BCU Course: 4 Star Sea Assessment

We offer a number of BCU training and assessment courses across the UK, US and Europe. Please visit our Events page to see when classes you can join in on might be running. These programmes are also available on demand for groups of friends and clubs so get in touch to discuss dates. Here is one such course we provide - 4 Star Sea Assessment.

Dates: Please see our events page for published dates.

Location: Various

Description: This two-day discipline specific assessment is designed to show that a successful candidate has the appropriate level of skill to safely lead competent paddlers on coastal journeys in moderate water conditions. 

Achieving the award demonstrates that a candidate is competent to judge the conditions and the standard of the group to make appropriate decisions on the water as part of a planned route, while showing an understanding of the need to modify plans when required. The assessment will be against criteria set out in the BCU 4 Star Sea syllabus and will cover the following areas:

Personal Paddling Skills

• Lifting, carrying and launching/landing

• Efficient and effective sea paddling skills

• Forward paddling

• Reversing and stopping

• Maintaining direction

• Changing direction

• Moving sideways

• Support strokes

• Rolling

• Practical navigation

Rescue Skills, Safety, Leadership and Group Management

• Boat and shore based safety and rescue skills

• Incident management and first aid in the 4 star environment

• Being an effective team leader and team member in rescues/incidents

• Application of leadership

• Leadership strategies, judgement and decision making

• Safety awareness and risk management

• Group control and management

• Equipment

Theory

• Safety (includes coastguard and rescue services)

• Weather

• Hypothermia/first aid

• Access

• Planning

• Group awareness and management

• Navigation

• Etiquette (includes collision regulations and signals)

• General (and historical)

• Leadership responsibilities

• Water features/hazards

Prerequisites: Be 16 or over; endorsed LR form; BCU 3 Star Sea; BCU 4 Sea Star training (or equivalent evidence); BCU Coastal Navigation and Tidal Planning (or equivalent course); a recognised first-aid award (minimum 16 hours); 10 days logged experience.

BCU Information: For syllabus details, visit the BCU website.

Contact: For more information, course fees or to register, e-mail: info@greenlandorbust.org.

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