Safety requirements

 

    • The written acknowledgement by his/her club safety officer that he/she is competent to paddle in open ocean races if and where required by the race committee
    • The wearing of a PFD (SA approved). It must be bright in colour
    • A leash in sound working order, and must be attached to the body and to a safe point on the craft, preferably the foot strap.
    • The PSA number of the paddler of the craft to be affixed to the craft on either side of the front deck.
    • The ankle strap with the timing chip must be attached to paddlers’ left ankles.
    • A cell phone with enough airtime, a fully charged battery, the race emergency number loaded, in a waterproof pouch, housed in a pocket of the PFD, per paddler.
    • NSRI SafeTRX  loaded and activated on the cell phone.(to see how to set up the app, watch this video). You can download and read more on the app as well as watch a video on the app: https://www.nsri.org.za/water-safety/safetrx/
    • A whistle, of the variety that can operate while wet.
    • Brightly colored clothing , including a cap (if worn).
    • A minimum of 30% of the deck of the ski must be covered in a bright colored paint or a bright colored (preferably luminous) decal. Or, 1000mm of the nose and tail of the ski must be painted a bright colour).
    • A bright colored decal  on the back of each blade of the paddle.

    THE RACE SAFETY COMMITTEE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO STOP A PADDLER FROM PADDLING THE RACE, SHOULD WE DEEM THIS PADDLER NOT SUFFICIENTLY PROFICIENT OR EXPERIENCED FOR THE PREVAILING CONDITIONS. 

    NATIONAL SEA RESCUE INSTITUTE: SAFETRX smart phone app

    RSA SafeTrx allows you to plan your journey on your smartphone. Directly from your smartphone you can enter your journey details and know that your journey is being tracked. Should you not return by the time given, your ‘emergency contact’ will be alerted via sms and advised to alert the Maritime Rescue Co-Ordination Centre (MRCC).
    You can download, test and read more on the app as well as watch the video here:  https://www.nsri.org.za/water-safety/safetrx/

    You can get more info on setting up the app from this video: