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Level 3 Kayak Proficiency
1. General Aims
2. Requirements prior to assessment
3. Assessment
4. Guidelines
General aims of the Level 3 Kayak Proficiency Award
The Level 3 Kayak Proficiency Award aims to enable participants to
1. Kayak safely and competently on rivers up to and including Grade 2 difficulty as a member of a group being led.
2. Be capable of negotiating obstacles encountered on water of Grade 2 difficulty.
3. Assist in rescues.
4. Foster further participation in canoeing
Requirements for the Level 3 Kayak Proficiency Award
To obtain the Level 3 Kayak Proficiency Award a participant must successfully explain and demonstrate the following techniques and skills at a proficiency level higher than that required for the Level 2 Kayak Proficiency Award.
Prior to assessment for the Level 3 Kayak Proficiency Award a participant must have successfully obtained the Level 2 Kayak Proficiency Award.
Strokes
1. Forward Paddle, Reverse Paddle, and Emergency Stop.
2. Forward Sweep Strokes, Reverse Sweep Strokes and a combination of Forward and Reverse Sweep Strokes.
3. Draw Stroke
4. Sculling Draw
5. Sculling for Support
6. Low Brace
7. High Brace
8. Low Brace Turn
9. Stern Rudder
10. Bow Rudder
Techniques
11. Entry and Exit
12. Edging
13. Forward Ferry Gliding
14. Reverse Ferry Gliding
15. Breaking In
16. Breaking Out
17. Capsize Drill
Rescues
18. Assisted X Rescue and an X Rescue
19. Eskimo Rescue
Theory
20. Safety Rules
21. An understanding of the use of Defensive Swimming
22. An understanding of the following water features - Eddies, Standing Waves, V Waves, Stoppers, and Easy River Routes i.e. the main flow down a Grade 2 rapid
23. An understanding of good control (i.e. responding to various signals and commands)
24. An ability to use a throwrope as a rescuee
Before applying to attend a Level 3 Kayak Proficiency Assessment, a candidate must
1. Have obtained a Level 2 Kayak Proficiency Award
2. At the time of assessment, is a member of the Irish Canoe Union either as an individual member or as a member of an affiliated club.
3. Be at least 12 years of age.
Assessment for the Level 3 Kayak Proficiency Award
1. During an assessment the candidate must explain and demonstrate all techniques and skills at a proficiency level higher than that required for the Level 2 Kayak Proficiency Award. All techniques, skills and rescues must be performed to an assessor's satisfaction in order to achieve this award.
2. No part of an assessment can be taken in a swimming pool. All assessment criteria must be demonstrated outdoors on water of Grade 2 difficulty as part of a river trip.
3. All strokes should be demonstrated in relevant situations i.e. sculling in a small stopper and demonstrated on both sides of the kayak.
4. Generally all required assessment rescues will be kept until the end of an assessment
5. Participants for this award should be at least 12 years of age
Level 3 Kayak Proficiency Award Assessment Guidelines
· It is recommended that the Level 3 Kayak Proficiency Award be assessed by an instructor other than the instructor who ran the training course leading to the assessment.
· The Level 3 Kayak Proficiency Award can only be assessed by a currently registered Instructor who holds, at minimum, an Irish Canoe Union Level 3 Kayak Instructor qualification
· The assessment to be carried out with a maximum of six candidates to one assessor, however, a ratio of 4:1 is preferable.
· Generally guidelines will be given as to the areas that candidates need to improve on should they fail the assessment.
Level 3 Kayak Proficiency Award Guidelines
Strokes
Entry and Exit
Can be carried out with or without the use of paddles, depending on what is most appropriate to the situation.
Forward Paddling
The correct seating position, good truck rotation, correct width of paddle grip, sufficient power to paddle against the current while the keeping the kayak straight.
Reverse Paddling
The correct seating position, good truck rotation, correct width of paddle grip, sufficient power to paddle against the current while keeping the kayak straight.
Emergency Stop
Using forward and reverse paddling, stopping should be evident within 4 strokes.
Forward and Reverse Sweep Strokes
Candidates should demonstrate effective use of Sweep Strokes on moving water.
Draw Stroke
Paddle near vertical, blade well covered, and kayak moving in a straight line sideways for at least 5 metres. Top hand pushing while the lower hand is pulling. The blade must remain in the water throughout. Good body rotation towards the paddling side should be evident.
Sculling Draw
Paddle off vertical, blade covered, and kayak moving in a straight line sideways for at least 5 metres. Top hand pushing while the lower hand is pulling with an efficient blade angle. Long strokes while the kayak remains level.
Sculling for Support
Performed sitting upright with the kayak at a precarious angle. The paddle should be kept low with good solid sweeps and confident committal to paddle.
Low Brace Support
The kayak must be sufficiently tilted for water to reach the spraydeck. A good push down with the elbows above paddle and associated kneelift and hip rotation should be evident.
High Brace Support
The water must reach the paddler’s armpit, with good push down. Associated kneelift and hip rotation should be evident. Paddle shaft no higher than chin level and arms flexed. Must be demonstrated both stationary and on the move.
Low Brace Turn
The Low Brace Turn should be demonstrated as applied to a breaking in and breaking out
situation.
Edging
Demonstrate as used for Breaking In and Breaking Out
Stern Rudder
Performed while on the move, a push pull action should be exhibited as well as good truck rotation.
Bow Rudder
There should be an effective use of the Bow Rudder on moving water.
Level 3 Kayak Proficiency Award Guidelines
Techniques
Forward Ferry Gliding
Candidates must ferry-glide facing upriver in a straight line using edging between two selected points on the river.
Reverse Ferry Gliding
Candidates must ferry glide facing downriver in a straight line using edging between two selected points on the river. This to be demonstrated as a method of avoiding a downstream obstacle without losing ground, and can be initiated when already in the flow.
Breaking In
Must be demonstrated by breaking into fast currents from a well-defined eddy.
Breaking Out
The Break Out must be demonstrated by breaking out of fast currents into a well-defined eddy. The bow must be pointed close in behind a chosen obstacle. Edging must be evident.
Capsize Drill
Must be demonstrated on Grade 2 water while wearing a spray deck and include a 10 metre swim towing the kayak and paddle to the bank, followed by emptying the kayak correctly.
Rescues
Candidates must act as rescuer and rescuee.
Eskimo Rescue
A confident capsize and banging of the hull with the rescuer moving in from a distance of 5 metres. A first time recovery must follow but two attempts are allowed. Rescuer should approach from the front, or back, of rescuee to lessen the risk to rescuee’s hand. Paddle or Bow Presentation method may be used.
Defensive Swimming
Candidates must fully understand the technique and its uses i.e. swimming on your back, feet downstream with knees flexed and using arms and legs to move sideways.
River Features
Candidates should be able to point out such simple water features as Standing Waves, V Waves, Stoppers, Eddies, and have a basic understanding of what causes them. At some stage of the assessment, the participants will be asked to choose a route through a rapid and explain why.