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Open Boat Rescue Technique
- turn your whole body to face the upturned canoe, so your back is not twisted. Then reach for it’s gunnels and roll it back upright.
- Tilt the canoe up so that your swimmer can roll into it, then push down to make it flat so that it is easy for your swimmer to step across into your canoe.
- Swing the capsized canoe around so that you have one end of it, keep it upright.
- keep one hand on the handle and reach the other hand down and grab the keel.
- SLOWLY roll the end of the canoe onto your gunnel. You can make this easier by lowering the side of your canoe.
- turn and face your swimmer, so that your back is not twisted. Get them to help you slide the canoe across the middle of yours. WATCH YOUR FINGERS!
- get your swimmer to put their hands up in front of them. Then roll the canoe over towards them. Slowly turn it back up the right way and ease it back into the water.
- hold their canoe so that they can get back into it.
VOILA !! The perfect rescue that small people can perform, which is bomb proof in rough conditions. No bent backs, no lifting heavy water laden boats, no lifting people and no visits to the chiropractor. Lastly and probably most importantly, no chance of you – the rescuer falling and in adding to your problems.
