Application
This unit applies to those working as sea kayaking guides who are responsible for planning, implementing and evaluating day and or overnight sea kayaking trips in moderate to difficult conditions. This may include those working for private outdoor adventure companies, volunteer organisations, not for profit organisations, government agencies, or group instructors in outdoor education programs. |
Prerequisites
Nil | ||
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
1. Plan a sea kayaking trip. | 1.1. Conduct relevant assessments to determine the conditionofparticipants. 1.2. Develop a trip plan, according to relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures, to meet participant's needs. 1.3. Select a location that is suitable for participants and meets Session's aims and objectives, relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures. 1.4. Identify hazards associated with sea kayaking in moderate to difficult conditions and manage risks to ensure personal safety of participants. 1.5. Access relevantsources to interpret detailed weather and environmental information to determine trip plan. 1.6. Determine food and water requirements according to principles of nutrition and contextual issues of the trip. 1.7. Inform appropriate authorities before and after the sea kayaking trip. |
2. Select equipment for the group. | 2.1. Select sea kayaks and equipment, according to contextual issues and organisational policies and procedures, and check serviceability. 2.2. Assess sea kayaks and equipment for safety and suitability, and adjust and fit according to manufacturer's specifications. 2.3. Check safety and rescue equipment to ensure suitability to the group and planned trip. 2.4. Waterproof, pack and fasten equipment that is not required on hand and prepare sea kayak for transportation if required. |
3. Brief participants. | 3.1. Communicate instructions and relevant information about the sea kayaking trip in a manner suitable to the participants. 3.2. Demonstrate correct packing of a sea kayak and sea kayaking techniques where required. 3.3. Establish a suitable communication system for participants to use while sea kayaking. 3.4. Outline safety procedures and confirm participants are properly equipped for the sea kayaking trip. |
4. Lead the group and monitor progress. | 4.1. Provide direction and advice to group while navigating. 4.2. Identify potential hazards and decide how they can be overcome or avoided throughout trip. 4.3. Evaluate paddling pace and spacing between sea kayaks throughout trip and alter accordingly. 4.4. Implement appropriate modifications to trip in regard to all variable factors that are monitored. 4.5. Respond accordingly to any emergency or non routine situation. |
5. Complete post trip responsibilities. | 5.1. Retrieve, inspect, repair and store equipment according to organisational policies and procedures. 5.2. Evaluate relevant aspects of sea kayaking trip. 5.3. Identify potential areas of improvement for future sea kayaking trips. 5.4. Review own performance and identify potential improvements. |
Required Skills
Required skills |
communication skills to: consult with participants to plan a sea kayaking trip convey information about the safety aspects of the trip interact with participants to create a safe and positive sea kayaking environment problem-solving skills to: make decisions affecting trip respond to non-routine situations manage the group effectively planning and organising skills to source, allocate and coordinate resources, equipment and a suitable body of water with access to land for possible overnight stay language and literacy skills to: produce a plan for the sea kayaking trip complete post trip participant and self evaluations literacy and numeracy skills to read and interpret information on a sea chart and to calculate times and distances for the legs of a sea kayaking trip effective and efficient personal sea kayaking skills in difficult conditions to demonstrate and explain sea kayaking techniques to participants swimming skills to remove self from danger after a capsize and to manoeuvre sea kayak while in paddling gear first aid and emergency response and rescue skills appropriate to the location to enable initial response to emergencies and personal health care. |
Required knowledge |
legislation and organisational policies and procedures to enable safe conduct of all activities performed during sea kayaking trip minimal impact codes to enable protection of the environment information about local area to assist in the planning process and enable management of potential sea kayaking hazards, and any special restrictions applying to the area sea and weather reading and assessment, such as the effect of tide, current, wind and local conditions on the sea kayaking activity equipment types, characteristics and technology used for sea kayaking in difficult conditions, the advantages and disadvantages of the range of equipment, and factors affecting appropriate selection of equipment clothing requirements for sea kayaking, such as wet weather gear to maintain warmth and sun protection to minimise sunburn and heatstroke care and maintenance of sea kayaking equipment to ensure prolonged life span and safety requirements waterproofing techniques used to keep equipment, that is not required on hand, dry during sea kayaking importance of a personal flotation device in keeping a person afloat and their head above water stroke, rolling and capsizing techniques used in difficult conditions swimming techniques to swim out of trouble and manoeuvre sea kayak while in water communication systems and signals used in sea kayaking principles of nutrition to maintain health during sea kayaking coastal navigation, chart reading and compass use applicable to sea kayaking in difficult conditions reading and assessment of the weather at sea to understand the dynamics and effect of the tide, current and wind conditions risks associated with sea kayaking in difficult conditions and how to manage the risks emergency response and rescue procedures appropriate for sea kayaking, to ensure risk minimisation to self and group. |
Evidence Required
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package. | |
Overview of assessment | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Evidence of the following is essential: plans within activity constraints and guides and monitors group in a safe and professional manner applies contingency management techniques to make adjustments to deal with a range of problems or variable factors that may arise during sea kayaking trips encourages and responds to group feedback and evaluates and reflects on own guiding performance to identify strengths, weaknesses and areas that need improvement. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure the safe guiding of groups on sea kayaking trips that reflect the needs and characteristics of a range of participants and are of sufficient breadth and duration to demonstrate competency and consistency of performance. Assessment must also ensure access to: resources and information regarding participants and location to plan, guide and document sea kayaking trip a suitable sea kayaking location with moderate to difficult sea conditions a suitable overnight site, if required participants to take part in the sea kayaking trip a suitable and safe method of transport, if required, to transport sea kayaks to and from activity location sea kayaking, navigation, overnight, first aid and safety and rescue equipment. |
Method of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: observation of planning and guiding processes and interacting with a group of participants, including conveying information for safe participation oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures to enable safe conduct of sea kayaking trip observation of dealing with contingencies such as changing weather conditions and equipment failure review of sea kayaking trip plans third-party reports from a supervisor detailing performance. Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example: SISOOPS202A Use and maintain a temporary overnight site SISOOPS303A Interpret weather for marine environments. |
Guidance information for assessment |
Range Statement
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included. | |
Condition of participants may include: | previous experience physical development age injuries and illnesses. |
Plan may include: | aims and objectives date, time and duration of trip location, equipment and resources safety requirements risk and contingency management plans |
Relevant legislation may include: | occupational health and safety permits or permission for access environmental regulations marine regulations. |
Organisational policies and procedures may include: | occupational health and safety time and budget constraints use and maintenance of equipment communication protocols confidentiality of participant information guide and participant ratios camp fire regulations code of ethics. |
Session's aims and objectives may include: | developing sea kayaking skills education development therapy fitness targets recreation. |
Hazards may include: | temperature extremes slippery or unstable terrain dangerous animals and insects stinging trees and nettles dense vegetation group management hazards slippery or unstable shore poor posture, poor technique poor carrying techniques loose or insecure craft when being transported. other craft. |
Moderate to difficult conditions may include: | Areas of exposed coastline with currents, difficult landings, or open crossings open crossings with wind speeds of 17-21 knots wave heights of at least 1.0metre surf up to 2.0metres Distances beyond 4 nautical miles from the nearest shore. |
Risks may include: | hypothermia heat exhaustion injuries exhaustion lost party or party member equipment failure capsize. |
Relevant sources may include: | Bureau of Meteorology media land managers or agencies coastal patrol or coastguard volunteer marine rescue local knowledge. |
Weather and environmental information may include: | satellite images daily and weekly forecasts maximum and minimum temperatures weather warnings event warnings river levels synoptic charts high and low tide predictions. |
Food and water requirements may include: | menu planning and preparation range of foods. |
Principles of nutrition may include: | food groups dietary guidelines individual food requirements and allergies. |
Contextual issues may include: | weather conditions, including times season transport location trip distance and duration group objectives group size. |
Appropriate authorities may include: | waterways departments surf rescue authorities supervisors. |
Sea kayaks may include: | single sea kayaks double sea kayaks. |
Equipment may include: | personal flotation device paddle with leash spray deck wet suit or wet weather gear ropes tie down straps safety and first aid equipment pumps sponges paddle float. |
Relevant information may include: | safety procedures logistical details risk management sea kayaking techniques responsible and safe behaviour. |
Safety procedures may include: | group launch and land group movement and spacing group signals (emergency actions) capsize procedures use of safety and rescue equipment foreseeable hazards and their associated risks and management techniques communication systems. |
Variable factors may include: | change of weather and conditions equipment failure participant's needs. |
Relevant aspects may include: | objectives planning process activity site weather equipment selection clothing selection food selection instructional content instructional technique assessment technique group feedback directing techniques rescue techniques employed. |
Sectors
Unit sector | Outdoor Recreation |
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills. |
Licensing Information
Refer to Unit Descriptor