Canoeing alone?

indigo_blue

Hello,

I was out walking alongside the Boyne recently and I passed an individual, getting off the river who appeared to be on his own. To make matters worse he didn't seem to be wearing any form of life jacket and it was already quite dark.

Given the situation I didn't take the matter up with him but regretted it later. Is this not illegal not to mention highly unsafe?

kanuheist

Unsafe? This depends on the guys experience, He could have been training on an easy stretch of safe water.

Like other sports lots of people train alone and in Winter if you work it has to be in the dark unfortunately.

On the other hand if he was a beginner than it would be totally unsafe.

Not wearing a PFD (lifejacket) after dark is stupid but he may have been wearing one and you didnt notice, modern vests are quite slim.

Wearing a PFD is the law but I've never seen it enforced and paddling alone is against Irish canoe union guidelines but not illegal, many of the users of this forum do it.

thetonynator

indigo_blue wrote: »

Hello,

I was out walking alongside the Boyne recently and I passed an individual, getting off the river who appeared to be on his own. To make matters worse he didn't seem to be wearing any form of life jacket and it was already quite dark.

Given the situation I didn't take the matter up with him but regretted it later. Is this not illegal not to mention highly unsafe?

Depends on the type of water - it could have been a racing boat on flat water or a playboat messing in a stopper. Also, there are lifejackets that you wear around your waist and pull the cord if you swim to inflate it.

MugMugs

Not illegal OP. He could have been training. Solo would be common enough. As for no BA, Personal preference. He could be very experienced and find it a hinder.

MugMugs

Actually, was this in drogheda? A lot of folk from the local club train along there.

Truley

Paddling alone is a bit like eating twenty doughnuts in one go. It's not illegal, it probably wont kill you, but at the same time I would never advise someone it's a good idea! :P

Then again, when you're a competent paddler in a familiar, safe bit of water it can be counter-productive to drag along a much less competent/experienced paddler for the sake of sticking to some arbitrary rule.

The individual you met OP probably fell into one of two categories, experienced enough to know what he's doing or a beginner who is seriously ignorant of what he's at. Which I have seen happen a lot. I couldn't get over how common it is in Europe to see very obvious beginners running class 3/4 stretches of water alone with no safety and it's considered perfectly acceptable. Even groups of kid go out alone and nobody bats an eyelid.

nookie

This post has been deleted.

MugMugs

Whats the level like at Stack at the moment nookie ? Is the wall covered ?

Possedion

How are meet up's organised at stack? Or is it totally club organised.
Wouldnt mind getting out this Sunday.
(sorry to go off thread)

nookie

This post has been deleted.

Possedion

Cheers Nookie - will try that.

nookie

This post has been deleted.

Zuppy

I waited to see where this was going before adding my two cent.

I have often paddled alone in training on flat water myself. But this is not ideal and I stopped doing this in the dark after a near miss. When I do paddle alone on the flatwater I have eyes on the bank and it is usually shallow enough to stand.

We all know the rules and the safety (or should before we take up the sport). I don't condone alone paddling especially on bumpy water as too much can happen, no matter what level your at. a missed stroke and a bang to the head later and it all goes black. But there is no law against paddling alone and the is ICU/ canoe Ireland has as many members as non members so it's practices are not universal to paddlers.

I have a slim PFD which in dark looks like a thick jacket or the OP might have missed the waist belt PFD. Either way it is the law to wear a PFD and it is enforceable. No kayak is long enough typically to be exempt from wearing (you still have to carry one on larger vessels).

No kayak has an exemption but confusion reigns as the rowers (who were switched on) have an exemption for rowing boats of Olympic class. Not ever defined properly and no case or fine that I have ever heard of has been applied.

At the moment the coast guard can enforce this and a fine may be levelled. I am unclear who other than the Gardai can enforce on fresh water.
(this is as I understand the law and regulations but I stand to be corrected as I am dragging this up from a conversation I had well over a year ago with the coast guard)

Either way unless your an olympic paddler, competing abroad where PFD's are not mandatory I would suggest you wear it all the time. If not for you or for the extra thermal protection on cold days but as a good example to beginners or bystanders who are watching. Some 12 year old who thinks your cool might also decide not to wear a PFD without a similar skill level.

thetonynator

Ironically, in general the people who are least likely to be wearing a PFD are those who are least experienced, i.e. they bought an inflatable boat in aldi and decided to take it out some sunny day, without being able to swim or without having a clue what to do.

Chavways

thetonynator wrote: »

Ironically, in general the people who are least likely to be wearing a PFD are those who are least experienced, i.e. they bought an inflatable boat in aldi and decided to take it out some sunny day, without being able to swim or without having a clue what to do.

I met 2 foreign fela's in Castleconnell in Limerick in the summer going down the rapids with no helmets or life jackets in an inflatable kayak. Its people like that who become statistics. They hadnt a clue what they were doing.

MugMugs

Chavways wrote: »

thetonynator wrote: »

Ironically, in general the people who are least likely to be wearing a PFD are those who are least experienced, i.e. they bought an inflatable boat in aldi and decided to take it out some sunny day, without being able to swim or without having a clue what to do.

I met 2 foreign fela's in Castleconnell in Limerick in the summer going down the rapids with no helmets or life jackets in an inflatable kayak. Its people like that who become statistics. They hadnt a clue what they were doing.

A man drowned on the Big A two, three years back. No helmet, no BA and on a sit on top. Recussitated by a local kayaking club and airlifted out. Lucky lucky man.

Zuppy

Zuppy wrote: »

Either way it is the law to wear a PFD and it is enforceable. No kayak is long enough typically to be exempt from wearing (you still have to carry one on larger vessels).

No kayak has an exemption but confusion reigns as the rowers (who were switched on) have an exemption for rowing boats of Olympic class. Not ever defined properly and no case or fine that I have ever heard of has been applied.

At the moment the coast guard can enforce this and a fine may be levelled. I am unclear who other than the Gardai can enforce on fresh water.
(this is as I understand the law and regulations but I stand to be corrected as I am dragging this up from a conversation I had well over a year ago with the coast guard)

Ok checked into this and on inland water ways the enforcing agencies are both the guards and coast guard. The fisheries also have warranted officers but I can't seem to find out if they can enforce also.

wet-paint

Good luck finding someone that knows they're meant to enforce the rules, and is willing to.

Zuppy

wet-paint wrote: »

Good luck finding someone that knows they're meant to enforce the rules, and is willing to.

There are bigger issues than this for those bodies I think

MugMugs

Zuppy wrote: »

There are bigger issues than this for those bodies I think

I'd imagine so.