Cold-Water Workshop - This Saturday, 4/2/2011, Calf Pasture Beach, Norwalk, CT

Special Notice Tri-State Paddlers: Thinking about breaking out your boat right about now and not sure you know what you need to know for safe Spring Paddling? Please think about joining members of the USCG Auxiliary Norwalk, Flotilla 72, the Mayor of Norwalk, and others (see agenda below for all participants) at Calf Pasture Beach in CT this Saturday, 4/2/2011, for a fun and educational day.

Calf Pasture Beach on Google Maps

News Release Paddlesport Safety Workshop

Norwalk Mayor Richard A. Moccia is scheduled to join members of the USCG Auxiliary and paddlesport experts in a free safety workshop.

When: April 2, 2011: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Where: USCG Auxiliary Base in Calf Pasture Beach Park, Norwalk

The American Canoe Association (ACA) and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary have a Memorandum of Agreement to promote safety among those who use kayaks, canoes and other paddlecraft. The agreement establishes cooperative efforts, such as this workshop, to broaden outreach and education to the paddlesports community.

Paddlesports boating is one of the fastest growing recreation activities in the United States. In 2008 the Outdoor Industry Association reported that approximately 17.8 million people participated in paddlesports getting out on the water nearly 50,000 times daily. The explosive growth has triggered a disturbing increase in paddlesports injuries and fatalities. Often, with little investment inexperienced individuals are on the water without adequate paddlesport safety equipment or training.

The American Canoe Association and the Coast Guard Auxiliary are committed to reversing this trend. With input from the ACA a new Auxiliary Paddlesports America Course is now available nationwide complementing traditional safety courses that have been offered by ACA for decades. This classroom based training provides paddlers basic knowledge needed to safely operate their vessels including: knowing the paddlecraft, trip planning, safe operation, legal requirements, and paddling emergencies. The American Canoe Association and the Coast Guard Auxiliary will also reach out to paddlers through the paddlecraft vessel safety check program. Experts will talk with paddlers as they examine safety gear and provide personalized paddlesports safety guidance.

“The City of Norwalk is proud to continue our partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary as we continually strive to improve the boating safety experience for the recreational paddler.”- Norwalk Mayor Richard A. Moccia. “With this cooperative effort we will reach out to the growing population of paddlers providing needed training to keep them safe on the water” - Arthur Gottlieb Flotilla Commander of the USCG Auxiliary – Norwalk.

Agenda: Preliminary Agenda Paddlesports Workshop April 2, 2011 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM USCG Auxiliary Base in Calf Pasture Beach Park – Norwalk, CT
10:00 Welcome and Introductions - Arthur Gottlieb, Flotilla Commander USCG Auxiliary – Norwalk
10:10 Physiology of Cold Water Immersion by Captain Rande Wilson, USCG Licensed Master
10:30 Cold Water Boot Camp and Life Jackets by Captain Mark Chanski, Boating Safety Specialist, CT DEP (invited)
11:15 Questions and Answers, Break
11:30 Dress to Swim Demonstration by Tom Klinger, Public Education Specialist, The Small Boat Shop
12:00 Mayor Richard A. Moccia Dry Suit Fitting by Tom Klinger and Gaeton Andretta, The Small Boat Shop
12:30 Paddlers conduct kayak in water demonstrations (Chris Murphy, Tom Klinger and Bonnie Aldinger of The Small Boat Shop; Captain Mark Chanski, CT DEP).
1:00 Break
1:30 Paddlesports Program Overview by Ric Klinger, ADSO-Paddlesports, USCG Auxiliary District 1, SR
1:45 Paddlesports Safety Equipment by Windy Farnsworth, Vice Flotilla Commander, USCG Auxiliary - Norwalk
2:00 Vessel Safety Checks by Robert Talley, FSO-Vessel Examination, USCG Auxiliary Norwalk
2:30 Questions and Answers; Break

Sponsors:
CT Department of Environmental Protection, Boating Division
City of Norwalk
Town of Wilton
USCG Auxiliary District 1,
SR USCG Auxiliary Norwalk, Flotilla 72
The Small Boat Shop, Norwalk, CT
Captain Rande Wilson

Note - The Small Boat Shop is going to provide dry suits for paddlers to do in water demonstrations. Dry suits will be provided for those who wish to try them. Founded in 1880, the American Canoe Association (ACA) is a national nonprofit organization serving the broader paddling public by providing education related to the aspects of paddling, stewardship support to help protect paddling environments; and sanctioning of programs and events to promote paddlesport competition and recreation. For more information about the American Canoe Association visit http://www.americancanoe.org

The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniformed volunteer component of the United States Coast Guard created by an Act of Congress in 1939. The Auxiliary, America’s Volunteer Guardians, supports the Coast Guard in nearly all of the service’s missions. For more information about the Coast Guard Auxiliary visit http://www.cgaux.org