Rowing
Including Viking Boats
Elementary - Curricular 2023
- Grade 6-8 Students Only
Equipment
- Students must wear a correctly fitting and Transport Canada approved personal flotation device (P.F.D.)/lifejacket, with whistle attached, when near or on the water
- Shell inspected before each outing (for example, check for holes, cracks, loose hardware).
- Shell must have bow-ball in good repair.
- Bow and stern buoyancy compartments must be securely closed with water-tight hatches.
- Each shell must be equipped with a signaling device and a watertight flashlight.
- In all shells the foot stretchers, shoes or other devices holding the feet will remain in the shell, each shoe or device shall be independently restrained to limit heel lift to a maximum of 7 cm for each shoe or type of foot gear fitted to the shell. In addition, where laces, velcro or similar materials must be opened before the rower can remove his/her feet from the shoes or other device, all such materials must be able to be released immediately by the rower with a single quick hand action of pulling on one easily accessible strap. Where shoes or other devices holding the feet will not remain in the shell, each shoe or device must be able to be released by the rower without using his/her hands or with a single quick hand action of pulling on one easily accessible strap or release device.
- Must have navigation lights attached if used after sunset or before sunrise or in periods of restricted visibility, as specified in the Transport Canada Safe Boating Guide.
- Oars must be checked for splinters and cracks.
- Riggers and oar-locks must be secure and operate freely.
- Steering lines must be secure and operating correctly.
- One Teacher/Monitor boat must be motorized and equipped as per Transports Canada's Safe Boating Guide. Examples:
- One CSA approved P.F.D./lifejacket of appropriate size for each member of the Teacher/Monitor boat.
- paddles
- bailer
- watertight flashlight
- signaling device
- motor in good repair, with sufficient gas for entire session
- 23m (75’) floating rope
- The Teacher/Monitor boat engine must be running before students leave dock.
- A reboarding device is required where the vertical height that a person must climb to reboard the boat from the water (freeboard) is over 0.5m (1’8”).
Clothing/Footwear/Jewellery
- Appropriate clothing and footwear must be worn. A dry change of clothes must be available on shore.
- The Teacher/Monitor boat occupants are required to wear personal flotation devices (P.F.D.) while on the water at all times.
- Glasses, if worn, must have a safety strap.
Facilities
- When using an indoor rowing facility or a rowing club, the rules and Codes of Conduct of that facility or club must be followed.
Dockside/Boathouse
- Must have posted walking traffic pattern with hazards identified (for example, keep to right, dock slippery when wet).
- Teachers must be aware of the site’s Emergency Action Plan (EAP), including the site specific rescue plan, and share with all Monitors and participants.
On the Water
- Constantly evaluate the instructional area addressing issues as they arise (for example, pulling out deadheads or alerting crews to avoid areas if there is debris).
- The Teacher/Qualified Instructor must inform students of debris.
- Be aware of water currents, especially those created by rapids and waterfalls.
- All sites must not include rapids and waterfalls.
Environmental Considerations
- Teachers/Monitors must be aware of weather forecasts, especially wind conditions, temperature of the day, potential for thunder/lightning and fog conditions.
- Activity must be cancelled in adverse conditions and when there is poor visibility (for example, first sign of white caps).
- If inclement weather approaches suddenly, seek appropriate shelter immediately.
- Daylight rowing only.
- Students must be familiar with basic first aid, hypothermia, and injuries caused by extreme heat.
Special Rules/Instructions
- Skill level must be appropriate for the water conditions.
- Students must receive instruction on safety procedures, use of equipment and rowing techniques prior to initial practice.
Emergency Procedures
- If standards vary between the Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards in Education and an activity provider, implement the higher standards.
- Site specific rescue plan must be devised and shared with all Monitors and participants.
- All Teachers/Qualified Instructors must be knowledgeable of the established safety and capsize procedures. Teachers/Qualified Instructors must outline these procedures to rowers and coxswains.
- Students must be instructed to remain with rowing shell and oars for flotation and visibility purposes if an accident occurs.
- Should a shell swamp (take on water), rowers are not to attempt to swim to shore but stay with the shell using it as a flotation device and follow these steps:
- Crew numbers off and removes feet from shoes. Remain in place if possible.
- Make distress signal.
- If necessary, crew enters water in pairs from middle of shell, buddy up across shell.
- Coxswain buddies with stern pair in a stern-loaded coxed shell or bow-pair in a bow-loaded coxed shell.
- Swing oars parallel to shell to increase flotation.
- Unless rescue is imminent, move crew to bow and stern and roll shell over (fin up) with the wind. Crew should lie across hull, as far out of the water as possible, in pairs, holding on to the other person.
- The Teacher/Monitor boat distributes P.F.D's on arrival and conducts headcount.
- The Teacher/Monitor boat shuttles rowers to nearest shore. DO NOT overload the supervisor/instructor boat.
- Conduct headcount on returning.
- Recover shell.
- In case of an emergency, a pre-determined return route must be established.
- Procedures must be in place to ensure accountability for all shells and Teachers/Monitors and students on the water at any given time, in case of an emergency.
Supervision
- On-Site Supervision is required when students are moving and handling equipment (e.g., lifting, portaging carries, launching and removing watercraft(s) to and from the water).
- Qualified Instructor in Teacher/Monitor boat must be within 500m (1640') of students during all on-water sessions.
Supervision/Monitoring Ratios for Instructional Time
- One Teacher/Monitor boat must be assigned for every 9 rowers.
- Rowing: 1 Qualified Instructor per 9 students.
- Viking Boats: 1 Qualified Instructor per 15 students.
Qualifications
- The operator of the Teacher/Monitor boat must have Pleasure Craft Operator Card.
Rowing Instructor Qualifications
- Qualified Instructor expertise derived from one of the following:
- NCCP Rowing Technical Level I
- attendance at Rowing Canada Aviron Learn to Row Instructor’s workshop or equivalent within last 3 years
First Aid
- At least Teacher, Trip Guide, or Monitor must have a minimum of a current (not more than three years prior to the day on which the holder is on duty) first aid certificate (standard or higher) issued by one of the following agencies: St. John Ambulance; Canadian Red Cross; Lifesaving Society; Canadian Ski Patrol; or an organization whose certificate is deemed equivalent by the medical officer of health in the local health unit.
Swim Test
Swim Test for Watercraft
Aquatic Instructor Qualifications for the Swim Test for Watercraft
Lifeguard and Assistant Lifeguard Qualifications for the Swim Test for Watercraft
Supervision/Monitoring Ratios for the Swim Test for Watercraft
Pool Swim Test
Waterfront Swim Test
Definitions
Tue, 08/20/24 11:16 am