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ACA Level 4 Skills & Level 4 Kayak Award
ASSESSOR
Coastal Kayak Open Water Instructor Trainer
VENUE
Open water, wind to 11-16 knots, surf to 3 feet
(1 Meter), current to 3 knots ~ Award completion depends on having adequate
conditions.
KAYAK & EQUIPMENT
Sea kayak equipped with suitable floatation, deck
lines and grab loops
PFD, helmet, spray skirt with release strap, paddle, spare paddle, whistle
Food, drink, and warm drink
Spare clothing/ shelter
Paddle clothing suitable for immersion and appropriate to the conditions
First Aid kit
Repair kit
STROKES & MANEUVERS ON OPEN WATER
LEVEL 3 AWARD: any elements from your prerequisite
L/3 award.- LAUNCHING AND EMBARKING: good technique with boat
floating in a variety of conditions / scenarios.
- EFFICIENT FORWARD PADDLING: 500 meter paddle with
good body rotation, and control over pace and direction.
- EFFICIENT REVERSE PADDLING: over a figure of 8 course
with good boat control and variety of strokes.
- TURNING ON THE MOVE: quickly turn, with minimum speed
loss, starting with a bow sweep.
- Low brace turn with onside tilt
- High brace turn with onside tilt
- Bow rudder with on and offside tilt
- ROTATE 360º ON THE SPOT: spin kayak using deep
offside boat tilt and full sweeps.
- EDGING / BOAT TILT: edging for assist in turning
a with sweep strokes and gunnel deep offside edge. Forward and reverse.
- RUDDERING: trailing stern rudder to keep the boat
straight at reasonable speed in following seas with paddle kept on one
side (demonstrate both sides).
- DRAW SIDEWAYS: move the boat sideways 5 meters using
good directional stability with:
- Hip draw
- Sculling draw
- Draw on the move: forward and reverse
- Sideslip / hanging draw: forward and reverse
- PREVENT CAPSIZE: efficient low and high brace recovery
on both sides with the boat moving and off balance to the waist followed
by forward paddling.
- NEGOTIATE MODERATE WIND AND SEA CONDITIONS:
- Paddling comfort with all above techniques in moderate sea conditions
- Demonstrate ability to paddle in a head sea, beam sea, quartering
sea and following sea
- Demonstrate ability to turn up wind and down wind efficiently
- Demonstrate ability to hold position
- NEGOTIATE MODERATE SURF:
- Launch and land forwards under control (without being surfed)
- Launch and land backwards under control (without being surfed)
- Hold position in surf
- Surf, broach and side surf
- NEGOTIATE MODERATE CURRENT: (3 knots)
- Comfort establishing a ferry angle- forward and reverse
- Control in peeling out and eddy turns
RESCUE & RECOVERY
- WET EXIT: comfortable capsize and wet exit
in rough conditions/ current.
- SELF RESCUE: re-enter kayak in rough conditions without
assistance and pump out boat.
- DEEP WATER RECOVERY: demonstrate efficient assisted
drain and re-enter in rough conditions as victim and rescuer.
- SOLO TOWING: tow a victim without help in rough conditions
making appropriate use of long and short tow line and demonstrate emergency
release of the tow.
- ASSISTED TOWING: tow a victim with help from a third
kayaker to provide stability.
- ASSISTED TOWING: tow a victim with help from a third
towing kayaker to provide propulsion.
- RAFTING: demonstrate ability to raft up with another
kayaker to provide stability in rough conditions.
- CONTACT RESCUES: demonstrate ability to tow or push
another kayaker without use of a tow line in rough conditions.
- ESKIMO RESCUE: confident capsize and rescue both
as victim and rescuer using bow, stern and paddle presentation techniques
in rough conditions.
- ESKIMO ROLL: demonstrate a roll on one side with
set up
BEGINNINGS
- COMBAT ESKIMO ROLL: roll on both sides without
a set-up, come up within three attempts.
- BOMB PROOF ESKIMO ROLL: roll on both sides in rough
conditions, wind, surf.
- RE-ENTER AND ROLL: come up within three attempts.
- NIGHT PADDLING: comfort in paddling at night in familiar
conditions as a trip participant.
- LEADERSHIP: ability to lead a group in moderate conditions
KAYAK TRIPPING
- THREE DAY TRIPS: Show evidence of at least
three all day trips of 12-15 nautical miles in a variety of conditions.
- ONE MULTI-DAY TRIP: Show evidence of at least one
multi-day journey involving overnight camping.
TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE & SEAMANSHIP
- EQUIPMENT: have a working knowledge of all
paddling and safety equipment.
- SAFETY: understand the dangers of exposed kayaking
and how to avoid trouble.
- HYPOTHERMIA / HYPERTHERMIA: good understanding of
body heat control.
- FIRST AID/ CPR: basic first aid knowledge and current
CPR certification.
- ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES: understand river ecology, seamanship
and river sense.
- TRIP PLANNING: comfortable in preparing logistics
for a long, exposed sea day trip.
- GROUP AWARENESS: familiar with whistle and paddle
signals, group dynamics and safety.
- GROUP LEADERSHIP: familiar with group management
practices in moderate conditions.
- GENERAL: understanding the effects of wind, tide
and current, etc.
- KNOTS: tie a bowline, figure 8, clove hitch, round
turn and 2 half hitches, trucker hitch.
- REPAIRS IN THE FIELD: demonstrate use of repair kit.
- PACKING / TRIMMING: loading a kayak for a multi-day
journey.
- NAVIGATION: chart reading and plotting, symbols,
depths, drying heights, hazards, bouyage, tidal / current predictions,
selection of escape routes, use of ranges and line of position (LOP).
- COMPASS USE: taking and following bearings, fixing
position.
- COAST GUARD: demonstrate knowledge of rescue services
and how to use hem, include use of radio, flares and other signals.
- WEATHER: know sources of weather forecasts and understand
how to interpret them.
- LOCAL CONDITIONS: familiarizing and understanding
the local paddling area, local traffic and potential hazards.
- SEAMANSHIP: Rules of the road, including collision
regulations, light and sound signals.
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