spot it quickly and retrieve or continue the tow so make sure you can see it by day and night (reflective tape) - my first towline was green and sank! Strong: The strongest point in any system is the weakest link. A loaded sea kayak, waterlogged with a paddler in the cockpit could weigh over 4501bs: so from the hook on the end to the nuts and bolts holding the cleat to the deck, it must be able to take this amount of load. Shock absorber: Whilst towing the line will become tight and slacken off continuously, this causes a considerable jerk on the tower and the victim. A piece of heavy duty shock cord fitted into the towing system in such a way that if it snapped the load would then come back onto the main rope so the tow could still be continued is the most common method used.

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Storage system: How you store the towline is very important. It will need to be easily accessible quickly so wrapping it around a cleat/bollard is not very practical. Some people have a container recessed into the deck and store the line in here, hood end last, the disadvantage with this system is that storage space in the kayak is lost. Hook/clip: The clip on the towline is probably the weakest point on most towlines I have seen. The plastic clip commonly supplied on commercial towlines is useless, under load it can stretch open releasing the tow, then spring back to shape again leaving you wondering how the rope came out. Climbing karabiners are used by some people - these are more than strong enough for the job but being aluminium corrode badly until the gate/latch will not open; they also sink. Quality stainless steel clips are available from yacht chandlers - choose one that is not too small but easy to operate with cold hands, has a large gate opening, but no lip, that will catch/stick on toggles or decklines. Cleats: There are many types of cleat available for gripping the rope, but releasing it quickly. The cam cleat, vertical/horizontal jamb cleat or the tubular jamb cleat being the most popular. The jamb cleats are cheap with no moving parts to go wrong, but I have seen many problems with this type of cleat, they either jam when you want to release the rope fully or slip, especially when the rope or cleat become worn. The cam cleat with fairlead is slightly more expensive but will hold the rope until it is released then allow it to run without re-jamming. Towing point: The position from which you tow from is critical. Shoulder/waist type tows used for slalom/general purpose canoeing are not practical for long comfortable tows that are common at sea. The only practical point from which to tow is directly behind the cockpit along the centreline of the kayak (think of a tug). Some people use this system but then pass the towline through the toggle loop at the stern of the kayak maintaining that if you don't do this the towline sweeps across the back deck pulling off or catching on any equipment stored there. The problem with this is that it moves the pivot point of the kayak to the stern making it difficult to keep on course even when towing directly behind each other. The motto of the story is keep the rear deck clear when towing and tow from directly behind the cockpit only. The rear decks of some kayaks are not strong enough for you just to bolt the cleat onto and may need reinforcing with glassfibre; use large penny washers under the deck to help spread the load also, it has been known for cleats to rip out of the deck in rough conditions. Towline length: How long a towline should be is a difficult question, but as a general rule if you are paddling into a sea then the towline needs to be as short as possible though not that short to be constantly colliding with the other kayak. Towing in a following sea you need a long towline to avoid the towed kayak surfing into or in front of you. A long towline also allows you to perform the 'husky' tow that will be dealt with later. You can always shorten a long length of rope but you cannot lengthen a short piece of rope easily. One method I have seen is a short towline kept on the deck of the kayak and a spare long length of line kept handy in a bag if there is a need for a longer tow.

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Personal System

My personal system consists of 15 metres of 8mm Marlow Marstrom orange floating rope, chain coiled from the cleat end that reduces the length down to about 5 metres. The advantage of chain coiling the rope allows you to have a towline any length between 5 metres and 15 metres by just undoing the required number of chain coils. A piece of heavy duty shock cord is whipped onto the rope approximately 1 metre from the hook end, the main rope then spiralled around the elastic and again whipped onto the rope, a small orange float covered with light reflective tape supports the weight of the stainless steel hook which is also whipped onto the rope. The complete system is then contained in a small orange pouch with a Velcro lid and two Velcro patches which attach it to the deck, this allows quick removal if necessary, half a metre of rope protrudes from the bottom of the bag, passes through a fairlead situated along the centreline of the kayak, to the right hand side of the rear deck just behind the cockpit rim where it is locked into a cam cleat.

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TYPES OF TOW

Basically there are two types of tow available to us as sea canoeists. The Contact Tow The Roped Tow The contact tow: This is used by a pair of kayakers where the victim cannot paddle or support themselves (fear, seasick, dislocated shoulder, etc.). Basically a raft is formed with the victim's kayak, the stern level to the front of your cockpit coaming; the victim then grasps the front of your kayak whilst you paddle forward and push the kayak forward, the use of your paddle park attached to the stern toggle can help to stop the stern of the victim's kayak swinging out. The victim can also be reversed so you push him backwards if he needs observing (can cause seasickness) or can be pulled along by the victim lying over the rear deck of your kayak (see diag.) The contact tow works well for short distances and only in reasonably calm weather, becoming increasingly more difficult the rougher the conditions. There are other variations of this type of tow but they are all very limited in sea canoeing. Roped Tows: The roped tow involves the use of the towline. Depending on the conditions the length of tow is chosen and then clipped onto the victim's bow toggle. This generally works well on most sea kayaks as they tend to track in a straight line, minor course alterations can be carried out by the victim by gently leaning the kayak. The main problem with this system is that the forward speed of both kayaks is probably reduced to 1.5 to 2 knots and if you had a long way to go it could take you some time. By attaching another tower to the bow toggle it improves the forward speed slightly but the two towing kayaks collide or clash paddles quite often as it is difficult to keep apart. For some years I have been using and recommending the 'husky' tow. This consists of one kayak attaching his tow to the bow toggle of the victim's kayak and extending the length of the tow to the maximum. Two other kayaks then attach their towlines to the decklines of the victim's kayak in the area of the forward hatch so they run up and jam against the RDF in that area, they lengthen their towlines until they cannot quite touch the lead kayak's stern (this length is critical), as has already been recommended they must tow from directly behind the cockpit if they are to keep straight and on course. Life can be made a lot easier here if the two wing kayaks have rudders, but it is not essential. Once the 'huskys' settle down into a rhythm it works out to be a very efficient means of towing a victim and keeping up a good forward paddling speed. As with a lot of things in sea canoeing they are a compromise and towing is no exception. Unless you go out and try your towing systems and towing methods in a variety of conditions you will not know what will work and what will not.

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4. TIDES

Tides are extremely important to the sea canoeist, not only do they rise and fall but they also move in various directions and at constantly varying rates (strength). The wise sea canoeist will usually make the most of the tides by paddling with them rather than against them, but this is not always possible as we shall see. The sea Kayakers usually paddles at an average speed of 3 knots (nautical miles per hour) - put a tidal stream of 3 knots with him and he will be covering 6 knots over the ground, but put 3 knots against him and he will stand still, any more and he will be paddling forwards but moving backwards over the ground; by sprinting he may be able to exceed 4-5, or possibly 6 knots, but this will be only for a very short time. On the north coast of Anglesey between The Skerries and Carmel Head the tide reaches up to 6 knots; on a large (Spring) tide, off the north coast of Scotland between The Orkneys and the mainland it is up to 12 knots: So you see we must get it right to get this incredible force on our side. Tides around most of Britain are known as semi-diurnal tides that basically means we have two High Waters and two Low Waters in each lunar day. To find the times of the tide we need to consult a tide table. A tide table is a prediction for all the times of HW and LW throughout the year for a specific spot or standard port, e.g. Dover. 19th February 1986 Time Height 0038 2.6m LW 0652 4.8m HW 1327 2.5m LW 1951 4.9m HW

As you can see, not only do we get a time of High and Low Water, but also a height (usually in metres) of the tide. The difference in the height of High Water and the height of Low Water is known as the range and this is very important to us as sea canoeists, e.g. Range of the midday tide Time Height 0652 4.8m HW 1327 - 2.5m LW 2.3 metres range

Q1. What is the range of the evening tide?

To make things slightly more complicated the moon's orbit around the earth lasts 24 hours 50 minutes (approx); this is known as a Lunar Day so therefore the tide advances 50 minutes each day on earth. If HW were at 1200 hrs on Tuesday it would be 1250 hrs on Wednesday, and so on each day.

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If we look at the afternoon tide seven days later we will notice a very big difference in the range of the tide: Time Height 1204 6.6 HW 1940 - 0.8 LW 5.8 metres range This is because the range of the tide varies with the phases of the moon. About 1.5 to 2 days after a new or full moon, the sun and moon are virtually in line with each other; this exerts a large gravitational force on the Earth causing a very large range in the tide that is known as a Spring tide and occurs every 15 days throughout the year. Approximately 7.5 days later when the moon is in its first or last quarter the sun and the moon's gravitational forces are acting at right angles to each other therefore exerting a less gravitational force on the Earth; this causes a smaller range in the tide and is known as a Neap tide. To summarise: Spring Tides

Sun and moon's attraction combine to give a large range High – High Waters Low - Low Waters

Neap Tides Sun and moon's attraction is at right angles and gives a low range Low - High Waters High - Low Waters

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As the range of the tide increases and the tides get bigger from Neaps to Springs the tide is known or said to be 'making' as the range decreases and gets smaller it is known as 'taking off'. The moon's track around the Earth is elliptical so it is nearer the Earth at certain times than it is at others. When at it’s nearest it is said to be in PERIGEE, when furthest away, in APOGEE. When perigee occurs at the same time as a Spring tide we get an extremely large tide due to the increased gravitational attraction.

Equinoctial Tides

The equinoxes occur when the sun crosses the Equator and the length of day and night is equal throughout the World. The angles of the sun and the moon are low at this time and the forces generating the tides are at their greatest. This usually occurs in March and September creating tides with a larger range than normal Spring tides and is known as Equinoctial Spring Tides. This is the time when strange tidal phenomena occur, such as the Severn Bore.

TIDE TABLES

To find the times and heights of the tide we must consult a Tide Table. These are available in booklet form from chandlers and some newsagents in coastal towns, daily in some newspapers, usually alongside the weather forecast or in yachtsman's nautical almanacs such as Reed's or Macmillans/Silk Cut. They initially give the impression of being expensive (f i2 in 1986) and of little use to the sea canoeist, but a quick browse through the pages will show there is a vast amount of information that is of great use to us - from basic seamanship to weather, tides to navigation. The almanac is split into two parts, the first being the general information - weather, safety, communications, etc.; the second part harbour, coastal and tidal information, this part includes the tide tables for various places around Britain but only lasts for one year so is out of date annually. It is rumoured that in the near future the almanacs will be made and sold in two parts; this will allow you to keep the first part and all the annual

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information which changes each year will be sold in an annual supplement so as to keep the cost down. Because of the expense the almanac is probably a good canoe club or centre acquisition so that many people can get use of it - for the initial planning of a sea trip they are most useful.

Standard Ports

As you look through a tide table or almanac you will notice large coastal towns or cities are listed, e.g. Dover, Plymouth (Devonport), Liverpool, etc. These are known as standard ports and the times of high and low water for various areas around Britain are given to these standard ports. Other smaller towns or places will also be listed, these are known as secondary ports with a time and a plus or minus in hours and minutes, which is the difference in hours and minutes from the standard port to the secondary port, e.g. Standard Port: Liverpool 0900 HW Secondary Port: Holyhead –48min =0812hrs On the following pages there is a list of HW's for various places in Great Britain in relation to HW Dover - these are known as tidal constants. Dover is the standard port for Great Britain. The list was taken from the British Canoe Union Yearbook so the BCU or myself accept no responsibility for any inaccuracies Q2: It is HW at Dover 1200 hrs - what time will HW be at the following places.

Answers on page 65 Penzance Cowes (IoW) Hull Aberdeen Mallaig Holyhead Lundy Island

Port ENGLAND, SOUTH COAST

Time/Diff

Port ENGLAND, EAST COAST

Time/Diff

St Mary's +6.07 Margate +1.00 Newlyn (see Penzance) Whitstable (Appr) +1.36 Penzance (Newlyn) +6.05 Grovehurst Jetty +1.32 Porthleven +6.02 R. Medway: Sheerness +1.36 Helford River (Ent) -6.00 Tilbury (Gravesend) +2.03 Falmouth -5.58 Greenhithe +1.30 Truro -5.50 London Bridge +2.52 Mevagissey -5.40 Southend (Leigh) +1.30 Fowey -5.40 R. Crouch: Burnham-on- Crouch +1.28

Looe -5.38 R. Blackwater: Maldon +1.43 Plymouth -5.28 Bradwell +1.11 River Yealm (Ent) -5.22 West Mersea +1.07 Salcombe -5.23 R. Colne:

Brightlingsea +1.05

Dartmouth -5.00 Colchester (Wivenhoe) +1.12 Torquay -4.53 Walton Backwaters +0.42

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Teignmouth (Appr) -4.56 Harwich +0.50

Exmouth (Appr) -4.48 R. Stour: Mistley +1.15 Lyme Regis -4.38 R. Orwell: Ipswich +1.10 West Bay: Bridport -4.56 R. Deben: Woodbridge +1.17 Portland -4.23 Orford Haven +0.26 Weymouth (see Portland) Southwold -0.58 Lulworth Cove -4.33 Lowestoft -1.33 Swanage -2.21 Great Yarmouth -2.08 Christchurch -2.01 Blakeney (Bar) -4.42 Lymington -0.41 Wells-Next-The-Sea -4.11 Yarmouth (IoW) -0.36 Hunstanton -4.42 Cowes (IoW) +0.29 King's Lynn -4.36 Cel_shot Castle +0.39 Wisbech (Cut) -4.44 Southampton (1st HW) -0.01 Boston -5.08 Ramble +0.30 R. Humber: Grimsby -5.20 Wootton (IoW) +0.25 Hull -4.52 Ryde (IoW) +0.29 Bridlington +5.52 Portsmouth +0.29 Scarborough +5.37 Langston +0.30 Whitby +5.11 Chichester (Har.Ent) +0.27 R. Tees (Ent) +4.57 Littlehampton (Ent) +0.19 Hartlepool +4.47 Shoreham +0.10 Seaham +4.42

Brighton +0.03 Sunderland +4.40 Newhaven +0.05 Tynemouth:N. Shields +4.40 Rye (Harbour) -0.02 Blyth +4.39 Folkestone -0.12 Warkworth Harbour

Coquet Road +4.30

Dover - Holy Is. +3.59

Deal +0.15 Berwick +3.47 Ramsgate +0.20

SCOTLAND,EAST COAST ISLE OF SKYE (E)

Eyemouth +3.29

Portree -4.22

Dunbar +3.41 Kyle of Lochalsh -4.27 Cockenzie +3.38 Mallaig -4.55 Granton +3.49 Gometra –Mull

Ulva Sound

-5.37

Burntisland +3.49 Oronsay-Colonsay: Scalasaig

-5.37

Kircaldy +3.45 Islay, SW Coast Loch Indaal: Bruichladdich

-5.48

Methil +3.40 Tobermory -4.58 Pittenweem +3.35 Loch Aline -5.04 Anstruther +3.27 Loch Linnhe: Port Appin -5.21 R. Tay: Bar +3.29 Corpach -4.54 Dundee +4.01 Oban -5.16 Arbroath +3.17 Loch Beag +6.11 Montrose +3.31 Port Askaig, Sound of Islay -6.06

Stonehaven +2.41 Port Ellen, Islay +3.59

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Aberdeen +2.31 Gigha (Sound) +3.39 Peterhead +1.51 Campbeltown +0.52 Fraserburgh +1.31 E. Loch Tarbert,

Loch Fyne +1.29

Macduff: Banff +1.06 Loch Ranza +1.14 Whitehills +1.01 Rothesay +1.06 Buckie +0.53 Gt. Cumbrae-Millport +1.09 Lossiemouth +0.49 Troon +0.59 Burhead +0.56 Lamlash +0.58 Findhorn +0.56 Loch Ryan-Stranraer +1.04 Nairn +0.56 Port Patrick +0.36 Inverness +1.11 Drummore +0.39 Port Mahomack +0.46 Isle of Whithorn +0.34 Golspie +0.39 Garlieston +0.34 Wick +0.23 Kirkcudbright (Bay) +0.29 Waters of Urr: Hestan Islet +0.39 ORKNEY Stromness -1.35 Kirkwall -0.24 Pierowall, Westray -1.24 Pentland Firth: Duncansby Head -0.49

N. SCOTLAND Scrabster -2.31 Kyle of Tongue -3.07 Loch Eriboll:

Rispond -3.22

W. SCOTLAND

ENGLAND, W COAST AND

WALES W.Loch Silloth +0.49 Tarbert, Harris -4.50 Maryport +0.38 Stornoway-Lewis -4.03 Workington +0.23 Loch Shell -4.13 Whitehaven +0.16 E. Loch Tarn Point +0.19 Tarbert, Harris -4.25 R. Duddon (Duddon Bar) +0.17 Loch Maddy-N. Uist -4.36 Piel Harbour: Barrow

(Ramsden Dock) +0.29

Loch Skiport-S. Uist -4.49 Morecambe Bay: Morecambe +0.15 Loch Boisdale -4.45 HaySham +0.20 Castlebay Barra -5.05 Fleetwood & Skipool:

Wyre Lighthouse +0.07

Loch Laxford -3.42 Fleetwood +0.14 Loch Inver -4.02 R. Mersey: Liverpool +0.14 Lock Broom,Ullapool, -3.57 Loch Ewe: Mellon Charles -4.07 Loch Snizort Uig Bay -4.35 Loch Dunvegan -4.45 Loch Harport -4.52 Rhum Eigg: Bay of Laig -5.02

WALES ENGLAND, WEST COAST

Conway: Trwyn Du -0.34 Portishead -4.02

Menai Bridge -0,08 Western-Super-Mare -4.26 Beaumaris -0.08 Burnham on Sea -4.23

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Fort Belan -1.04 Watchet -4.43 Caernarvon -1.06 Minehead -4.41 Port Dinorwic -0.56 Porlock (Bay) -4.51 Holyhead -0.36 Ilfracombe -5.17 Port Dinllaen -1.48 Appledore -5.17 St. Tudwal's Roads -3.05 Lundy Island -5.25 Pwllheli -2.55 Bude (Haven) -5.35 Portmadoc -2.33 Boscastle -5.23 Barmouth -2.45 Padstow -5.47 Aberdovey -2.47 Hayle -5.51 Aberystwyth -3.17 St. Ives -5.57 New Quay, Cardigan -3.17 Cardigan (Port) -3.25 Fishguard -3.47 Solva -4.43 St. Bride's Bay: Littlehaven -4.45 Skomer Island, S. Haven -5.00 Milford Haven -4.55 Stackpole Quay -4.45 Tenby -5.07 Carmarthen -4.50 Llanelli -4.58 Swansea -4.50 Port Talbot -4.55 Porthcawl -4.55 Barry -4.23 Cardiff -4.17 Newport -4.16

Penzance 1805 Mallaig 0705 Cowes (IoW) 1229 Holyhead 1124 Hull 0708 Lundy Island 0635 Aberdeen 1431

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As most of the time may not be canoeing in the exact area of a secondary port; we have to interpolate between two. e.g. HW Holyhead is – 48 minutes Liverpool HW Amlwch is - 28 minutes Liverpool If we wanted to know what time HW was in Cemaes Bay, which is approximately half way between the two, we would get. Holyhead – 48 Amlwch - 28 20 minutes difference between secondary ports Cemaes Bay is half way i.e. 10 minutes Amlwch 28 minutes To Cemaes Bay 10 minutes 38 minutes or Liverpool 48 minutes To Cemaes Bay 10 minutes 38 minutes Therefore HW Cemaes Bay is approximately –38 minutes (before) HW Liverpool

10- +10

------------------X--------------------

-38

Liverpool >>>

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Remember this is only a approximation as the shape of the coast, seabed etc. may actually advance or retard the arrival of HW, but it is a more than accurate method for sea canoeists. The reason for this difference in time around Britain is because of the time it takes for the new flood tide to travel around the mainland. When it is HW at Dover the tide is already well on its way out at Lands End and still flooding in at the Orkney Islands: As a general rule the ebb tide is usually longer than the flood tide.

The Accurate Rule of 12ths

Sea canoeists who say that the draught of a sea kayak is only a matter of a few inches and it does not matter if we run aground often overlook this rule. I have, on more than one occasion, had to use it. For example, say you wanted to cross a stretch of water that may have sand banks in it, e.g. the Bristol Channel (in places) or you want to land on an isolated rock (for a lunch break and to stretch your legs) which is covered by water for most of the time. Basically we find the range of the tide for that particular day and divide it by 12, e.g. Thursday 27th February 1986 Time Height Dover HW 0029 6.7 mtrs LW 0757 0.7 mtrs Range 6.0 mtrs 12 divided by 6.0 mtrs = 0.5 mtrs

We now need to find out the interval. The interval is the time between HW and LW in hours and minutes. As we know this is not 6 hours exactly HW 0029 to LW 0757 = 7hrs 28 mins ebb tide or 448 minutes interval

1/6 off 448 minutes = 74.6 or 75 minutes or 1 hr 15 mins

So for the first hour of the ebb that we now know takes 1 hr 15 mins (or 75 mins) interval, the tide will fall 0.5 of a metre

HW HW

1st hour (-75 minutes) 0029 6.7 meters 0144 1/12 0f range (6.7-0.5) = 6.2 2nd hour “ 0259 2/12 “ (6.2-1.0) = 5.2 3rd hour “ 0259 3/12 “ (5.2-1.5) = 3.7 0414 4th hour “ 0529 3/12 “ (3.7-1.5) = 2.2 5th hour “ 0644 2/12 “ (2.2-1.0) = 1.2 6th hour “ 0759 1/12 “ (1.2-0.5) = 0.7

LW LW

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As you can see the largest volumes of water are moved in the 3rd and 4th hours of this cycle. This rule is generally applied only to the open sea, as we come closer to shore the tide may be restricted around islands, headlands, estuaries, etc. giving differences in readings. There are more accurate methods of working out the height per hour but this involves graphs etc. The rule of 12ths can be calculated quickly, be done in the field with no extra equipment and is more than accurate for the needs of the sea canoeist.

Remember you would need to find out the range of the tide in the area you were working not Dover - this information would be in the almanac.

Chart Datum

Chart datum is the level below which depth soundings shown on the chart are measured. To find the depth of water over a particular spot we have to find the height of the tide (not the range) at the time concerned and add it to the depth shown on the chart, e.g. if we wanted to know the depth of water over the entrance of Dover Harbour at 0144 on Thursday 27 February 1986, the chart tells us the depth is 12 metres (approx) below chart datum.

Drying Heights

Drying heights are the heights of objects, e.g. rocks, sand banks, etc, which are above the level of chart datum. They are shown on the chart as a figure in metres and tenths of a metre and underlined. Obviously at certain levels of tide they can be exposed, e.g. if we were canoeing on Thursday 27 February 1986 and saw a rock on the Dover charted marked 2.2 metres it would be covered by water until 0529hrs (2hrs before Low Water) and would then slowly become exposed until at Low Water 1.5 metres of rock were

exposed.

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Tidal Datum Levels

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General Direction of the Main Flood

Stream

Around the British Isles

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The Flood Stream

As the new flood stream approaches the British Isles it splits into two, one direction up The Channel, the other up towards Ireland, where it splits again around Ireland and into the Irish Sea. The two streams carry on until they eventually meet and merge together off the east coast of Britain around the Newcastle/Hull area. The following symbols are sometimes used on a chart to show the direction of the general flood and ebb streams in that area only.

The sea is just like a very large river, where a piece of land juts out into the flow an eddy will occur. These can be small and of use to us if we are trying to make our way against a tidal stream or they can be very large and a help or hindrance to us - a fine example is Portland Bill.

Eddies

Flood Eddy

This eddy occurs on the flood and the ebb tides, but some may only occur on one direction of the tide. If they are a danger to shipping they may be marked with the following symbols

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Where the seabed juts up into a tidal stream it may force the water to the surface and if strong enough can cause an area of breaking waves - this would be called an overfall.

A fine example of this is Penrhyn Mawr on the west coast of Anglesey - this overfall only happens on the flood tide but others can occur on the flood and the ebb depending on the shape of the seabed and strength of tidal stream. If they are a dander to shipping they may be marked with the following symbol.

Where two land masses come close together and constrict the water, the water has to accelerate to pass through the gap - this causes standing waves and is known as a tide race. The best example of this is the Gulf of Coryvrechen between Scarba and Jura on the west coast of Scotland. The resulting race travels out to sea for over five nautical miles. It is marked on a chart with the same symbol as an overfall.

Tide races and overfalls are at their most violent during Spring tides and the middle hours of the tidal flow. Depending on your level of skill great fun or a frightening experience can be had in overfalls so treat them with care until you can handle your kayak in these type of conditions.

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The Weather effect on Tides

Low atmospheric pressure can cause predicted heights of tide to be higher than normal. High atmospheric pressure has the opposite effect causing lower tides than normal. Prolonged winds from offshore can cause higher tides than normal or prolonged wind from the land can cause lower tides than normal so be careful next time you pitch your tent on the beach: Tide Rate and Direction

The strength of rate and the direction of the tide are of vital importance to us as sea canoeists if we are to get the most benefit from the tide. We can find this information in or on various publications. The Chart Tidal Stream Atlases Nautical Almanacs Admiralty Pilots Yachtsman’s Cruising Guides Sea Canoeing Guides

The Chart

On most Admiralty Charts there will he united tidal stream and direction information in the form of a tidal diamond (with a distinguishing, letter in the centre of it) and a corresponding chart with the direction and rate at Springs and Neaps.

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The direction is given as a true compass heading towards which the water is travelling - this is opposite to the wind, e.g. the wind blows from the east", the tide flows towards the east. Don't get them mixed up: As you can see the Neap rate is usually half the spring rate and given in knots (nautical miles per hour). The latitude and longitude figures give the exact position of the tidal stream diamond and all the tidal information is for that specific spot only, Tidal stream diamonds are used when we want to plot an accurate course on the chart of the direction we wish to travel allowing for the tide. Tidal Stream Atlas

Tidal stream atlases are available iron most chandlers and come in book form covering various parts of the British Isles. Eleven copies cover the whole of the country, each page having a reap of the area concerned and a figure 6 to 1 hours before, HW, 1 to 6 hours after Dover. The direction of the tide is shown by an arrow~ and this varies in thickness with the rate of the tide (thicker means faster) and a figure, e.g. 0.4 knots, 0.8 knots giving the strength of the tide in numerical form the small figure (0.4 knots) indicating Neaps, the larger figure (0.8 knots) indicating Springs.

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Small tidal stream diagrams of the same areas can also be found in yachtsman’s almanacs (Reeds/Macmillans) though they are not as detailed. They can work out cheaper than buying individual tidal stream atlases for the whole of the country. Diagrammatic form of the tide is the most useful way of showing the direction of flow to the sea canoeist; at a glance you can tell the direction and the speed for every hour of the flood HW, and the ebb while on the water without having to refer to a chart.

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If you paddle in one area quite often you can make your own tidal stream atlas of that area, by drawing individual maps for each hour of the tide and marking in arrows showing the direction and strength. The information can be obtained from the list of publications listed previously, or any local information you have found out, but put into more detail for each hour. Shown below is a map of Anglesey that I drew and use myself, the information is from tidal stream diamonds and the flecks on the arrows give the approximate rates. This map is then laminated with Fablon and kept on the deck of the kayak. Each fleck is equal to 1 knot.

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Admiralty Pilots

Admiralty Pilots like tidal stream atlases cover various parts of the country. Eight copies cover the whole of the British Isles and contain vast amounts of information on individual specific areas. Primarily designed for shipping they have limited tidal rate and direction information that is of use to sea canoeists, but are worth looking through when planning a trip, especially in a strange area. They are expensive (E16.00 in 1986) but last a lifetime (good piece of canoe club equipment) - some large Libraries stock them so try looking around. The following is an extract of tidal information from the West Coasts of England and Wales Pilot, Chapter 7, Caernarvon Bay, pages 106 and 107, paragraph 7.13: Charts 1413, 1977 7.13 Tidal streams. Between Rhoscolyn Head and Penrhyn Mawr the streams run generally in the direction of the coast, strongly off both promontories but weaker in Penrhos Bay. The NW-going coastal stream is joined by the N-going stream from Caernarvon Bay tending to set towards the land; the stream turns NNE round South Stack. The rates increase NW from Cymyran Bay. The SSW-going stream from North Stack turns S across Caernarvon Bay and SE round South Stack and Penrhyn Mawr. Eddies: A W-going eddy forms off the coast E of Penrhyn Mawr during the SE-going stream and there are eddies in Abraham’s Bosom and in Gogarth Bay during the streams in both directions. Tidal streams in the vicinity of South Stack begin as follows: Off South Stack: Interval from HW Direction Spring rate Holyhead (Dover) knots -0605 (+0530) NNE 5 +0020 (-0030) SSW 5 7 miles W of South Stack:

-0520 (-0610) NNE 2.5

+0050 (HW) SSW 2.5 Races. There are races off Rhoscolyn Head and Penrhyn Mawr. Holyhead Races extend from South Stack; that on the N-going.

stream extends 1.5 miles NW and is most violent up to 4 cables NW from

the islet; that on the S-going stream extends 2 mile W.

A race extends 2 mile W from North Stack during the N-going stream. The races off both North Stack and South Stack are dangerous for boats. Charts 1977, 1411. Extracts reproduced from the West Coasts of England and Wales Pilot with the permission of H M Stationery Office and of the Hydrographer for the Navy.

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Yachtsman's Cruising Guides

Experienced yachtsmen who have sailed in an area and know an area very thoroughly usually produce these guides. A trip to your local chandlers will soon tell you if there is a guide for your area.

Some contain a lot more tidal detail than the Pilot, as yachts like us have to make best use of the tide. The Anglesey and North Wales Coast Pilot by Henry Glazebrook (now sadly out of print) was an exceptional piece of work with fine detailed tidal drawings of many areas along this part of the coast.

Sea Canoeing Guides

These are very few and limited in number but are written and produced by canoeists for canoeists. Usually they are written by someone who has canoed in one area for some time and knows that area very well. Terry Storry has produced a River and Sea Guide for North Wales, Robin Ruddock of Northern Ireland has produced the Causeway Coast Guide which covers the very beautiful North Coast of Ireland; Mike Fennesy produced some years ago on waterproof paper a tidal stream atlas for part of the South Coast of Devon and Cornwall; I myself am in the process of producing a tidal stream atlas for the North Wales Coast including Anglesey. The only way to find out about these guides is to keep your ears to the ground, contact the BCU Sea Touring Committee, ASKC or write/draw one up yourself. Canoeists are their own worst enemies, being insular and working in there own little groups, hoarding any information they have. Computation of Rates

If for example we have a tidal stream flood/ebb arrow with 3 knots written underneath it that tells us the speed of the tide is 3 knots at its maximum possible rate. Probably at a Spring tide, the Neap rate would usually be half this rate, e.g. 1.5 knots. As we know from the 12th Rule the largest volume of water is generally moved in the mid part of the tidal cycle usually the third and fourth hours. This is when the tide will probably reach its maximum of 3 knots; so what speed will the tide by in the first, second, fifth and sixth hours? Here we can apply the 3rds Rule - this is a reasonably accurate method of predicting 11- rate of the tide in open water but can be affected by the shape of the seabed and coastline. It is used in a very similar manner as the 12ths Rule.

Springs Neaps

lst hour 1/3 = ? ? 2nd hour 2/3 = ? ? 3rd hour 3/3 = 3 knots 1.5 knots 4th hour 3/3 = 3 knots 1.5 knots 5th hour 2/3 = ? ? 6th hour 1/3 = ? ? 3/3 = 3 knots = Maximum Rate 1/3 of 3 knots = I knot = Minimum Rate

So Springs Neaps

1st hour 1/3 = 1 knot 0.5 knot 2nd hour 2/3 = 2 knots 1.0 knots 3rd hour 3/3 = 3 knots 1.5 knots 4th hour 3/3 = 3 knots 1.5 knots 5th hour 2/3 = 2 knots 1.0 knot

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6th hour 1/3 = 1 knot 0.5 knot

A very accurate method of working out the tidal rate if we have both the Spring and Neap rates (e.g. Tidal Stream Atlas or Tidal Stream Diamond Table) is to use the Computation of Rates table printed on the inside cover of all Tidal Stream Atlases.

To use this we must first find the range of the tide for Dover (only) on the day concerned: Thursday 27th February 1986 Time Height

Dover 0029 HW 6.7 mtrs 0757 LW -0.7

Range 6.0 mtrs

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We then consult our Tidal Stream Atlas or Tidal Stream Diamond Table and find the spring rate and Neap rate for the hour concerned in the area we are canoeing, e.g.

Spring Neaps 2 hrs after HW 3 knots 1.5knots

We then plot the 1.5 Neap rate on the Neaps horizontal line at 1.5 knots along the scale, then the 3 knots spring rate on the spring’s horizontal line at 3 knots along the scale. A diagonal line is drawn between the two points. We then read up the vertical range scale until we come to the range for the day concerned, e.g. 6.0 metres, look along the 6 metre horizontal line until it intersects the diagonal line from the Neap and Spring rates, at the intersection read off the speed at the top or the bottom of the table. In this case it would in fact be 3.1 knots (Equinoctial Spring Tide). If, for example, the range of the tide was only 3.5 metres the rate would be 1.6 knots. If 4.5 metres = 2.2 knots

If 5.5 metres = 2.8 knots

What is the answer to the following question? Monday 10th May 1982 Time Height

Dover 0615 HW 6.0 mtrs 1211 LW 1.4 mtrs Range ? Springs Neaps

3 hours before HW 4 knots 2 knots

Answer: 3 knots

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5. NAVIGATION The sea canoeist who paddles by the seat of his pants will eventually be caught out, either by fog/bad visibility or not planning an open sea crossing accurately enough and missing his target.

Just like our mentors, the Eskimos, the foredeck of our sea kayak is a working tool, not for harpoon lines and skinning implements but as a chart table. Seamen's tools, like parallel rules and dividers, do not work very well on the curved deck of a sea kayak especially in a rough sea: so we have to find things which are simple to use and operate, plan well beforehand so that we can have all the information necessary laid out before us in case we need to change our plans due to some unexpected crisis.

Many great sea trips have been completed in sea kayaks, circumnavigation of North and South Island New Zealand, Great Britain, Australia (11,000 miles) and now Japan, nearly all solo by Paul Caffyn including very long open sea crossings with no landings or support in excess of 120 miles. All these trips had to be planned accurately if things were to work out smoothly.

Nautical Charts or Ordnance Survey Maps If we travel-anywhere we need to have a picture of what land lies ahead of us to avoid getting lost. Mariners use sea maps known as nautical charts and these give a picture of the sea bed and information of the tide in which we are working, but relatively little knowledge of the coastline close inshore where larger craft cannot travel. The landlubber has a map, the most useful being the 1:50,000 scale Ordnance Survey Maps of Great Britain, of which no part of the country is left uncovered. These also give little knowledge of the seashore, but between the two, the corridor in which the sea canoeist travels for most of his time, which is relatively close inshore, we can glean a lot of important and useful information.

Nautical Charts

For Tidal rate and direction information. Light phases and sound signals. Special warnings, e.g. Gunnery ranges. Useful and obvious transits. Possible rough water areas, e.g. overfalls and tide races. Various scales. Against Limited coastal information. Expensive (£6-8 in 1986). Not waterproof. Not easily available.

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Ordinance Survey

For Relatively cheap (£2-3 in 1986). Easily obtainable (can now be ordered from Post Offices). Coloured detail. Show towns, Post Offices, telephones, public houses (very important) etc., small streams and possible campsites. Have a latitude/longitude and grid reference scale/position. Easier to work with. Against No tidal movement information Limited coastal information Not waterproof Fixed scale 1:50,000 or 1:25,000 Nautical Charts

Most charts used by sea canoeists are drawn in what is known as Mercator Projection. Very basically this allows the cartographer to draw the curved surface of the Earth onto a flat piece of paper. Distances and positions on the chart are measured in nautical miles and degrees and minutes for latitude and longitude. To give your position on a chart it would be expressed in degrees and minutes north or south of the Equator (latitude) first, then degrees and minutes west or east of the Greenwich Meridian, (longitude) second. This is the opposite way to a grid reference on a map. Remember latitude first, longitude second, degrees before minutes.

Measuring distances on a chart, whether it be vertically (latitude), horizontally (longitude) or diagonally are always measured on the latitude (vertical) scale only, opposite to the area you are working from. 1 minute of latitude is equal to 1 nautical mile. Due to the nature of the projection of the chart one nautical mile represented the top latitude edge of the chart would be larger than one nautical mile measured at the bottom latitude edge of the chart. The difference is only small on the scale of charts used by canoeists but it is best to develop good habits from the start. If one nautical mile was measured on the longitude scale this would be very different in distance to one nautical mile measured on the latitude scale however.

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Diagram 1. Q1. What is the position of Point A?

Q2. What is the position of Point B?

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Diagram No.2 Q1. What is the distance A to B?

Q2. What is the distance C to D?

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Which Chart?

All the charts for the British Isles are numbered and catalogued in a publication called 'Catalogue of Admiralty Charts and Hydrographical Publications', Home Edition, NP 109. In this you will find diagrams and numbers for all the charts to the British Isles and Northern European Coast. In the back is a list of chart retailers spread throughout the country from where charts can be ordered.

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Ordnance Survey Maps

The 1:50,000 Ordnance Survey Map is mote than adequate for the needs of the sea canoeist. The whole of the country except for Ireland has been divided up into boxes creating a numbered grid system; this grid is then broken down to give an accurate six figure grid reference giving a position of a 100 metre square anywhere in Britain. To give an accurate grid reference (or latitude and longitude position) is very important, as it may be the only way you can tell anyone exactly where you are.

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Giving a grid reference is very similar to giving a latitude/longitude position except you quote across (from west to east) the map known as ‘eastings’ first and then up (from south to north) known as ‘northings’. Second, if you forget how to do this there is always an explanation on the legend of an OS map. Q1. What is the grid reference of A? Q2. What is the grid reference of B?

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Distance

Each grid square on the 1:50,000 Ordnance Survey Map is 2 centimetres across or 20 millimetres, this is equal to 1 kilometre (1000 metres) on the ground therefore 2mm on the map is equal to l00 mtrs on the ground. Q1. What is the distance A to B? Q2. What is the distance C to D? Q3. What is the distance E to F?

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One kilometre is equal to 0.54 of a nautical mile. By using the following table and a conventional Silva mountaineering type 4 compass distances can be measured quite quickly in kilometres on the Ordnance Survey Map, but converted easily into nautical miles for use on a chart. Diagram No.5 Q1. What is the distance in nautical miles from E to F? By timing a set distance along the coast the other chart can be used to work out your average speed for that period of time. Q1. From A to B took you 45 minutes, what speed (in knots) were you travelling. Graticule Intersection

A useful, but not commonly known about marking on an Ordnance Survey map is the graticule intersection. This consists of a small blue cross placed at 5 minute intervals that if a line were drawn through them would line up with the latitude and longitude scale on the border of the OS map. By using the latitude scale you can measure off nautical miles straight off the map (1 minutes of latitude is equal to 1 nautical mile). It also allows you to give a grid reference and latitude and longitude position on an ordinary OS map.

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The Working Map

Most of your planning and preparation will be done at home, but once on the water you will need a map/chart to work with. The governing factor here is the size of your deck in front of the cockpit - measure this carefully and allow approximately half an inch all around extra for the clear plastic film (Fablon) to stick to itself and seal the map.

Cut out the relevant areas from the chart and Ordnance Survey map then stick them back to back, but before sealing the whole working map in clear fablon try and list some

of the following information:

Local weather station phone number Local radio frequencies and times for forecasts Coastguard phone number Any lighthouse phone number Any tidal stream information from the Pilot, Atlas or yachting guides

Most of this information could be found in a yachtsman's almanac. Working Tools

Tools needed for navigation for the sea canoeist need to be basic, simple and compact. Parallel rules, breton plotters, mariners' dividers, etc. are all expensive items of equipment which do make your life easier when at home doing all your planning and chartwork, but are impractical to carry on a journey. The following is a list and explanation of tools I use or have found useful. Map and Chart Symbols

There are many symbols used on maps and charts, most are obvious as to what they are but specialist technical symbols for the map are given in the legend and or the chart are listed in a specialist Admiralty Publication 'Symbols and abbreviations used on Admiralty Charts 5011'. This is a very comprehensive document and certainly worth a browse through.

Plotting Instrument

I use either a 5" Portland Series combined protractor and parallel rule and/or Silva type 4 (base plate) mountaineering compass. The protractor is basically a 5" square clear plastic protractor with degrees marked on the outside edge and a parallel grid in the centre area. Its size makes it easier to use on the chart than the Silva compass, but being relatively small, compact enough to carry on a long trip when detailed navigation may be encountered en route. They are available from chandlers and are not too expensive but to keep costs down you could use an ordinary drawing type protractor found in schools. The Silva type 4 base plate mountaineering compass is very easy to use (instructions in the packet) and as many sea canoeists are already. climbers/walkers will probably have this item of equipment and be conversant with its use. As the OS map is used more than the chart for most of our coastal touring it is advisable to keep it in the pocket of a buoyancy aid for deck chartwork and measuring distance.

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Dividers

For measuring distance the Silva-~compass can be used but to make life easier a pair of old school type dividers or a pencil type compass are available in most households or very cheaply. A pencil, pencil sharpener, rubber and ruler are also invaluable for home chartwork but whilst on the water a fine (red) spirit pen or chinograph pencil will be needed if all your hard work is not to be washed off by the first wave; this can be cleaned off later with some fuel from your stove or with surgical wipes from your first aid 'kit. A couple of pieces of white Fablon stuck to the deck either side and in front of the cockpit are useful for keeping notes and information needed during the trip.

Steering Compass

If you are to do any detailed navigation, especially if it is out of sight of the land, then a good high quality compass is essential. The size and the position of the compass are also important. The Silva mountaineering type compass hooked under your deck elastics are fine for short journeys or if the fog or mist comes down while you are just offshore, but for long spells of compass gazing you need something larger. A visit to your local chandlers will show a vast array of specialist navigating instruments all at a special price so think first 'Do I really need this piece of kit? If the answer is yes then be prepared to spend some money. You will need a device with large numerals that is well gimballed to allow the compass card to spin whilst the kayak is pitching up and down. Will you need to light it for night paddling or is it luminous? (Don’t trust the luminosity until you have seen it in the dark). VCP make a very good lighting system for the Sestral Junior Compass. Some manufacturers offer a thicker oil used to dampen the movement of the compass card (usually fitted to power boats). This is a very useful option and makes the compass easier to read in rough conditions. Remember to check if it floats: If it does not then tie it to the deck. Silva, Sestral, Saunto and Plastimo are manufacturers of good quality small deck compasses. The position of the compass in my opinion is critical, all too often manufacturers and canoeists mount the compass too close to the cockpit as this forces the paddler to look down when checking his course therefore breaking his view of the horizon and in certain sea conditions induce seasickness in some people. My personal preference is to use a relatively large compass and mount it as well far forward as will practically allow without causing eyestrain etc. Remember to take care when packing the kayak not to allow any metal or electrical items (radios, knives, camera gear, etc.) to come into contact with the compass under the deck and influence it’s heading.

Transits

One of the oldest but still. commonly used methods of navigating, from small craft like ours to large bulk tankers is the transit bearing. It involves no specialist equipment and because of this it is ideally suited to the needs of the sea canoeist. Basically all we have to do is to line up two obvious fixed features (lighthouses, Church towers, masts, buoys, etc.); we must then lie somewhere along an extension of this imaginary line, if the two objects give the impression of moving apart then we must be drifting to the left or the right of our imaginary line. If we were to draw in our imaginary line on the map or chart with a spirit pen, then look for another set of transits at least 45° apart from the first set then draw this line in, where the two cross would give us our approximate position known as a running fix. This

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method is very useful in areas of strong tidal streams -hen you want to know how fast you are travelling in relation to the land.

TRANSITS

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Diagram 6

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Laying of a Course

While paddling along the coast it is of great advantage if we have the tide with us. The problem comes when we want to cross a tidal stream; say between two islands, sometimes the tide can help us, sometimes not and possibly at certain times when the tide is very strong we may have to wait until it eases sufficiently for us to plan a course. If, for example, we were a free-floating object (not affected by the wind) at point C and it was HW slack - we would stay in this position for approximately one hour. If we consult the closest tidal stream diamond (A) it tells us for the first hour of the ebb tide we would travel in a direction of 2700 (true) at a rate of one nautical mile per hour (Springs); this would put us at point X. For the second hour 275o at 2kn this would put us at point Y; this would carry on in a similar fashion for the other four hours of the ebb until eventually the tide turned and we would travel back in a similar manner on the flood tide .Diagram No.6

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If we wanted to travel from A to B because of the nature of the tidal stream which is acting at right angles to the course we wish to follow we somehow have to allow for the tide to allow us to arrive at B without being swept away by the tide. There are many methods in which this can be done but the three most useful to the canoeist are the following:

A Tidal timing B Tidal diamond hourly plots C Tidal vector diagram

How long will it take?

Before we do any tidal plotting we must work out roughly how long the journey will take. Draw a line from your departure point (A) to your arrival point (B), measure off the distance in nautical miles on the latitude scale opposite to the area you are working (9 nautical miles); decide on what speed you will be travelling at - 2 knots for slalom type canoes, 3 knots for sea kayaks (approximately). If we were in a sea kayak it would take us approximately 3 hours. Tidal timing

By consulting our tidal stream diamond chart (or Tidal Atlas) we know there is an interval of slack water at high water that lasts approximately one hour. By looking at the direction of the tidal flow one hour before HW and one hour after HW (three hours total time) we notice they flow in opposite directions at the same rate. If we were to leave point A and paddle in the direction of B (due north 000 0 ) at the end of one hour we would end up at point X due to the direction and rate of the flood tide. For the next hour the tide is slack so we will be paddling due north (000°) but on a parallel track to our intended course which will put us at point Y. -For our last hour, which is the first hour of the new ebb tide, it will set us back in the opposite direction to the flood tide which after one hour of paddling will put us at point Z, or our original arrival point B. The great advantage of this system for the sea canoeist is that it is quick, simple and needs little practical chartwork; you only need to work out the timing and the heading from your departure point to your arrival point. As long as the flood and ebb streams travel in roughly opposite directions and their rates are similar then it is quite an acceptable means of navigation for the sea canoeist.

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Diagram No.7

Tidal Diamond hourly plots

If for some reason we could not use the tidal timing method, e.g... the crossing was very long and may take many hours; we would have to lay of a course on our chart allowing for the tide before we set off. The tidal diamond hourly plot is very simple and quick, but could be re-plotted on the chart whilst on the water if the need arose, e.g... you manage to get a running fix of your

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position and find you are not making as good a progress as you had expected (wind'?) so you would need to make a course correction. All we have to do is to find out what hour of the tidal cycle we plan to leave our departure point (A). Measure the distance from A to B (9 nautical miles); from the speed you expect to travel (3 knots) work out how long the journey will take (3 hours approximately) so we plan to leave four hours after high water on a Neap tide. By planning to leave at this time you would be leaving your departure point whilst the tide is at its strongest and you at your fittest and freshest, arriving at your destination when the tide would be at its weakest and you would probably start to be feeling tired, so if the journey had taken slightly longer you would have arrived with only a weak tide to possibly paddle against.

From your departure point (A) draw in the direction and the rate of the tide for four hours after HW (put a small cross on the chart point X); from this point put in the direction and rate for five hours after HW (point Y), from this point do the same for the 6th hour after HW (point z), from this point draw a line directly to your destination (point B) - this line is the true bearing on which you would paddle from point A onwards. Q1. Draw a Tidal Diamond Hourly Plot for 3 hours before high water (neaps). Tidal Vectors

This method of plotting a course is very precise and is used by yachtsmen and professional navigators. This exercise is normally carried out at home, drawn on the chart, and then photocopied onto the working map or chart. Basically we plot our course and allow for the tide for each hour we are on the water.

Draw a line from your departure point (A) to your arrival point (B) measure the distance (9 nautical miles), estimate the speed you expect to travel (3 knots) work out the time it will take approximately (3 hours). We plan to leave at 3 hours before HW, this will put us in the approximate area of our destination at HW slack giving us a one hour safety margin in case we are slower than estimated, or something goes wrong.

From point A measure off and draw in the direction and rate of the tide for 3 hours before HW (point X); from this point measure off 3 nautical miles (your speed) and mark off this distance on your course line from A to B (point Y); from point X to point Y is the (true) bearing you would paddle on for the 1st hour (3 hours before HW. For the next two hours plot the tide and your speed in exactly the same way. So for the first hour you would paddle on a course of 330 true, second hour 340 true and the last hour 350° true. To make life easier you can take an average and paddle on this bearing. e.g. 330 340 350 1020 divided by 3=340 true

The kayaks actual paddling course would be: 340° (true) +6° (variation)

346° magnetic for the 3 hours on the water

Q1 Draw a Tidal Vector Plot for 4 Hours after high after (neaps).

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This method is very accurate but does take some time to prepare. The first two methods will probably suffice for most of the everyday needs of the sea canoeist.

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Other course affecting factors

Remember all your chart work will be in degrees true, once you come up with your final heading you then add on the variation for that particular area and year. Variation on a chart will be found in the compass rose, on an OS map it will be found in the legend. All the examples of tidal rate that have been given so far have either been a spring rate or a Neap rate. As we know the rate of the tide is constantly changing from day to day, so to work out the exact rate of the tide you would also have to use the computation of

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rates table found in the front of a Tidal Stream Atlas. The explanation of its use can be found in the Tides chapter.

When plotting your course try to use the closest tidal stream diamond possible; if two are very close together and you are not sure which one to use then interpolate between the two, e.g.

Leeway: This is basically the sideways drift that a vessel in water encounters when bound by the wind. Yachtsmen have a method of calculating this drift and adding it onto their calculations when doing their chartwork. As canoeists we know the wind is our biggest enemy, but all kayaks will behave differently to each other in varying wind strengths. It is therefore impossible for us to calculate how much leeway we have and to practically add it onto our course. In reality all kayaks will be on the same track (course) but all facing to the wind at different angles.

Buoyage: This subject is covered in great detail in many other publications (yachtsman's almanacs, Sea Canoeing - J. Ramwell, etc.). As canoeists we are not restrained by our draft so we can virtually paddle anywhere and therefore don't really need to take a lot of notice of them: They can be of great help to us though in fog or at night. In foggy conditions you may come across a buoy but not be sure which one it is on the chart if there are a couple in that area. Its colour and shape will help but closer inspection of the buoy may reveal a name or a number that will probably be marked on the chart. At night all buoys have their own sequence or light phase and can usually be identified by this.

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Rule of the road (sea): This is the basis of marine law to which all vessels at sea must_ abide by. As canoeists we rate at the very bottom of the pile in importance, but even so we still must at least have respect for all other water users. Remember we are there for our pleasure but most of the other traffic you come across especially in a busy port is trying to earn a living. Always give way: The law says 'Power gives way to sail', but this is not practical. Work on the theory - 'Might has right'; in other words, if its bigger than you, get out of its way.

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Don't try to sprint across the bows of a boat, no matter what the size of the vessel: It is very difficult to judge the speed of an approaching vessel, especially when we are so low in the water and have such a slow forward speed. 90% of yachtsmen will not know the rule of the road: So beware of what course of action they may take - it would be very doubtful that they would give way to a kayak anyway, even if you did have right of way.

Remember we are very small and a lot of the time may not even be seen - in this type of situation keep close together to increase the size of colour that may be. visible to an oncoming vessel. If you on collision course with another larger vessel make an obvious (turn around) course change, but as a last resort you may have to let off a white fire (if you have one'.).

SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR

PLANNING A ONE-DAY SEA CANOEING EXPEDITION

Until you have built up your own experience, consider the "season" to be May-September inclusive. Be very cautious in May because

(a) it is the beginning of the fitness season for many people, (b) sea water temperatures are at their lowest in the spring.

Think of a trip you would like to do; write down your start and finish points. 10 nautical miles (or about 18 kilometres) makes a pleasant day trip. Find out TIMES of TIDES (a) High Water, Low Water; but also the Range of the Tide, i.e. Spring or Neap. Buy yourself some Tide Tables (b) The Direction and Rate (knots) of Tidal Streams. Get hold of the most detailed Tidal Stream Atlas for the area. (i) Can I find a date suitable to my own calendar when Tides are a positive assistance? (ii) Will the trip be possible in reverse? (iii) Can I find a suitable date for a reverse trip? When the Trip is practical in terms of Tides check your Start, Finish, lunch stop and Emergency Landing points. If there are beaches check that (a) you can land at the appropriate states of tide, (b) wave conditions are compatible with abilities of group, (c) you can get your vehicle near enough to the beach on the day. Ask other 'reliable' sea canoeists, local boatmen, Coastguards, if there are any (a) hazards on your route; e.g. Races, Overfalls, Firing Ranges etc (b) places of interests; e.g. Caves, Arches, Bird Colonies At this point RECONSIDER THE WHOLE TRIP (i) Is it within the ability of every member of the group`? (ii) Is it within my own capabilities if I am the leader? (iii) What weather conditions/wind speed will make (a) difficult and tiring (Force 3-4) (b) hazardous? (Force 4-5)

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Involve the group in the Planning; e.g. around a table on evening. You'll need some or all of the following: Tide Tables, tidal Stream Atlas, Admiralty Charts, OS Maps, Admiralty Pilot, AA Book of the Seaside, Ruler, Pencil, Dividers, Parallel Rulers, Rubber, (i) How long will the trip take? (Sea Canoeist paddles at3 kts) (ii) What weather conditions/wind speed will make us cancel trip??(iii) What safety equipment will each group member carry? (iv) Who will lead the group, obtain weather forecasts, advise and obtain advice from Coastguard?

Prepare your Deck Map --write everything on it, Date, Tidal Information, Route notes, Magnetic Bearing, Phone Numbers, Names and Addresses, Car Numbers. Then cover it with adhesive clear film.

Check your equipment one week before the trip so there is time to effect any repairs needed. Spread it out in a room the night before you go. A written checklist saves a lot of embarrassment.

Watch the weather several days beforehand, especially the Atlantic Chart. Always get a detailed forecast on the morning of the Trip. ANSWERS TO NAVIGATION QUESTIONS

Nautical Charts Positions: Q1. 53 20’N 4 5’W Distance: Q1. 8.0 nautical miles Q2. 53 18.2’N 3 57.5’W Q2. 2.25 “ “ Q3. 3.4 nautical miles

Ordnance Survey Maps Grid References: Q1. 355/965 Distance: Q1. 5.5 kilometres Q2. 393/003 Q2. 2.9 kilometres Q3. 416/038 Q3. 7.4 kilometres Nautical Miles: Q1. 4 nautical miles Speed: Q1. 4 knots Tidal Diamond Hourly Plot Q1. 340 true/346 magnetic Tidal Vector Q1. 019 true/025 magnetic

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6. Night Paddling As the saying goes "Time and tide waits for no man", which means that if the tide is going in your direction, the conditions are favourable and you have to reach a certain destination, then into the darkness you must go. To most people, their first taste of night paddling is arriving back late from a day trip somewhere, but to the dedicated sea kayaker night paddling can be a richly rewarding experience if all goes well. If not, the chances of you surviving the night out in cold, dark water even in the height of summer would be very small: You must, therefore, be well prepared if you are to cope with all eventualities that may crop up during the hours of darkness while you are at sea. Lighting

To get ourselves out of the darkness we must look at the subject of lighting in great detail. Any failure here will make life very difficult.

By law we are a vessel under 7 meters long and cannot exceed a speed of 7 knots. For this type of vessel all that has to be provided is an all round white light, or an occasional light. An all round white light is impractical to a canoeist so all occasional light is the best compromise, and this consists basically of a torch by which we can signal by’. As we shall see this is not really enough. Any lighting must be completely waterproof and reliable in case of capsize and a swim. There are .many supposedly waterproof torches on the market that just do not do the job. The old anecdote "You only get what you pay for" applies here. Good torches can be bought, which will not break the bank and give years of trouble free service or else you can make your own quite cheaply. Types of Lighting

Cylumes: These are chemical light sticks that give off a greenish glow. They are activated by bending the plastic tube breaking a small file inside and mixing two chemicals together. The light lasts for over 7 hours, as a good marker light which is more than adequate for a night trip. They do have a shelf life of about 3 years so be careful where you purchase them from and how long you store them for. For night paddling I think they are very important, if attached to the coat hook loop on your buoyancy aid at the back by a short length of cord and activated as you set off they provide a very good marker light for each person. If someone does take a swim the light stick floats on the surface marking the position of the victim very accurately. If you need a head count during the night because you think, you have lost someone, then people can just hold them up making this job a lot easier than shouting and asking names.

Head Torches: Head torches are essential as they leave the hands free to paddle or to do work. A lot of people use the Petzel mountaineering type of head torch that are very good but not waterproof; caving head torches are also very good as they give high and low power lights and are waterproof but are very heavy and expensive.

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The cheapest option is to make one as follows: It consists of an Achle Wonderlamp plastic head unit sealed with silicone sealant and a small gasket, a 2oz tobacco tin with a waterproof switch and a flat 4zvolt battery, or a Petzel part No. E06 round cell adaptor using 3 penlite batteries held in place by silicone sealant. The lid is then sealed with a smear of silicone grease and insulation tape then kept in the top pocket of an expedition buoyancy aid, this torch is cheap, light and waterproof even when fully immersed. Two bulbs can be used, either a 3.5 volt .2 amp bulb which gives good general light and long battery life; or a halogen bulb 4volt .5 amp which gives very good light but at the cost of reduction in battery life.

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Some form of filter over the light, preferably red, is useful as this does not disturb your night vision when used, but still allows you to see in the dark. A small piece of red cloth or cellophane can be put over the light and held in place with an elastic band but easily removed if full light was needed.

Commercial Hand Torches: Some form of powerful hand lamp can be very useful, either for spotting people in the water for landings, or for warning shipping that may be bearing down on you. A visit to a diving shop will show an array of waterproof and reliable torches but at a variety of prices. Tekna Lites of California make a very comprehensive range of lights from small pen lights to larger models, they are virtual l} indestructible, very reliable and run on pen light batteries but are not cheap. Other makes are available that are similar and cheaper, but use different batteries. Rubber torches are okay but I have found that in the long run are not very reliable. A system that uses pen light batteries can be very useful as many small electrical devices use this size, e.g. transistor radios, VHF radios, torches, etc. and are therefore easily transferable from one unit to another. If battery power is short, rechargeable batteries also have a place here if you are to use a system like this and can save you money in the long run. Remember to check before you use the torch - does it float or sink? Other Lights

As we know we do not have to show any form of lights and one of the great things of night paddling is that we can go unnoticed but this also can be a problem. Having nearly been run down at night on a few occasions I had to think of something that would warn other water users of our presence. It does not matter if it is a small fishing boat or a large bulk carrier it can be very frightening, or terminal, if we can't get out of the way or warn this vessel. A small strobe white light fitted to the rear deck of the back man is the most effective means I have found; the light is shielded from the rest of the group so therefore does not affect night vision, but can be seen by any vessel. from a long way off if it is steaming up from behind you. It will not know what the light is for as it will not be marked on the chart or have a phase that would be understood, but will probably treat it with caution.

The only other way of informing a boat of your presence is by white illuminating flares. There are three types: Mini Flares (white) Pinpoint (white) Parachute (white) Flares will be dealt with in detail in the rescue chapter, but the white mini flare could be used to attract the vessel's attention. If this did not work then the pinpoint white would give your position away very accurately. As a last resort I would put up the parachute flare. This is very powerful and turns night into day; if the Captain of a vessel did not take evasive action after this then I suggest you paddle fast!

The other use for the white parachute flare is to illuminate the area around you. If you have lost someone or had a capsize and/or lost equipment then this is your last and only chance to get the situation under control. The flare only burns for about 40 to 60

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seconds which is not very long; tell individuals in the group to look in certain directions so time is not lost then warn them just before you launch the flare.

Compass Lights: Travel by night may involve navigation by compass, e.g. an open crossing, so some form of lighting is essential. The small Silva mountaineering type compasses, if used, are luminous and by shining the torch directly onto the bezel housing will 'charge up' the luminous parts of the compass for a short while.

Other larger marine compasses used by sea canoeists will have to be illuminated by a small light. The system used by Valley Canoes consists of a small U2 size battery in a waterproof container, a short length of lead attached to a small light; the compass and light are then enclosed in a small plastic cover held in place by a deck elastic. This system does work quite well, though the pin type switching system does corrode after a while and must be washed off in fresh water regularly then greased to lengthen its life. Other systems can be made at home in a similar way to the tobacco tin system used for the

head torch.

Salt water activated batteries are available through chandlers; they are operated by removing small plugs in the casing allowing salt water to enter and corrode a set of small metal plates. This corroding action creates a low power electrical current that in turn powers a low wattage bulb. These are usually very effective and reliable but work out expensive in the long run. Illuminating Equipment

To make equipment 'stand out' at night then a variety of methods can be used. Luminous paint can he bought in car/bicycle/craft type shops, and equipment just used at night can be painted in this. The other and far more effective method is to use a retro reflective material - this is seen in every day use in road signs, cones, number plates, etc, and is fitted to Department of Trade approved lifejackets as it gives a very high chance of finding a person who has gone overboard at night from a large ship. It comes in various forms and colours - white, red, yellow and green being the most common, and in self-adhesive roles 1" wide or sheets. It also comes in a flexible cloth form for sewing onto garments. The sheet form can be bought from most car shops in the form of self-adhesive number plate backing then cut to size yourself. It is not cheap but worth every penny, a small piece on all items of canoeing equipment, even camping gear, and some patches on your boat and paddles will help night paddling run far more smoothly than without. After some persuasion to Wild Water they are now supplying all their sea canoeing equipment, expedition buoyancy aid, sea cag and spray deck with a retro-reflective tape night paddling option at extra cost - well worth the consideration if you are about to buy new gear.

Navigation at Night

Usually night paddling is done in reasonable weather so there is probably a high chance of stars being visible. Individual stars can be followed for short periods of time, say 30 minutes, and periodically checked by the compass this will alleviate the strain and boredom of watching the compass continuously and ward off seasickness which is common when concentrating on compass work. Changing the lead man also helps here as people do not get bored and therefore stay on course if they only have to work/concentrate for a short period of time.

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The silhouette of the distant coastline or an object on the top of the land (check your chart) may stand out in certain conditions. The glow of street lights on clouds above towns stand out very well from a long way off, or lit navigational markers (consult chart for individual sequences) are very useful, but skill is sometimes needed if these are back lit by street, house lights, etc. Lighthouses are always useful, the loom (the glow of the beam) as it sweeps is usually seen first, and this can give an approximate distance off fix if you know the height of the light (consult the chart) when it first comes into view.

If there are a couple of lighthouses together you will have to find their individual sequence so they can be told apart.

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Make sure you have done all your chartwork and have it set out in front of you before you set off to save fiddling about in the dark, e.g.:

All lights and phases you may need to use. Useful lit transits, e.g. large chimney tops (red) when will such and such a light come into view (distance off). What shipping may I have to contend with? What sound signals might I hear? What escape routes do I have, e.g. what parts of the coast are safe to land on. Is there any rough water we may have to contend with, e.g. overfalls or tide races?

Before you set off remember that it will probably be colder at night so wear more clothing or have it at hand to put on during the evening. Make up a flask and keep this handy also, the knee tube is ideal for this. You will probably be paddling during the hours of a shipping forecast, don't bury the transistor in the bowels of the boat, keep it in a Tupperware box behind the seat. While paddling you may come across phosphorescence. This is a green glow in the water when it is disturbed by the paddles or the bow. It is caused by small particles of plankton and in good conditions can be a very impressive sight. Something else that stands out is sound, waves breaking over rocks or rolling up a beach sound very much louder, and landing even in small surf can be very entertaining so approach your landing site with caution. Remember also to tell the Coastguard - I believe that this is even more important than in the day, strange lights moving about on the water are bound to set people wondering.

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7. WEATHER

After completing all our planning and homework the biggest deciding factor as to whether a trip will go ahead or not is the weather, and its effect on the environment in which we are working. All too often we hear of sea canoeing epics and sadly the occasional fatality which are frequently due to the weather and conditions turning bad on the paddlers concerned who are then unable to cope. Only a deep understanding of the weather and sea will give you the necessary experience to make the right decisions.

The weather is a very complicated science and even the experts get it wrong some times, but modern forecasting methods have come far in recent years giving very accurate forecasts. There is no way T can give you all the answers in just a few pages, but there are many good books on meteorology which cover the subject in great detail. What we need to know as canoeists is - how to find an interoperate forecast, make our own predictions, and how the weather affects us and our environment.

Weather and the canoeist

The weather that effects us as canoeists consists of: Sun Rain Fog Cold Wind or combinations of them all Sun

We all like paddling in sunny weather, but on a sunny day the sea acts like a mirror and even in this country you could become badly burned or suffer from heat stroke, eye strain or bad headaches. Protect yourself by wearing light, loose-fitting clothing, preferably white, as well as a hat with some form of a brim or peak - this can be dipped in the sea to help keep you cool. If you leave your spravdeck off be careful that the top insides of your legs do not become burned. Use of a good quality high filter factor sunscreen with frequent application will help keep the sunburn at bay (don't forget the backs of the hands, under the nose and behind the ears). The lips are also very vulnerable so lip salve will prevent cracked lips. Climbers use glacier cream to protect them from snow at altitude, this is ideal for our purpose as some types can be applied to the body and lips. It is also non greasy so you can hold your paddle after application, which is difficult after using the usual sunscreens. Dehydration is one of the contributing factors of heat stroke so keep plenty of drinking fluids handy with a little amount of salt in them, or use one of the mineral salt athletic type (Acolade) drinks which replace lost body salts. In an extreme case of heat stroke at sea you may immerse victim in the sea as shielding him from the sun would be difficult. Remember that diarrhoea and vomiting are also common symptoms of heat stroke - not pleasant to cope with in a kayak: Good quality sunglasses are also important and a lesson from the climbers again who use glasses with nose protectors and side shields to keep out unwanted glare work best. This modification could be done quite easily at home with a piece of thin leather or soft plastic.

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Rain:

Rain is no big problem to canoeists - we are wet most of the time so fresh .4~ater makes a change, but continuous rain over a period of days can be soul destroying and damaging to the morale of the group if not kept in check. A hood on your cag does make life a little more pleasant while on the water, and an old beer mat/towel around the neck also stops the eternal drips running down your back. Visibility can also he reduced in heavy showers or squalls which could result in you losing your horizon, inducing seasickness in some people - usually these pass over quickly and should not pose too many problems.

Fog:

Sea fog is usually only met in winter or spring, but occasionally occurs in summer. A feature of sea fog is that unlike fog overland, it can persist in quite strong winds, usually needing a wind change or very strong wind to clear it. Remember also that noise gives an impression of being a lot closer than it actually is, the throbbing of a ship's engine can be very unnerving. The same loss of horizon problems occur but to a greater extent in fog. Change the person navigating to help alleviate this, though group control is probably more important - it would be very easy to lose someone but even harder to find them again. Make sure you all have whistles and buddy up together. If you suspect fog during the day keep the compass on deck, ideally one per person, and an escape bearing written down on everyone's deck just in case the inevitable happens:

Cold:

Cold is very much a personal thing, some people suffering more than others. Even in the height of the British summer it can become quite cold without being immersed in the sea, hypothermia being our biggest enemy, and unless we are well protected and insulated it will be snapping at our heels. If you paddle during the winter months then your equipment and clothing must be up to this; your hands and head are the most prone to the cold so a good hat, especially one which covers the ears, is a very good way of regulating your body temperature acting like a thermostat - on for hot, off for cold. Air temperatures vary considerably from summer to winter and from the south coast of England to the northern parts of Scotland, but add wind to this and the temperature drops considerably. This is known as wind chill and is most dramatic in between 1 and 15 mph that is when we would he paddling.

Wind:

As we, have seen we can cope with sun, rain, fog and cold, but the wind is our biggest enemy. It will sap your strength pushing you backwards or into the water, or pin you down stopping your progress. There is nothing you can do about it until it eases. Beware of land and sea breezes, these occur on hot days usually late in the afternoon and can get up to force 5 in strength.

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Weather and lee shores - looking out to sea it may look very calm but the further you get offshore the windier it becomes. If you are at sea and then have to land on a lee shore the surf could possibly be difficult or dangerous to land in.

Wind against tide - a trip that sets off with a calm sea suddenly finds itself within a matter of minutes in a rough, steep sea making progress difficult or impossible (depending on the level of your skill), which could last for up to five or six hours until the tide changes.

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Turning along the coast - the wind, like water, always wants to take the easiest path. If the wind has been blowing across the sea nothing is in the way to stop or change its direction. If it hits the coast, especially at an acute angle, it can turn and run along the coast rather than blowing over the land.

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Under high cliffs with the wind blowing over the top of them the wind can sometimes increase in strength and eddy around causing vicious squalls, powerful enough to flatten the whole group. If you are sneaking along the coast under the shelter of the cliffs, you may find that as you try to round a headland the wind has increased in strength. This is just the same effect as the tide would have on a headland increasing in strength as it is forced around.

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In between mountains or islands the funnelling effect can be great; increasing the wind strength to many more times its original strength. Wind blowing off mountains is especially common in Scotland and can be quite violent. If there is a wind that can be a danger to shipping it may be mentioned in the Admiralty Pilot so a glance under the area you are canoeing in will not do any harm.

Before we set off on a trip it is advisable to get a weather forecast but once we are at sea, or on a trip of more than one day we are limited to the amount of information we can glean from limited resources. A small transistor radio is an invaluable aid to your own weather forecasting, Long Wave and VHF being the important channels. These are very cheap to buy nowadays and can be kept handy in a Tupperware type container. If members of the group have digital type watches with alarms these can be set to five minutes before important weather forecasts, each person having his own time he goes beep beep! Mark on the tuning dial the position of the stations you are using. This will stop a lot of fumbling around at the time of the forecast with cold hands.

A barometer is another invaluable aid to the weather forecaster. If you are not interested in the pressure in millibars but the trend, e.g. rising slowly, steadily, falling rapidly, etc. I use a climber’s altimeter/barometer that is small and compact but expensive; a small barometer can be bought very cheaply in ornament shops removed from its surroundings and kept in the Tupperware box with the radio. This instrument can make your weather predict ions far more accurate especially with respect to the timing of passing weather systems.

Barometer Rises Weather Trend Slow and Steady Prevailing dry and clear Rapidly Only temporary improvement Barometer Irregular Mostly variable and windy Barometer Falls Weather Trend Slow and Continuously Rain and wind Rapidly with a west wind Deterioration within 12-24 hours

Very Rapidly Storm (head for shore quickly) Suddenly in Summer Thunderstorms

THE EXPECTED WEATHER SETS IN ONLY WHEN THE RISING OR FALLING OF THE BAROMETER STOPS.

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Sources of Weather Information

Television Broadcasts Daily Papers Radio Forecasts Shipping Forecasts Sailing Clubs, Lifeguard/Lifeboat Stations RAF Met Centres Coastguards Marine Line Cefax Oracle

Television Broadcasts: In the last 10 years and especially the BBC in the last year, they have come a long way with their very accurate forecasts. Their main disadvantage is in the length of the broadcast and the item of main interest, the Atlantic synopsis chart is usually only up on the screen for a few seconds with the forecaster standing in front of it for most of that time. Despite this they are an essential aid to our own forecasting, especially before a trip, taking note of what is happening in the Atlantic and heading our way: The farmers outlook forecast for the week on BBC 1 at 1 o'clock (approx) on Sundays is very useful and usually this is reviewed on Wednesdays giving a forecast for the coming weekend.

Daily Papers: Daily papers are one way whilst on a trip, if you stop to get tool for example, of keeping up with the synoptic situation at that time. Most daily papers give some type of forecast but the Telegraph and the Guardian are the only ones that give a synopsis. (Irish and Scottish equivalents also give synoptic charts). It is important that you do not get the two mixed up. Telegraph: Synopsis for previous day, forecast for day concerned. Guardian: Forecast and synopsis for day concerned.

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This is probably the only way you will get to see a synoptic chart whilst on a trip unless you can interpret a shipping forecast and produce your own chart - this takes some time and a lot of practice. Try to make it a habit to watch one weather forecast with a synoptic chart each day; this will give you an understanding of how weather systems develop and what weather is associated with them.

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Radio Forecasts: Radio forecasts come in a variety of forms, some more accurate than others. Their main problem is usually trying to find them on your set and what times they are broadcast. A complete list of times of broadcasts and on which frequencies they are available in yachtsmen's nautical almanacs, or from the Meteorological Office, Bracknell. The four forecasts which are available to us are: BBC General Forecast Local Radio Station Forecast BBC Inshore Waters Forecast BBC Radio Shipping Forecast

BBC General Forecasts: Land area forecasts are very useful to us as most of our canoeing is along the coast. They also include an outlook for the next 48 hours and are updated more often than shipping forecasts. I usually listen to the 1750 hours (approx) forecast as this follows the shipping forecast. Local Radio Stations: These forecasts are very useful to us as they give information on the weather in the vicinity of the station. Many also participate in broadcasting small craft gale warnings' when winds of force 6 or more are expected within the next 12 hours. These warnings are handled the same way as gale warnings. The service operates on a seasonal basis Good Friday to October on certain stations, predominantly on the southwest, southern and eastern coasts.

BBC Inshore Waters Forecast: These forecasts are given for inshore waters (up to 12 miles offshore) so are very relevant to us. They give the forecast of wind, weather and visibility, then wind direction and force, present weather, visibility and (if available) sea level pressures and tendency at various filet Stations throughout the country. BBC Radio Shipping Forecasts: These forecasts are designed for commercial_ vessels, but are often the only forecast we can pick up on a small transistor. They cover large sea areas and the whole forecast has to be compressed into a true minute broadcast so detail is limited.

They come in a set format so after a few listens to the forecast you develop a picture in your own mind, know what is coming and what bits you need to listen to. The first part of the forecast is given to gale warnings read in a clockwise direction around the British Isles. This is followed by a general synopsis of the weather for the next 24 hours and expected changes in that period. Next, forecasts for each coastal sea area (read out in a set order, clockwise around the British Isles) for the next 24 hours, giving wind direction and speed, weather and visibility. The latest reports from coastal_ stations (set order, clockwise) for the next 24 hours giving wind direction and force, present weather, -visibility~ and sea level pressure and tendency. If time is limited some coastal station sea level pressures and tendency may he omitted.

It takes a lot of skill and even more practice to take down a shipping forecast, so you must be prepared to take down what relevant information you need. A shipping forecast area map with coastal stations marked on it can be a great help, especially at first an arrow marking the wind direction, a number marking the wind speed and a letter indicating the weather is my personal method.

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Try to listen to two or three forecasts in succession; this will then give you an idea of the weather pattern that is developing. Remember also to listen to the times given of the shipping forecast and the coastal stations, these sometimes can be many hours apart which can mislead your own forecast timing of the arrival of approaching weather systems. The reports from coastal stations give the weather at the time of the broadcast so it is not a forecast.

The most important item to remember, and often overlooked, is not just the weather forecast for your sea area and nearest coastal station, but other sea areas and coastal stations that may be in the track of oncoming weather systems - they will receive the weather before you and at least give you an indication of what is on its way to you; the pressure tendency will also tell you if it is going to get worse or better. For example, you are circumnavigating Anglesey and have seen a synoptic chart in a newspaper the day before and know a depression is on its way from the southwest. Sole, Shannon, Fastnet, Lundy, and Irish Sea are the sea areas that are important to you; Valentia, Scilly and Ronaldsway are the coastal stations that you should be listening to. If the weather is bad in Valentia, the pressure is dropping at Anglesey then in three to four hours (depending on the speed of the depression) you know that weather will be on top of you.

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MEANINGS OF TERMS USED IN WEATHER FORECASTS: In order to be able to understand a forecast it is essential to know the meanings of certain terms which are regularly used. The following are often used in shipping forecasts.

Gale Warnings

Indicate .winds of at least force 8 or gusts reaching 43 knots are expected somewhere in the area.

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'Severe gale' implies winds of at least force 9 or gusts of 52 knots. 'Storm' implies winds of force 10 or above, or gusts of 61 knots. Gale warnings remain in force until amended or cancelled ('gales now ceased'). If a gale persists for more than 24 hours the warning is re-issued. Timing

Imminent Within 6 hours of time of issue Soon 6-12 hours Later ` 12-24 hours Speeds (of weather systems) Slowly 0-15 knots Steadily 15-25 Rather quickly 25-35 Rapidly 35-45 Very rapidly Over 45 knots

Visibility Good More than 5 miles Moderate 5-2 miles Poor 2 miles - 1100 yards (1000 metres) Fog Less than 1100 yards (1000 metres)

Barometric pressure changes (tendency)

Now falling Pressure higher than 3 hours ago Rising more slowly (or now steady) “ “ “ “ “ Rising “ “ “ “ “ Steady Now rising Pressure lower or same as 3 hours ago Falling more slowly Pressure lower or lower than 3 hours ago Falling “ “ “ “ “ 'Falling' may be qualified by: Slowly Change less than 1.6mb in 3 hours Quickly 3.5-6mb in 3 hours Very rapidly More than 6mb in 3 hours Land area forecasts - wind strength

In land area forecasts winds are given in the following that relate to Beaufort forces as indicated:

Calm 0 Fresh 5 Light 1-3 Strong 6-7 Moderate 4 Gale 8 Land area forecasts - visibility

The following definitions are used in land area forecasts: Mist 200-1100 yards (183-1000m) Fog Less than 200 yards (183m) Dense Fog Less than 50 yards

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Coastguard

The Coastguard if contacted will only give you the most up to date shipping forecast he has. The only additional information you may get out of him is the sea state or what the weather is like at his station - phone number in yachtsman’s almanacs.

Met Centres

There are many 'let. Centres in Britain and a list including phone numbers can he found in yachtsman's almanacs. Some are only open 9 to 5 but some do have a 24-hour service. You will usually be talking to a professional meteorologist who kill give you a very good forecast and possible predictions for the next two to three dais as long as you ask him the right questions. Remember he knows what he is talking about, you don't. WHAT T0 ASK FOR

Make sure you have pen and paper ready (not the back of the telephone directory.

Say who you are, where you are phoning from and what you would like the forecast for, e.g. sea canoeing, what area and length of trip.

Points to raise

1. General synoptic situation - air masses - any approaching fronts, if so when will they clear your area.

2. Weather - when will it start/stop raining - showers etc.

3. Temperature - maximum and minimum.

4. Clouds - amounts (usually given in 1/8ths of total sky covered, e.g. 8/8 is amount of sky visible), height, type, how will they vary during the day and night.

5. Wind: The most important (and usually when your pencil breaks) part of the forecast for use - speed - direction - any local wind affects to look out for. He may also be able to give you a sea state.

Remember that at certain times of the day the forecaster may be fully occupied with aviation briefings, issuing warnings, discussions with paying customers or handing over to his successor, especially around 0730 to 0830, 1300 and 1930 to 2030 hours, so try to avoid these times. Don't be surprised if he asks you what the weather is like where you are phoning from: It is one way of returning the favour. Lighthouses

These will sometimes give you a report of the actual weather on the spot but they will only have the shipping forecast the same as the Coastguard; phone number in the almanacs.

Marineline

This system was devised by yachtsmen and is and Practical Boat Owner so they are very useful provided by the Met Office and are updated twice They give a general synopsis,

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strong wind warnings forecast, an indication of offshore swell (if any) 48 hours; phone number in the almanac. They are a conjunction with the shipping forecast work very well. When preparing maps or charts of the areas you are canoeing in write in the relevant phone numbers of Met Centres, Lighthouses, Coastguards, etc. This can be a great help as inevitably the telephone directory is missing and directory enquiries is engaged.

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8. EMERGENCY SITUATIONS No matter how well we plan our sea trips and expeditions, emergency situations will always crop up now and again. How well we cope with these situations is very much dependent on our own personal experience, but the sea is a very large place and unless a potentially dangerous situation is brought under control quickly then things will get out of hand in a very short space of time. Whatever your experience the sea shows no mercy in deciding who it wants to play with. We therefore must try to practise as many hypothetical situations as possible, so when things do go wrong we stand a very good chance of putting them right. It has taken a very long time for us to be given credibility in the marine world especially with the Coastguard and Lifeboat Service; a lot of this has been due to the fine work of Dick Richard, a rescue co-ordinator at Swansea Coastguard. Luckily most of the fatal accidents recorded by the BCU involving people canoeing at sea have been due to the general public hiring/borrowing canoes and being completely naive of the problems that can arise whilst on the water.

Preparation

Before even getting onto the water all of your equipment should have been checked out thoroughly; more than one epic at sea has been caused because of equipment failure due to old age or just general wear and tear. There is nothing more annoying than trying to repair someone's equipment whilst at sea when you know the problem is due to neglect by that person.

Coastguard

Informing the Coastguard of your intended trip is entirely up to you, or a group decision. Some people never tell the Coastguard, some people make out long lists of their intended trip and send it off weeks in advance; either way you must be aware of the consequences. If you don't tell them and something goes wrong you must deal with it yourself or summon external help by other means. A problem which has arisen on more than one, occasion when failing to tell the Coastguard is that you set off on a trip for a possible overnight stop or just plan to get back after dark, a well-meaning local sees you leave your vehicle but notices you have not returned after dusk, they inform the Coastguard who alert local

shipping, and possibly a helicopter, and in turn tell the Police who farce your address through your cat registration number and inform roar wife or parents that you are missing. It can be very embarrassing. If you do tell the Coastguard then the following information will be of great help to him if something does go wrong:

Number of persons in the group Type of craft: sea kayaks - slalom canoes - doubles - etc. What colours of craft Which flares you are carrying Departure point, lunch stop, destination point Estimated time of departure (ETD) and estimated time of arrival (ETA) Purpose of the journey, e.g. are you practising rescues or are they for real? - night canoeing - etc.

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A shore based contact telephone number, e.g. wife, girlfriend, parents (a reliable person with sound judgement) Car registration number if the vehicle is to be left for some days. The Coastguard will not normally instigate a rescue unless requested (shore contact) so if you arrive back late and do not inform them or something has genuinely gone wrong, but you don't have a shore contact, then no one will be out looking for you: It is very important that your shore contact informs the Coastguard if they suspect something is wrong and you inform the Coastguard when you are all ashore; if you cannot get through to the Coastguard to tell them then contact the Police.

Problems whilst at sea

If a problem has arisen whilst at sea then you need to consider the following:

Can I solve the problem, e.g. rescue, tow, repair, etc. Can we as a group solve the problem, e.g. rescue, tow, repair, etc. or Do we/I need outside help, e.g. we need to be rescued: Rescues and Immersion

Rescues dealt with by you or as a group are very important to sea canoeists and the only way to become conversant in the various rescue methods is by practise. Any form of rescue must be quick and efficient to reduce immersion time to a minimum. Survival in cold water is a very complex subject but by following some basic rules can greatly increase your chances of survival. The temperature of the sea around the British Isles varies from place to place, becoming colder the further north you travel and obviously at what time of year it is. At the height of summer the sea temperature reaches a maximum of 18C (approx), in winter a minimum of 5°C (approx) or less.

What clothing we wear has a very big effect on our survival time, but equally important is the stance or posture we adopt whilst in the water, either on our own or as a group. If you swim or move around you will lose heat far quicker than if you lie still and float, curling up into a ball or huddling together if there is a group of you will conserve heat even more. As a last resort, if you think you are going to be in the water for some time climb into a bivi bag, either on your own or if the bag is large enough, with a companion (far better) and pull the neck over your head and seal it with your hands. It will feel strange at first, but you do float upright and stand a higher chance of survival than any other method I know with the limited amount of equipment we carry. You can clip your towline to your buoyancy aid so the kayak does not drift too far away. Remember it is easy to see a brightly coloured kayak than it is to see a person's head. Whatever immersion survival method you adopt - DO NOT LEAVE (LET GO OF) THE KAYAK.

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Possible survival times in hours

5°C 10°C 15°C Treading water 1.46 hrs 1.96 hrs 3.07 hrs Floating (still) 1.96 hrs 2.62 hrs 4.11 hrs Curled up position 2.87 hrs 3.30 hrs 5.96 hrs

These results are from people wearing light clothing, polar material or, better still; a wetsuit could significantly increase these figures. An even higher chance of survival could be obtained by adopting the bivi bag method.

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The general opinion of treating hypothermia nowadays is to re-warm the victim at the rate of which they were cooled, e.g. immersion in very cold water, re-warm in a warm bath, slow cooling through inadequate clothing over a day or two - re-warm progressively.

Rescues As we have seen we must avoid at all costs total immersion in the sea; if it does happen then the rescue must be carried out very quickly.

It is important to look at rescues as the Eskimos would have, that is not only to be self sufficient in equipment, but in self rescue techniques also. There are a lot of rescues

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shown in many canoeing publications that just do not work in rough conditions and unless you can rescue yourself you could be in for a long swim. Rolls

It goes without saying that an efficiently performed roll is by far the best form of self rescue available to us, and therefore it is important that people learn this technique from an early stage in their sea canoeing career. Even so everyone takes a swim now and again so it is important that we still have another method of getting back into the kayak by ourselves.

Re-entry and Roll: In recent years this form of rescue has been the focal point of much debate and controversy. Most of the diagrams of this rescue show the canoeist performing a perfect forward roll to get his legs into the cockpit, then put on the spray deck, all underwater, and then roll up: In reality things are not so simple. Due to the buoyancy aid and buoyancy in your clothing it is very difficult to get into a good position underwater. Sea kayaks also have a tendency to sit on their sides rather than turning completely upside down, so the rescue is performed on your side just under the surface of the water. In difficult conditions it is virtually impossible to replace the spraycover under water; many people can demonstrate this in the swimming pool but in real conditions it is a different matter.

When rolling up I use a pawlata/put across roll because when the kayak is waterlogged it is slightly more difficult to roll up so the extra leverage helps. Once upright, unless you have adopted a system which reduces the volume of water into the cockpit area, it can be very difficult to keep your balance, putting on the spraydeck can be quite an ordeal and pumping out, especially if the pump is behind you on the deck, virtually impossible: The re-entry and roll system does work but as with a lot of techniques needs practise in a variety of conditions.

Main Paddle Support: Over the last couple of years one or two other ideas on self-rescue have come to light. The main paddle can be pushed under the decklines of the kayak with the drive face of the blade in the water acting as a single outrigger. Another modification to this was to tie a buoyancy aid to the paddle or use a new device called a paddle float (basically a small inflatable bag which slips over the end of the blade); this would help the paddle to stay on the surface. The idea works reasonably well as long as you have the wind blowing across the kayak. Once in the kayak you need to maintain your

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balance by applying weight onto the blade in the water, but what usually happens is that you are knocked sideways by a wave and capsize down wind.

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Split Paddle Rescue: I have watched many supposed self rescue demonstrations and seen a good selection of gadgets, but have not been totally convinced about the success of individual techniques. During the last six months I have been working on an idea using split paddles as a pair of stabilisers. At first I tied the paddles across the back deck after they had been slipped under the decklines. Both drive faces of the blades faced the water. This system allowed me to stand up on the deck of the kayak without capsizing but due to the paddles being a few inches off the surface of the water the kayak flopped from side to side and gave a feeling of instability. The second system involved a small joint which allowed me to join the paddles together so the shaft followed the cross section profile angle of the back deck; they were held in position by two loops of climbing tape glassed into position and the joining sleeve located into my towing cleat. This system allowed the paddles to sit into the water and stopped the flopping from side to side problem encountered with the first method, but it involved a piece of extra equipment which I thought could make life difficult in rough conditions.

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After thinking over the system I felt it could be incorporated into the design of the kayak therefore eliminating any extra equipment, all you needed to do was to simply plug the split paddles into the side of the kayak and climb back into the cockpit. Britain’s leading sea canoe designer/ manufacturer and the Mark III version is going through its sea trials at the moment have now taken up the idea. If a complete success it will be available to be fitted into new sea kayaks during their construction as an optional extra or in kit form to allow the home canoe DIY man to fit it to his own kayak. No doubt the canoeing press and jungle telegraph will publish more information on the system in due course. The great advantage over this system is not only in its self-rescue capacity but solo canoeists to have longer periods of rest, or possible sleep could use it without the fear of capsizing. In an exhausted state you could still remain upright without having to expend energy sculling for support and eliminating the immersion survival techniques, if you damaged your upper body (dislocated shoulder) you still have a chance of propelling yourself with one hand and the main paddle. In a group situation if someone is frightened or incapable of remaining upright (dislocated shoulder, seasick, too rough) then the device can be fitted whilst they are still in the cockpit and if the need arose they could quite easily he towed to safety without the additional support of another person/kayak.

Group Assisted Rescues As I have said previously every effort must be made to rescue yourself, far too many people rely on group rescue techniques to get them back into their kayak if they have taken a swim. In extreme sea conditions group assisted rescues are impossible' so you must rely on yourself - your companions can only provide moral support. There are many group-assisted rescues shown in canoeing books, the following are a few that do stand a chance of working in more difficult conditions. Remember the first priority is to get the victim out of the water as soon as possible. Eskimo Rescues: This form of rescue is useful when people are in the early staves of learning to roll and have the confidence to stay underwater in their kayak and wait for rescue. The rescuer must be close at hand for it to have any chance of success (buddy group members together in pairs). The original bow and stern presentation rescues in sea kayaks can be very dangerous and can damage kayaks and hands.

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Curl and Pump Out: 'X' rescues, 'TX' rescues, 'H' rescues and 'HI' rescues do not work with sea kayaks, especially if they are loaded, it is impossible to lift a waterlogged sea kayak out of the water and then drag it across your deck when you are sitting in the cockpit of another kayak. If the kayak is fitted out in such a way that only a small volume of water enters the cockpit then the victim can climb back into the cockpit in the usual manner over the stern. If a large volume of water has entered the kayak then the victim can lean over the rescuer's kayak and perform the curl method until a large quantity of water has run out of the cockpit and the kayak can be flicked back onto its hull, the victim then climbs back into the cockpit in the usual method and whilst he is putting on his sparaydeck the rescuer starts to pump him out. This method can be carried out in less than a minute with practise.

The Stirrup

If you are involved in a mass capsize or have a victim who is very heavy and/or large and/or weak (you have problems) it can sometimes be very difficult to get them back into the cockpit. The most successful method I have seen and used is the stirrup method; basically a loop of rope that is easily adjustable for height is attached to the paddles and then fastened to your kayak with a quick release knot. (there are many ways of fixing the rope and it is best to experiment yourself until you come up with a system that works well for you). The victim puts his foot into the loop and stands up; if the loop is adjusted to the correct length the victim will literally fall across your foredeck where it is then quite easy to put him back into his cockpit.

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As with all of the methods I have shown here they only stand a chance of working if you practise them in a variety of sea conditions regularly.

OUTSIDE HELP

We need to be rescued

If the situation gets out of control and there is a high risk to life and limb then you must not be afraid to call in outside help - you may be lucky and attract the attention of a small boat or yacht at the other end of the scale you may have helicopters and lifeboats on their way to you, but before help even arrives need to consider how you are going to attract attention. VHF radio transmitters

A VHF radio is a very useful item of equipment to the sea canoeist, but to some people it poses a very big ethical_ question to our sport, the argument being that help is always at hand just at the press of a button.

For some years sea canoeists tried fitting the radio into a waterproof compartment behind the seat, but with modern day technology a good quality handset can now be obtained for under £200 (1986) and then sealed in a commercially made waterproof container (£80 to £100 in 1986). A list of specialists in the field is given in the Appendix. If you use a VHF radio then by Law you need a licence for the set and also need to pass an operator's exam, both of which cost money. Details are available from The Home Office. Correct RT-procedure is very important and you can call for help or assistance in many ways. The Royal Yachting Association produces two very comprehensive booklets on the subject and are well worth reading if you are considering buying a set. You can also be connected into the public telephone network so that from a remote spot in the Western Isles of Scotland you could phone someone on the other side of the world, but remember, if you can call them, they can call you.

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The radio is not the answer to all our problems though, they need power and on many occasions when I have seen them being used they have broken down. Their biggest disadvantage is their range - a small handset only has a low power output and as we are low down near the water their 'fine of sight' range is also limited unless you can climb onto some high ground when you land. ‘EPIRBS’ Emergency position indicating radio beacons are another form of radio transmitter, more commonly known as 'callbuoy' or 'locat'. 'The locat LDT 25 is a small unit ideally suited to the canoeing situation. All you do is to remove a small pin and the fully waterproof unit will transmit your exact position on the International Distress Frequency to a range of up to 200 miles for 36 hours. There has been only one sea canoe rescue that I know of where a beat was used to find sea canoeist's position, a report of which can he found in a back issue of the ASKC Newsletter. At a cost of E127 (1986) you need to decade if it is worth paying the extra for a VHF transmitter that would be of more use in the long run. As with the VHF radio you also need a licence for an EPIRR and it is of great importance that the device is not switched on accidentally. FLARES

Flares are probably the most common form of rescue signalling device carried by sea canoeists. There are many makes and types available on the market but Pains - Wessex - Schermuly are probably the leading manufacturer in Britain. Most people are very sceptical of flares in that when they are needed, will then go off. This probably stems from reading test reports and finding their prize possessions failed to meet their expectations. As long as flares are changed every three years and looked after/kept dry then there is every chance of them working? There are basically three types of flares - smoke (, day use) - light (night use) and rocket flares. What to carry is a very difficult question as it depends on the type of canoeing you are involved in; what is important is the accessibility of your flares – to many people bury their flares in the depths of their waterproof containers inside their kayaks. The smoke flare is ideal for giving your position away but in windy conditioned or more than three miles -offshore could quite easily be missed. The pinpoint light flare is more effective in poor lighting conditions or at night and is not affected by the wind. Pains Wessex produce a small day/night flare which fits easily into the pocket of an expedition buoyancy aid, it does not burn or long as the smoke or pinpoint flare, but it is totally waterproof and as it can be kept at hand it is a great advantage. The pinpoint and smoke are only water resistant so avoid immersing them for long periods. Mini flares

Most people class these flares as useless and as a main signalling device they are very limited, but if a helicopter or vessel is in the area is searching for you then they can be of great help. They usually come in a pack of eight projectiles, climb to a height of 200ft and burn for six seconds. As you have eight chances of signalling even a 50% failure rate would not be disastrous. They are still issued to RAF pilots so cannot be that useless.

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Parachute flares

The parachute flare is probably the first line of attack you would use. A rocket carries the flare up to 1000ft where it is released, then falls to the ground on the end of a small parachute burning for approximately 60 seconds. They are very effective if followed by a smoke flare to pinpoint your position, or if you are under very high cliffs and any other types of flare would not easily be seen - but remember if the weather is bad and the cloud is low then the flare could disappear and burn completely whilst still in the cloud. You will only get one or two chances with flares so think first - 'Will someone see this or should I wait?' Sea dye

This is either a liquid or powder that when released into the sea turns the surrounding area into a fluorescent green or orange colour. It is very effective when viewed from above but- dissipates quickly in a rough sea - careful timing is the essence here; this also is issued to RAF pilots and fitted in life rafts. Heliograph

The heliograph is probably the oldest signalling device still used today. It consists of a small mirror with a hole in the centre; a short length of cord attaches the mirror to a plastic sight. The hole in the mirror is then aligned with the sight and your target; the sun's rays are then reflected onto the target by gently tilting the mirror. Although it sounds primitive it is very effective and its only limitation is lack of sun. It is still issued to RAF pilots and fitted in life rafts.

TARGET

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Radar

Some years ago tests were carried out with pieces of silver paper laminated into or attached to the kayak to help it stand out on a ship's radar, therefore increasing the chances of location. The problem was that a ship's radar can also pick up waves in a rough sea and to help eliminate this problem the radar manufacturers fit what is known as an anti clutter device; this is adjustable in sensitivity to give a clearer picture to the operator, but in doing this, as we are so close to the waves, we were lost when the sensitivity was increased to give the better picture, or just another of one of the many dots when the sensitivity was decreased. Helicopter rescue

The chances of being rescued by a helicopter is very high nowadays, and the following is an extract from a report on 'Views on Helicopter Rescues for Sea Canoeists which I wrote for my Sea Coach Assessment. Much work has been done with helicopters and sea canoeists, and the rescue services are now aware of the problems when trying to rescue us. The Corps of Canoe Lifeguards now have a film on the subject that is shown to helicopter crews during training and is

available through BCU supplies.

Views on Helicopter Rescue for Sea Canoeists

This information in this report is based on experience gained from working with helicopters in the RAF and an exercise with 22 Squadron RAF Valley involving canoes. The methods mentioned are not designed to be a rigid set of rules as every situation will be different. However, most have been tried and tested and found to be successful.

Types of helicopter

There are two main types of helicopter used by the RAF/Navy for rescue purposes, the Wessex and the Sea King. Most RAF helicopters will be painted a bright yellow colour whereas most Naval helicopters will be dark blue with a fluorescent orange band around the mid section. The words Rescue will also be painted in various positions on the fuselage. Dangers and hazards Downdraught

A helicopter in the hover position exerts a downward force of air in the shape of an upside down mushroom with a flattened top; this shape is changed slightly by the wind and pushed slightly backwards. This is the main hazard to the canoeist as the air blast can tip the canoeist over with ease, maintaining balance and hold of one's paddles becomes extremely. Brief your group well, tell them not to worry just hold on tight, but remember once the helicopter is overhead you will not be able to communicate.

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Static

An electrical charge builds up as the aircraft flies through the air; it is discharged when the winchman or winch wire touches the ground or sea. It is therefore, important to allow the winchman to make the contact and avoid the shock. Noise

Unless you have been under a helicopter before, the first time, especially at sea, can be a frightening experience. Brief your group well, tell them not to worry just hold on tight, but remember once the helicopter is overhead you will not be able to communicate.

LOCATION

The helicopter will approach the search area from downwind flying between 500 to 1000 feet depending on cloud base and sea state, working its way up into the wind till it finds its target. Your job is to catch the pilot or crew's attention and then pinpoint your position. The best combination it seems is to let off a rocket flare following immediately by a hand smoke flare. Once the aircraft has a visual sighting and is flying towards you DO NOT let any more Pyrotechnics off it will drop its own smoke floats if it needs to know the wind direction. At night the aircraft has its own very powerful spotlights on board; the use of pinpoint red flares, strobes and retro-reflective tape can go a long way to help your location.

Procedures RAF Procedure

The helicopter will approach you from downwind keeping you in the two o'clock position. The pilot and crew will then 'weigh up' the situation, move sideways onto you, winch down an immersion suit clad winchman, then winch the winchman and casualty back into the aircraft. The winchman usually never comes off the winch wire. Navy Procedure

The helicopter will 'stand off' its target and 'weight up' the situation then drop a wetsuit clad diver above/below wind or tide of the target depending on conditions, the diver will then swim to the casualty and the helicopter will 'stand off' again once the diver has the situation in hand he will call the helicopter back in by means of hand signals. The winch wire will then be dropped with a strop. The casualty will then be winched back into the aircraft; the wire will then be lowered again to recover the diver. The both cases as the casualty approaches the helicopter door he will be turned around and brought into the aircraft backwards.

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Canoeists Procedure

If the casualty can be picked up out of the water then this will make the winchman's job a lot easier. For example the solo canoeist who cannot get back into his boat keeps hold of his boat till the strop has been put around his shoulders. If you are in a group, the casualty should get into the water. Another canoeist also get into the water to assist the casualty the rest of the group can then wait clear of the two in the water until the casualty has been winched up. Then the group can paddle back in to pick up the remaining swimmer. The case of the hypothermic victim is probably the most common and difficult to handle, whatever way the job is done the casualty will usually get wet and cold either through immersion or through wind and spray from the downdraught so the task must be done

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quickly, once in the aircraft he can be warmed by blankets and a heater an alternative method of rescuing a hypothermic victim without immersing him in the sea is to lay him across the foredecks of a strongly made raft of canoes.

1. The raft should consist of all but one canoeist. 2. The solo canoeist tows the raft from the middle canoe stern first into

wind, the paddler acts as a sea anchor and allows the canoeists in the raft to act as a wind/sea break, for the casualty.

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3. The casualty can be placed in a bivi bag and laid on the foredecks of the

raft. 4. The winchman will land in the water just in front of the raft to discharge

the static. He will then be lifted out of the water and onto the raft thee bivi bag can be pulled down past the casualty's shoulders to allow the strop to be put on, he can then be winched straight out of the bivi bag.

Every effort must be made to keep the raft together as the downdraught hits. It is imperative that the plastic bivi bag be tied down securely so that it will not blow away once the casualty has been lifted, this is because there is a great chance of the bag being sucked into the rotor disc of the helicopter in which case you will end up with the helicopter in your lap.

Conclusion

The pilots and crews of search and rescue helicopters are a highly skilled team, trained to cope with difficulties as they arise; if you have any doubts on what to do as the helicopter arrives do nothing the crew will he able to do their lot) much quicker and better if you just let them get on with it.

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FURTHER REFERENCE

British Canoe Union Handbook A good all round canoeing book with limited information on sea canoeing.

Sea Canoeing: Derek Hutchinson The first sea canoeing handbook - well worth a read but now getting a bit dated in some of its information.

Sea Touring: John Ramwell (available from ASKC) A small book with up to date information about sea canoeing. Sea Kayaking: John Dowd (difficult to get hold of) An American book. A very comprehensive manual on open touring, predominantly in the USA in double touring kayaks. Obscured by Waves: Paul Caffyn (difficult to get hold of) Account of Paul Caffvn's circumnavigation of South Island New Zealand. Angmagssallk Around Britain J. Clarke – G.Hunter (available through ASKC) Account of Geoff Hunter's solo circumnavigation of Britain in 197? The Little Kayak Book John Brand A beautiful book on the history with diagrams of sea kayaks.

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th National Sea Canoeing Symposium Reports (some available from ASKC) Very interesting reports on all aspects of sea canoeing. 1981 Baffin Island and Labrador Kayak Expedition Nigel Foster A very interesting report of a sea-canoeing epic: Possibly turned into a book in the near future. 1981 Cape Horn Expedition A comprehensive report on an interesting trip.

British Canoe Union Coach Course Essays (probably available from the BCU) Various essays on all aspects of sea canoeing.

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Meteorological Office London Road Bracknell Berkshire RG12 2SZ Met. Office leaflet No.3. Weather bulletins, gale warnings and services for shipping

Royal Yachting Association Victoria Way Woking Surrey GU21 1EQ Comprehensive range of booklets of interest to canoeists. G22/84 VHF Radiotelephony for yachtsmen G26/86. VHF Radio Operator examinations G5/80. Weather forecasts

Sea Kayaking Derek Hutchinson Intended primarily for the American market much of the information is in Derek's book 'Sea Canoeing' - it is also quite expensive.

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APPENDIX

Advanced Sea Kayak Club Secretary John J Ramwell 4 Wavell Garth Sandal Wakefield West Yorkshire WF2 6JP A club for anyone with an interest in sea canoeing with bimonthly newsletters. Well worth being a member. Sea Kayaker Magazine 6327 Seaview Avenue NW Seattle WA 98107 Editor: John Dowd An American magazine produced four times a year; some very interesting articles with strong American bias. Available by post from America. Survival Aids Ltd Morland Penrith Cumbria CA10 3AZ 09314 307/444 A comprehensive range of equipment for the survival situation with newsletters. Petzel Lyon Caving Equipment A range of quality torches and equipment. Munster Simms Engineering Ltd Old Belfast Road Bangor Co Down Northern Ireland BT19 ILT Manufacturer of whale pumps Head Office Simpson Lawrence Channel Marine 218/288 Edmiston Drive Glasgow G51 2YT Manufacturer of all types of marine equipment. Large hose clips available for VCP hatches.

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Neptune Waterproof Cases DS Developments 174B London Road East Grinstead Sussex RH19 1ES 0342 27686 Waterproof cases for VHF radios Standard Communications UK Ltd 211 The Broadway West Hendon London NW9 7DE 01-202 2778 VHF Radios Malvern Kites The Warehouse St Ann's Road Great Malvern Worcestershire 06845 65504 Kites in all shapes and sizes: Wild Water The Mill Glasshouses Pateley Bridge Harrogate North Yorkshire HG3 5QH 0423 711624 Sea cagoule, Expedition buoyancy aids, spray decks, dry bags Pains-Wessex-Schermuly Pains-Wessex Ltd High Post Salisbury Wiltshire SP4 6AS 0722 20211 Britain’s leading flare manufacturer Lendal Products Ltd 30 Hunter Street Prestwick Ayrshire KA9 1LG 0292 78558 Quality paddles and foot pump Spencer (Banbury) Ltd Spencer House Britainnia Road

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Banbury Oxfordshire OX16 8DP 0295 57301 A very good specialist wrist support designed for tenosynovitis recommended by Physiotherapists in small, medium, large, left or right handed.

Splash Sport 19 Brunswick Street Lancs. BB2 2AJ 0254 75737/71456 Manufacturer of thermal paddle mitts and other software EM Electronics Marine Ltd William Wright Dock Hull HU3 4PG 0482 25163 Locat personal distress beacon

Joy.Turnbridge Ltd London SW17 England Luminous and fluorescent paint Silva Compasses (London) Ltd 10 The Causeway Teddington Middlesex TW11 OHE 01-943 0135 High quality marine compasses Javelin International Ltd Javlin House Edgedale Road Sheffield S7 2BQ 0742 57413 Clothing, waterproofs and footwear Crewsaver Marine Equipment Ltd Mumby Road Gosport Hants 07017 80648 Lightweight folding lifejackets Strobe-Ident Ltd Tolpits Industrial Estate Tolpits Lane

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Watford Herts WD1 8QY 09237 79297 Strobe lights Suzy Products 34 Kelvinbrook West Molesy Surrey KT8 9RZ 01-941 2714 Towlines, Paddle mitts, Wet sac, Expedition vests Harishok The Harishok Co Jakson Street Hvde Cheshire 574 SX14 1BX 061-368 9216 Buoyanct aids and the mithric dry suit Hel1y Hansen (CK) Ltd College Street Kempston Bedford MK42 8NA 0234 41431/6 Vast range of the original polar gear Typhoon International Ltd 42/44 Arundel Terrace Barnes London SW13 9DS 01-748 8341 Wetsuits and dry suits

Henri Lloyd Ltd Smithfold Lane Worslev Manchester M28 6AR 061-799 1212 High quality waterproof clothing Point North Ltd 58 High Street Cemaes Bay Anglesey

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Gwynedd LL67 OHL 0407 711030 Suppliers of materials and patterns for outdoor use/clothing, drybags, etc. Also supply reflective tape, self adhesive and for sewing onto equipment. Tory Outdoor Pursuits 5 Lyndon Grove Runcorn WA7 5PP Suppliers of materials and patterns for outdoor use/clothing, dry bags, etc. Also supply reflective tape, self-adhesive and for sewing onto equipment. H & T Harlow Ltd Hailsham East Sussex BN27 5JS 0323 847234 Manufacturers of all types of rope including Harlow Marstrom orange soft feel floating rope from 5 to 10mm dia.