Shipmates,
At the February Flotilla meeting I will discuss the opportunities for Paddle Craft outreach now available across our RBS program.
Based on estimates of paddle craft participation in the western states we have ~140,000 recreational paddlers in our Division service area. These statistics include kayakers, canoeists, paddle boarders, rowers, and drift boat fishermen. Looking at 2010 Oregon fatalities five of 12 boating deaths occurred while boaters were using these types of vessels.
Date | Location | Craft | Age | PFD | |
1 | 3/6/10 | Willamette River (at Jasper) | Canoe | 50 | N |
2 | 3/22/10 | Dorman Pond (near Forest Grove) | Inflatable Raft | 73 | N |
3 | 3/24/10 | Rogue River (near White Horse Park) | Drift | 75 | N |
4 | 4/24/10 | Willamette River (at Dunthorpe) | O/B | 57 | N |
5 | 5/3/10 | Columbia River (near 3 Mile Canyon) | Sailboard | 48 | N |
6 | 7/23/10 | Willamette River (near Sellwood Bridge) | Paddleboard | 55 | N |
7 | 9/5/10 | McKenzie River (50500 McKenzie Hwy) | Drift | 63 | N |
8 | 9/24/10 | Alsea Bay (near Alsea River mouth) | O/B | 44 | N |
9 | 10/6/10 | Pacific Ocean (near Netarts) | O/B | 61 | Y |
10 | 10/6/10 | Pacific Ocean (near Netarts) | O/B | 67 | Y |
11 | 10/10/10 | Columbia River (near Westport) | Sailboat | 46 | N |
12 | 11/26/10 | Willamette River (near Dayton) | O/B | 49 | N |
Traditionally, although Paddle craft safety has been an area of focus for Flotilla 76 in recent years, the Auxiliary has done a mixed job of serving the paddling portion of our recreational boating community. Over the last two years we have seen a rapid increase in the availability of RBS tools to address the recreational paddler. We now have an outstanding toolkit and can expect additional resources in the next few years.
The tools:
- The 7012a Paddle Craft Vessel Exam Form
- The Paddle Smart sticker
- Paddlesports America class
- A growing variety of posters and flyers
- Traditional Surface Operations: Whistles to assist paddlers with rules compliance
- D13 Paddlecraft Operator Program
- For kids Boating Sidekicks - Smart Start for Paddlers (Flash webpage - great for kids)
- Federal Requirements for Paddlers (USCG D1 webpage)
- OSMB: Paddling Oregon Safely (pdf)
- Flotilla 76: Cold water effects | Pacific Northwest water temperatures & cold water effects
- Flotilla 76: Paddle safety tips
- ....many, many more
The challenge and opportunity is to knit these tools together into a program that reduces injury and death of paddlers across the District and the Nation.
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