Kayaking Merit Badge

Overview

Kayaking has become one of the fastest-growing paddlesports in the United States. An estimated nine million Americans enjoy this sport. The most popular style of kayaking is recreational kayaking, followed by touring/sea kayaking, and whitewater kayaking. This merit badge will introduce you to recreational kayaking and help prepare you for advanced paddlesports such as tour/sea and whitewater kayaking.

Requirements

(1) Do the following:
- (a) Explain to your counselor the hazards you are most likely to encounter while participating in kayaking activities, including weather and water-related hazards, and what you should do to anticipate, help prevent, mitigate, and respond to these hazards.
  
  Resources: Kayaking Tips—Cold Water and Winter Paddling (Wear, Gear, and Risks) (video), Top 5 Kayak Safety Rules for Beginners (video)
- (b) Review prevention, symptoms, and first-aid treatment for the following injuries or illnesses that can occur while kayaking: blisters, cold-water shock and hypothermia, heat-related illnesses, dehydration, sunburn, sprains, and strains.
  
  Resources: OSHA Heat Illness Prevention Campaign (video), How To Treat a Sunburn (video), First Aid Kit for Kayaking—What’s in It? (video), Cold Water Shock—How To Deal With Cold Water Shock (video)
- (c) Review the Scouting America Safety Afloat policy. Explain to your counselor how this applies to kayaking.
  
  Resources: Safety Afloat (website)
(2) Before doing requirements 3 through 8, successfully complete the Scouting America swimmer test. Note: See the Swimming merit badge pamphlet for details about the Scouting America swimmer test.

Resources: Swimming Merit Badge Pamphlet (PDF)
(3) Do the following:
- (a) Review the characteristics of life jackets most appropriate for kayaking and understand why one must always be worn while paddling. Then demonstrate how to select and fit a life jacket for kayaking.
  
  Resources: How To Choose the Right Life Jacket (video)
- (b) Review the importance of safety equipment such as a signal device, extra paddle, sponge, bilge pump, flotation bags, and throw bag.
  
  Resources: Essential Gear That All Paddlers Need To Carry On the Water (video), Kayak Safety: How To Use a Kayak Bilge Pump (How To Get Water out of Your Kayak) (video), Must Have Paddling Safety Gear | How To Kayak or Canoe (video)
(4) Do the following:
- (a) Name and point out the major parts of a kayak.
  
  Resources: Kayak Overview (video)
- (b) Review the differences in the design between recreational, whitewater, and sea or touring kayaks. Include how length, width, stability, and rocker are involved in the design of each type.
  
  Resources: How To Choose the Right Kayak for All Types of Flatwater Paddlers (video)
- (c) Explain the care, maintenance, and storage of a kayak.
  
  Resources: How To Clean and Maintain Your Kayak (video)
(5) Discuss the following:
- (a) Correct methods for the use of a kayak paddle
  
  Resources: How To Hold a Kayak Paddle (video), Proper Technique for Paddling a Kayak (video)
- (b) Parts of a paddle
  
  Resources: Kayak Paddles (website)
- (c) The care and maintenance of a paddle
  
  Resources: Kayak Paddle Maintenance (website)
(6) Using a properly equipped kayak with an open cockpit, a sit-on-top, or an inflatable kayak, do the following:
- (a) Safely capsize and perform a wet exit.
  
  Resources: Kayak Wet Exit—How To Get Out of Your Kayak (video)
- (b) Reenter the kayak with assistance from a buddy boat.
  
  Resources: How To Re-Enter a Sit Inside Kayak for Beginners (video), Sea Kayak T-Rescue: Deep Water Rescue / How To Get Back in Your Kayak With Help (video), Master the Sea Kayak Scoop Rescue for Injured Paddlers (video), Heel Hook—Kayak Rescue (video)
- (c) Demonstrate a kayak-over-kayak rescue.
  
  Resources: Sea Kayak T-Rescue: Deep Water Rescue / How To Get Back in Your Kayak With Help (video)
- (d) Demonstrate the HELP position.
  
  Resources: Help/Huddle Position (video)
- (e) Capsize the kayak, swim it and the paddle to shore, and empty water from the kayak with assistance if needed.
  
  Resources: White Water Kayak—Swim to Shore (video)
(7) As a solo paddler, use a properly equipped kayak to demonstrate the following:
- (a) Forward stroke
  
  Resources: Kayak Forward Stroke (video)
- (b) Backstroke
  
  Resources: Kayak Reverse Stroke (video)
- (c) Forward sweep
  
  Resources: Kayak Sweep Strokes (video)
- (d) Reverse sweep
  
  Resources: Kayak Reverse Stroke (video)
- (e) Draw stroke
  
  Resources: Kayak Draw Stroke—In Water Recovery (video)
- (f) Stern draw
  
  Resources: Stern Draw (video)
(8) As a solo paddler, use a properly equipped kayak to demonstrate the following:
- (a) Paddle a straight line for 15 to 20 boat lengths using appropriate strokes while maintaining trim and balance of the kayak.
  
  Resources: Paddling a Kayak in a Straight Line (video)
- (b) Spin or pivot from a stationary position 180 degrees (half circle) to the right and left within two boat lengths.
  
  Resources: Fast Sea Kayak Turn—Turning a Sea Kayak 180 Degrees Efficiently (video)
- (c) Move abeam to the right 10 feet and to the left 10 feet.
  
  Resources: How To Turn a Kayak (video)
- (d) Stop the boat in one boat length.
  
  Resources: Paddle Strokes, the Emergency Stopping Procedure (video)
- (e) While maintaining forward motion, turn the kayak 90 degrees to the right and left.
- (f) Move the kayak backward three to four boat lengths using appropriate and effective reverse strokes.
  
  Resources: Reverse Stroke (video)
- (g) Paddle the kayak in a buoyed figure 8 course around markers three to four boat lengths apart.

Resources

Note: This is an unofficial archive of Scouts BSA Merit Badges that was automatically extracted from the Scouting America website and may contain errors.