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Originally Posted by Skip
Any luck finding that data yet to substantiate your claims????
Skip
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As I posted earlier, I was given this information by an instructor while I was at a paddling seminar. It's not something that I can just pull off the Internet, at least not as far as information that specifically gives the demographics of sea kayakers.
But just Google Sea Kayak Instruction and you'll get some idea of how extensive the skill training is for this sport. (I have posted a message on one of the largest paddling forums, so perhaps someone there can find a link that I can pass on.)
I did find a report that gives a great deal of statistics on canoe and kayak fatalities – the data does also backup what I posted as far as the experience and skill level of sea kayakers, the use of PFD by all types of kayakers, and it also states that sea kayaks are “very sea worthy.”
Taken from:
CRITICAL JUDGMENT II - Understanding and Preventing Canoe and Kayak Fatalities 1996-2002 by the American Canoe Association
“This report includes six years of accident data from the US Coast Guard (USCG) Boating Accident Report Database (BARD).” “From calendar year 1996 through 2002, 574 fatalities associated with canoes and kayaks were reported to the U.S. Coast Guard.” “Among the 558 paddling fatalities for which type of vessel is known, 72% were associated with canoes.” “The remainder 28% was associated with kayaks.
Sea kayaks represented a very small proportion of fatalities (1% overall and 5% among kayaks).”
“Kayak Touring – This category of kayaking, sometimes referred to as
sea kayaking, includes such diverse activities as day kayaking on a small lake, multi-day kayak excursions, and kayaking on the open ocean. Touring kayaks are typically long, sleek, have storage compartments, and are designed for speed and efficiency. These kayaks are often used for long expeditions and
are very sea worthy.”
“The odds that individuals who were paddling kayaks when they died were wearing a properly worn PFD was over six times that of their counterparts in canoes.”
52% of the victims of kayak fatalities were wearing a PFD.
“One of the few published studies that looked at PFD use in a general population, Quan et al. (1998) found that in the state of Washington in 1995,
kayakers had the highest rate of PFD use (78%).”