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"Tour Operator's Guidelines"
TAPS SAFETY GUIDELINESThese guidelines are intended for educational purposes only. The are not intended as a basis for evidence of legal
responsibility or negligence in any legal action. TAPS's suggested guidelines are for commercial tours, rentals and lessons and it is recognized that each area and each situation calls for different responses and implies no limitations on solutions the o
perator may choose.
SUGGESTED GUIDELINES FOR
TOUR OPERATORS
Sea kayaking tours are here divided arbitrarily into four categories according to potential difficulty and risk. It should be remembered that every situation is different
and your trip may not fit readily into one category or another. Sound judgment is the most important quality for a group leader. Tour party members can not be relied upon to help themselves or other party members though the competence level of the group
is always a consideration.
CLASS 1: Involve gentle tours in sloughs and deltas, and in inhabited, non-challenging, protected waterways not exposed to current more than one knot or open water. Such trips are usually undertaken for a secon
dary purpose such as bird watching, photography, etc. and call for a schedule of less than three hours per paddling day.
CLASS 2: Involve protected water tours in lightly populated areas with exposure to currents up to two knots and crossin
gs of one hour or more with a fetch greater than five miles, sheltered coves and safe beaches every mile or so with small surf and a schedule of less than four hours a day.
CLASS 3: Involve exposure to remote areas (half a day to the nearest
known help), open ocean with crossings up to two hours, exposure to a rough coastline that precludes landing for up to two hours, currents that exceed 3 knots, or beaches with mild to moderate surf.
CLASS 4: Involves conditions beyond CLASS
3.
NOTE: Factors that increase the seriousness of the trip include:
- severe weather
- use of single rather than double kayaks
- very young, old or handicapped clients
- leaders with little experience in that particular area
- excessively
cold water conditions
- larger group size
- smaller staff to client ratio
Factors that reduce the seriousness of the trip include:
- clients with skills and previous kayaking experience
- an accompanying support vessel
- smaller group size
- larger
staff to client ratio
CLASS 1:
The ratios of "competent staff" to client should reflect the ability to deal with the worst situation that could reasonably be expected to occur. Factors that affect this ratio include
all factors that increase or decrease the seriousness of the situation as defined above.
Basic requirements:
1. Each staff person is responsible for a maximum of six kayaks or nine people.
2. The group leader has previous experience
in the area and is fluent in the local language.
3. The leader is capable of administering first aid and is prepared for appro priate evacuation procedures and area hazards.
4. Each staff member should have:
- Coast Guard required equipment p
lus:
- tow line
- basic first aid kit
- charts and compass
- appropriate signaling devices
- material and tools for temporary repairs
- hypothermia protection (set of dry clothing and a sleeping bag, etc.)
- spare paddle
5.
In addition to personal equipment, each boat will carry:
- adequate (secure) buoyancy
- life jackets with whistle attached for each occupant (worn)
- spare dry clothing
- food and water for daily use
- bailing device
6. Before d
eparture the leader will brief the group on:
- staying within easy communication range of a competent staff member except with the express permission of the group leader
- the weather forecast
- the route for the day
- the correct clot
hing to have on hand
- the rendezvous point in the event of separation
- safety, skills and rescue procedures including:
- basic skills - paddle strokes, braces, sailing
- (if appropriate), launching and landing
- - wet exit procedu
re
- - traveling patterns (keeping together)
- - local hazards (rip tides, headlands, shipping, etc.)
- 7. A paddle plan should be filed with local authorities or the company office so that in the event of a failure to check in, a search will
be mounted.
8. Obtain a medical release from each participant.
CLASS 2:
Basic requirements will be the same as for CLASS 1 except that the following are carried:
- a more comprehensive medical kit
- a radio transceiver
- a stove
CLASS 3:
Basic requirements will be the same as for CLASS 2 trips except that:
- - rescues should be demonstrated by staff
- - an appropriate EPIRB should be considered in addition to the radio transceiver
- - inflatable rafts or a supp
ort boat should be considered
- - helmets should be considered where surf landings are anticipated
- - thermal protection should be considered for trips in cold climates - either
- wetsuits, dry-suits or survival suits suitable for putting on in the
water
- - spare vital equipment and emergency clothing shall be carried
-
CLASS 4:
Basic requirements shall be the same as for CLASS 3 except that:
- an appropriate EPIRB shall be strongly considered
GUIDE QUALIFICATIONS:
Guides
for each class of tour must be able to demonstrate to their employer that they have sufficient kayaking experience with groups of people, in more serious conditions and with the type of boats being used, and that they are thoroughly conversant with relevant rescue techniques and safety procedures.
Applicants for trip leaders, in addition to their kayaking experience, must first serve an appropriate apprenticeship, or if they are professional guides from another company, must be required to satisfy the program director that they have the sound judgment, competence and understanding of safety procedures to do the job. Certificates and letters of reference should not be considered a substitute for this direct assessment.
At the beginning of each season, the
company will conduct a training session at which all guides will practice and refine safety and rescue techniques and be familiarized with the safety parameters by the program director or company representative.
NOTE: A pending amendment to
tour operator guidelines is to include a section on foreign operations, including the recommendation that in non-English and Third World countries, a trip would automatically be moved up a "class" because of additional remoteness, communication difficulties and logistical problems. This would also include the recommendation for bilingual guides in non-English speaking countries.
HAPPY PADDLING!
HAPPY PADDLING!
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