BCU 2 Star Test (Closed Cockpit Kayak)

as lifted from page 27 of the bcu coaching service directory of tests and awards ct.401/96/1

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BCU Star Awards

AIM

an improvement award that covers the basic flat water skills. Emphasis is on creating the desired movement of the boat through developing an understanding of cause and effect rather than concentrating on rigidly defined strokes.

PRE-REQUISITES

BCU 1 Star Test. where a candidate does not hold this award a small cross-section of 1 star techniques should be incorporated at the examiners discretion.

VENUE

sheltered water (not a swimming pool).

ASSESSOR

Level 2 Kayak Coach (Instructor) or higher.

THEORY

-a question or two of a similar level should be asked under each heading

EQUIPMENT

Sample Questions

1. What is an asymmetric paddle blade?
2. One which has blades set an angle less than 90 degree to each other.
3. What is the advantage of an asymmetric paddle blade?
4. More efficient at locking into the water as the paddler pulls on it propelling the kayak through the water
5. Why is a racing boat faster than a touring or short white water boat??
6. Because it is aquadynamically designed to go in a straight line. a white water kayak is designed to spin-on-a-dime, with hard rails for grip.

SAFETY

Sample Questions

1. Why can it be dangerous to kayak on open water before you are sufficiently experienced?
2. Because if you get into difficulties you won't have the skills to extract your self out of the situation. Editors comment: if you paddle with experienced paddlers you will soon pick up the necessary skills. NOTE: Its always a good idea to paddle in a group.
3. Why should you wear a buoyancy aid even if you are a good swimmer?
4. The extra buoyancy it gives means that you’ve got hands free, and you expend less energy keeping afloat. just as importantly it provides a reasonable amount of insulation, and protection from any collisions.
5. Why are weirs dangerous?
6. Depends on the construction of the weir; some weirs have nasty undertows which hold the kayak in the stopper and prevent even the most expert paddler from escaping.
7. What is Leptospirosis, and what precautions can you take against it? very important
• otherwise know as weils disease, it is a bacteria often found in rat's urine, along river banks and stagnent water (the risk in salt water is practically zero).
• the bacteria enters your body via cuts to the skin, or via the nose,mouth or other mucous membranes. exposure requires contact with the water or the animals' urine directly, or the consumption of infected tissue.
• it produces flu like symptoms, and aching joints, and leads to jaundice and kidney failure. an attack of weil's resembles a cold or influenza infection in the initial stages.
• the incubation period is from 4 to 10 days, depending on the method of infection and your susceptibility. not all exposed persons catch the disease.
• early symptoms are fever, chills, muscular aches and pains, loss of appetite, and nausea when lying down.
• later symptoms include bruising of the skin, anaemia, sore eyes, nose bleeds and jaundice.
• the fever lasts for approximately five days, then a significant deterioration follows.
• if untreated, weil's disease is serious and often fatal.
• treatment with antibiotics is only effective if started rapidly after symptoms develop. the antibiotics of choice are only available via hospital doctors. Kidney dialysis may be necessary in some cases.
• see http://www.caving.org.uk/wdic/ for more information.

HYPOTHERMIA/FIRST AID

Sample Questions

1. What are the signs that someone is becoming hypothermic?
2. Becoming quiet, slow response, pale in colour
   37 deg °C normal body core temperature
   35-36 shivering & goose bumps
   30-35 shivering stops and hypothermia really sets in
   25 or below fatal without specialist treatment
3. How is hypothermia avoided?
4. Keep warm
5. Why should you cover cuts and grazes with a waterproof dressing?
6. To prevent infection. It needs to be waterproof to stop water coming in contact with the wound.

ACCESS

Sample Questions

1. Can you paddle your kayak/canoe on just any river or canal?
2. Unfortunately you cant. Many inland waterways are privately owned.

ENVIRONMENT

Sample Questions

Put some data in here as it is missing for some reaason

Keep the place tidy.

PLANNING

Sample Questions

1. What should you take with you to ensure your comfort on a short trip?
2. That depends, could be food, drink, change of clothes.
3. How far do you think you could paddle in a day without becoming too tired and fed up?
4. Depends on conditions, e.g. flat water, paddling down a fast flowing river, against the tide etc. i would say 10-15 miles would be a comfortable day's paddle on flat water.

GENERAL

Sample Questions

1. Name 3 different types of kayaking competition?
2. Slalom, Rodeo, & Playboating, Surf, Polo, Marathon, Sprint Racing, Wild Water Racing, Canoe Sailing, Slalom.
3. What is meant by 'white water' kayaking?
4. White water generally consists of stoppers & rapids and waterfalls.

GROUP AWARENESS

sample questions

1. How could you help someone who was having difficulty in keeping up on a trip?
2. Generally slow the speed of the trip down, include more breaks, allow the faster people some leeway, by allowing them to paddle up to a stopping point (within sight).
3. Why is it important to keep together as a group when journeying?
4. So no-one gets left behind.

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PRACTICAL 'A'

1 Lifting, Carrying And Launching.

Demonstrate good lifting and carrying techniques. Boat to be afloat and entry into it without any aid from the paddle, though the paddle must be within reach.

2 Efficient forward paddling.

Paddle a distance of 200 metres. Posture upright but natural. Continuous natural rthymic paddling, Some evidence of trunk rotation in evidence. A reasonable degree of steering accuracy to be achieved including 50 meters at a good cruising speed.

3 Reverse paddling and stopping.

Demonstrate a controlled and reasonably accurate reverse paddling over a distance of 25 meters towards a point defined by the assessor. When reversing, looking over the shoulder and unwinding the trunk must be in evidence. Back (non-drive) face of the paddle presented to the water. For stopping, the canoe should be traveling at a good cruising speed and motion in the opposite direction should be evident within 4 strokes.

4 Moving the kayak sideways.

Move boat sideways 5 meters, retaining directional stability. Blade to remain submerged throughout stroke. Top arm no lower than shoulder height. Body rotation. Lower arm extends fully at start of stroke, top hand acts as pivot.

5 Preventing a capsize.

Show an efficient low recovery stroke with the boat off balance. A good firm push, with associated hip rotation, should be evident. For high recovery stroke the boat must be off balance with water up to the paddlers waist. Repeat both sides.

6 Ruddering.

The kayak to be paddled up to a good speed, then kept running in a straight line through a narrow gap by the use of a trailing paddle.

7 Turning.

The kayak to be turned whilst on the move, using firstly a series of sweep strokes, secondly a low brace turn. For the low brace turn, the turn is to be induced by a short effective sweep on the opposite side followed by a good edge into the turn; the paddle should be in the low brace position, level or just in front of hip, shaft as parallel to the surface of water as boat will allow, back of the blade on the water. The boat carves a slow stable turn.

8 Disembarking.

Correct approach to the bank, exit the kayak without use of the paddle. Balance and control of the boat to be maintained. Exit without damaging the kayak or the bank.

9 Securing.

The candidate must understand the concept of securing boats at the end of a session, either by tying down or putting onto purpose made racks, using ropes with a secure knot. (Editors comment: this is a bit over the top, all you really need to know is how to secure a kayak to say a trailer, and put it away properly).

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PRACTICAL 'B'

1 Deep Water Rescue.

Take charge of a deep water rescue which should be carried out with assistance, then act as the victim.

Demonstrate satisfactory beginnings in:

1 Sculling Draw.

Body turned towards gunwale. paddle shaft fairly upright, drive face towards the kayak and deep in the water. Kayak edged slightly to avoid water going onto deck.

2 Skulling Support.

Kayak edged so that it is just off balance. Paddle shaft horizontal, drive face on the water (controlling hand side), leading edge of blade raised on each slow scull. Arms flexed in a natural position. (for the purpose of this test, the examiner should regard sculling as a balancing and paddle-control exercise, not as a means of survival in a stopper).

3 Eskimo Rescue.

Recovery with lower body rotation from an upside-down position whilst maintaining a hold on the rescuer's bow. May be preceded with practice until recovering from an upside-down position. Candidate to act both as rescuer and as victim.

4 Edging.

Candidate to paddle a circle with inside and outside edging being evident. The direction of the turn is not significant.

Journeying:

Provide evidence of at least 1 journey of about 2 hours (6km (approx 4 miles)) duration.

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