BCU 2 Star Award

2 Star Syllabus Canoe and Kayak

Aim

This is an improvement award that helps paddlers develop fundamental paddlesport skills on flat water. The emphasis is on gaining a breadth of experience, creating the desired movement of the boat and developing an understanding into how the paddle, boat and water interact.

If under 14 one should consider the ‘Paddle Power’ scheme.

Craft

The award is obtained by taking the assessment in both a kayak and a canoe (appropriate aspects will be assessed in either kayak/canoe, please refer to assessors notes). Any style of kayak or canoe is permissible e.g. open cockpit, sits on top, V shaped hull or flat bottomed ect. Where a double crew takes the test, each person must perform each task from both the bow and stern.

Pre-requisites

Candidates must be able to swim 25 metres wearing a Buoyancy Aid.

Have experience of paddling two different craft:

e.g surf kayak, closed cockpit kayak, open cockpit kayak, closed cockpit canoe, single open canoe, racing boat, tandem open cockpit canoe, wave ski, sit on top, flat hulled boat, V shaped hull, slalom boat, polo boat or sea kayak.

IN           2 Different locations e.g. Canal, river, lake/loch, or sea, (different parts of large bodies of water will count as 2 locations)

AND       2 local competitions e.g. Club event, slalom, polo, sprint, freestyle, Bell boat ect.

OR          2 journeys – Any journey of 2 hour + duration

NB – Where a paddler or assessment candidate does not hold the lower level award a cross section of the skills and knowledge required for the lower level award should be incorporated within the training and the assessment process.

Venue

Sheltered water

Assessor

Current BCU Level 2 Coach (with kayak and canoe 2 star registered to assess the new awards)

New BCU (UKCC endorsed) Level 2 Coach

Part A – Personal Paddling Skills

A.1 Lift, carry and launch the kayak or canoe

A.2 Efficient forward paddling

A.3 Steering the kayak or canoe

A.4 Manoeuvre in a confined space

A.5 Moving sideways

A.6 Preventing a capsize

A.7 Turning

A.8 Return to the bank and get out

A.9 Securing

Part B – Safety & Rescue

B.1 Capsize, swim and self rescue

B.2 Peer rescue

Part C – Safety, Leadership & Group Skills

C.1 Personal risk management

C.2 Awareness of others

C.3 An assessed accompanied sheltered water journey

Part D – Theory A number of questions will be asked to check paddlesport knowledge.

D.1 Equipment                                  D.4 Access

D.2 Safety                                           D.5 Environment

D.3 Hypothermia/First aid            D.6 Planning