Scouts Water Activities - Sea Kayaking

Over a series of five sessions - an information session, pool sessions, paddling in the safe waters of Sandringham Harbour and an overnight journey on the Mornington Peninsula, Scouts can fulfil the requirements of the Pioneer and Explorer level water activities with Sea Kayaking as their elective

The Program

The sea kayaking program takes place over 5 sessions:

Session 1 - Information evening: overview, weather, equipment and clothing
Session 2 - Pool session - swim test, rescues
Session 3 - Training Centre, Sandringham (2-3hr) - sit on top kayaks
Session 4 - Training Centre, Sandringham (2-3hr) - sit on top kayaks
Session 5 - Overnight trip on Mornington Peninsula in sea kayaks

Includes: Sea kayaks and Sit-on-top kayaks, personal floatation devices (PFD), paddle, paddling jacket (where applicable) and all safety equipment.
How to Book: Contact us on 0410 329 090 or info@eastcoastkayaking.com to schedule your program, then participants can use the button below to link to the payment portal.

Pioneer Water Activities

To achieve the Pioneer Water Activities Target, the scout must be able to recognise four different types of craft constructions and and compete the requirements below, together with an elective - sea kayaking.

1. Weather

Be able to locate weather forecasting information appropriate to the activity requirements
Explain the effect of weather on the activity

2. Safety

Demonstrate wearing an approved personal floatation device (PFD)and knowing when it should be worn
Without a PFD - stay afloat for 3 minutes
Be able to swim 50 metres
Explain the importance of staying with an overturned boat and of never boating alone

3. First Aid

Know the Citizenship First Aid Requirement for Pioneer Level
Know the most frequent medical hazards associated with boating (sunburn, eyestrain, sunstroke, seasickness, immersion, hypothermia)
The appropriate treatment for these and precautions to avoid them

4. Knots

Know the Scoutcraft and Pioneer Campcraft knotting requirements
Learn the use of the following knots for boating activities - for more information on knots for kayaking, see our Knots page
- figure of eight knot
- anchor or fisherman's bend
- bowline
- clove hitch
Learn and use a common rope whipping, eg. simple whipping, west country whipping

Sea Kayaking

In a sea kayak and sit on top kayak, complete the following:

Learn the main parts of a kayak and paddle
Demonstrate paddling forwards, backwards and emergency stopping
Demonstrate steering strokes:
- Forward and reverse sweep
- Stern rudder
- Draw stroke
- Support stroke
Choose appropriate launch and landing sites
Launch kayak, paddle, return and make a clean landing to the landing stage, bank or shore
Capsize the kayak and re-enter with assistance (sea kayak) or remount sit-on-top
Paddle for a minimum of 3 hours

Explorer Water Activities

To achieve the Explorer Water Activities Target, the scout must be able to recognise four different types of craft constructions and and compete the requirements below, together with an elective - sea kayaking.

1. Weather

Be able to locate weather forecasting information appropriate to the activity requirements
Know the Pioneer level requirements for Weather
Explain the effect of weather on the activity - apply to a water activity event with a duration of 2 days

2. Safety

Know the Pioneer Level requirements for Safety, including:
- Demonstrate wearing an approved personal floatation device (PFD)and knowing when it should be worn
- Without a PFD - stay afloat for 3 minutes
- Explain the importance of staying with an overturned boat and of never boating alone
Swim 100 metres whilst wearing a PFD
Be able to remove your clothes in water and then swim 100 metres
Know local boating rules applicable to your own region of operation
Have an understanding of:
- tides and currents in coastal areas, or
- water behaviour in creeks and rivers
Be able to recognise five common distress signals, including at least one each of sight, sound and light
Demonstrate knowledge of buoys, beacons and navigation signs used in your region of operation

3. First Aid

Know the Citizenship First Aid Requirement for Explorer Level
Know the most frequent medical hazards associated with boating (sunburn, eyestrain, sunstroke, seasickness, immersion, hypothermia)
The appropriate treatment for these and precautions to avoid them

4. Knots

Know the Pioneer level requirement for knots, including:
- Learn the use of the following knots for boating activities- for more information on knots for kayaking, see our Knots page:
  - figure of eight knot
  - anchor or fisherman's bend
  - bowline
  - clove hitch
- Learn and use a common rope whipping, eg. simple whipping, west country whipping
Make and use, in a boating activity, two of the following splices:
- eye splice, back splice, short splice, long splice plus the following:
- palm and needle whipping
- barrel hitch
Demonstrate the meaning and use of :
- Parbuckling
- Barrel hitch
- Spanish windlass

5. Basic Skills

Learn the nautical terms generally used in boating, with the assistance of an Adventure level Scout. These are found in the the Nautical Glossary in the Scout Field Book.