USCG wants help in developing standards

[BroadHopper]

Coast Guard funds human-powered vessels survey
•Saturday, August 24, 2013


Recreational paddling and rowing enthusiasts and especially those with experience in On-Water teaching or training are urged to participate in an on-line survey designed to collect feedback on the content of these entry-level, skill-based standards for manually propelled boating.

A team of experts assembled with U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) grant funding seeks national content validation of a set of entry level, skill-based human (manually propelled) boat operation standards. This is your opportunity to impact the development of recreational paddling and rowing (canoes, kayaks, rowboats, paddleboards, etc.) standards across the country by completing this on-line survey.

The National On-Water Standards Team, funded by USCG grants, is seeking input from recreational paddling and rowing educators across the nation on a first-round set of standards to be used to assess the performance of human propelled boating skills at the entry level. Following the survey, the standards will be updated to reflect input from paddlers and rowers nationwide and eventually validated and updated though a national field-testing program.

The survey will be conducted through Aug. 30 at https://www.research.net/s/humanv1nationalcontentsurvey

By completing this survey you will have a voice in the design of a national set of human boating standards for recreational paddlers and rowers in the U.S. This effort is part of the U.S. Coast Guard’s (USCG) vision of a National System of Standards for Recreational Boat Operation – that will organize both classroom and on-water standards within a comprehensive system of recreational boating education. The system will address standards for three domains of recreational boating: sail, power and human propulsion. U.S. Sailing has been awarded grant funding from the U.S. Coast Guard to facilitate a consensus-based process by which a team of diverse SMEs from across the recreational boating community develop entry level, skill-based performance standards for recreational boat operation.

For more information, please contact K. Brian Dorval at 716-994-2842 or brian@thinkfirstserve.com

[tummyman]

Not to sound unkind, but how does something like this escape sequestration cuts ? The White House cannot have student tours to expose students to history, yet organizations can spend money on grants such as this? We cannot deploy naval ships because of sequestration cuts, but the government can issue grants for this nonsense ? I just do not get it........... Next thing we will have is speed limits for people propelled boats. Wonder if I'll have to have running and navigation lights for my canoe, even though it is not used at dark ? More do-gooders at work screwing up the world.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by tummyman

Not to sound unkind, but how does something like this escape sequestration cuts ? The White House cannot have student tours to expose students to history, yet organizations can spend money on grants such as this? We cannot deploy naval ships because of sequestration cuts, but the government can issue grants for this nonsense ? I just do not get it........... Next thing we will have is speed limits for people propelled boats. Wonder if I'll have to have running and navigation lights for my canoe, even though it is not used at dark ? More do-gooders at work screwing up the world.

The science of human-powered boating has long developed a curriculum that most entry-level boaters would fail—immediately!

For example, most solo canoeists paddle their canoes from the wrong end!

I'm not going to get any heartburn over this. It would bring the US closer to thoroughly-trained and highly-esteemed boating communities—such as The United Kingdom.

The system will address standards for three domains of recreational boating: sail, power and human propulsion. U.S. Sailing has been awarded grant funding from the U.S. Coast Guard to facilitate a consensus-based process by which a team of diverse SMEs from across the recreational boating community develop entry level, skill-based performance standards for recreational boat operation.

'Course, there is a lot of local resistance to learning the skills of other boaters with whom we "safely" share Lake Winnipesaukee.

Standards? We don' need no steenkin' standards.

[Misty Blue]

Tummyman:

You make some good points but the bottom line is that the Coast Guard in in a fix.

They are charged by congress to be responsible for recreational boating safety nationaly. Thinking cap time...

Twenty years ago how many kayaks did you see on the Lake? Not a bunch.

The number of padle boaters has exploded in the past years and along with that the number of accidents, injuries and fatalities. The numbers don't lie. The CG started a strong approach to work on this. Through the USCG Auxiliary and with a lot of help and cooperation with the US Power Squadrons public education courses were developed and special vessel inspections for paddle craft were drawn up. Both were implimented and, while I think that it may be a little early to chear, the numbers are improving. Last year we had more boats and fewer accidents.

As for the money, this is on the cheap. It is being mosty implimented by unpaid Auxilirists and USPS volunteers. They, we, do not make a dime and spend hours and hours working on these projects. The rewards are personal.

If you are interested in some free handouts, stickers, coloring books and a safety check PM me and I'll shlep over in the old Misty!

Misty Blue