i know this is a board design forum but there seems to be a ton of experience and common sense here, so please indulge me for a few seconds…
A Group of Great Lakes surfers want to learn rescue techniques using their boards. We have very few guarded beaches here and a lot of rock Groins (jetty’s, piers, breakwalls whatever you call them where you are) Every year we have people wash off the piers during high surf and often surfers are around but lack the knowledge to help.
i’m a former East Coast, and Great Lakes guard and have used a rescue board, i can teach those techniques, but anybody know of any training or had experience using a short board for rescue work, even just antidotal information would be helpful.
Only way to save a guy with a short board is to give it to him and swim in! Sorry I don’t have better, but up here (Oregon) we have NO lifeguards and brutal currents. Post signs. We lose a lot of beach combers, rarely surfers.
When I got trained for waterfront lifeguarding, they showed us a video using the paddle boards that you see on top of the jeeps of lifeguards (they’re like softop longboards with a keel like fin). So anyways, when rescuing a victim using the paddle boards usually the victim is in the face down position and not breathing. Approach the victim from the side with the paddle board and flip the paddle board over (keel fin is on top) slide the board above the victim then grab one side of the victim (grab arm & leg) then in one motion pull the victim “up & over” this should cause the paddle board to flip and turn itself over (this takes practice). The victim will be on the board in the supine position ready to be pushed to shore. Obviously, this wouldn’t work with a typical shortboard and make sure the victim is unconcious before attempting this technique. Practice this a few times with your buddies. 'Hopefully everything i typed made sense.
While Patrick is really the go-to guy with this stuff, a few thoughts -
Up there, I’d guess that the whole thing is a race between getting them in safely and hypothermia: somebody gets washed off, they won’t have a wetsuit, will be out of shape and likely intoxicated. Which will also mean they will struggle, fight ya and be a general nightmare.
Best to work in pairs, if at all possible. One to deal with the victim, one to stand by and assist.
With a really short board, one that doesn’t have a hope in hell of floating you andyour rescued victim, might be a plan to have 'em hold into your leash or put the velcro strap around their stronger wrist or forearm. That keeps them attached but at a safe distance, so they can’t panic and drown both of ya.
A 9’+ board is obviously a lot better than a <7’ board. Good that you’re mentioning ‘a group’ , cos if two or more guys are surfing together one will prolly have a long board. Again, might be good to put some emphasis on working together in pairs, getting in through the soup together and so on. Practicing with a very un cooperative victim.
anyhow- that’s a few ideas, hope that’s of some use, and I hope Patrick comes in on this
Having been forced to take Lifesaving when I was doing scuba, I can say only that rescuing anyone under any circumstances is unpredictably dangerous, with or without flotation devices, and is best left to people who are fully trained. That being said, if surfers are interested in learning the skills to do so, I would recommend that they take an accredited Lifesaving course that covers waterfront and open ocean. And then figure out how their short board can be used effectively and safely.
My friends and I have helped quite a few people in trouble. It is much safer with more than one person, as two people are much more reassuring to each other, and to the person in trouble, who is generally wanting to panic. If you can keep the person reasonably calm it helps a lot.
On short boards we took turns with the person sort of piggy back, but they have to paddle, otherwise you go nowhere! I remember actually belly boarding in one time, all the weight can get good momentum once you get going.
And if they’re panicking I would think more than twice about helping them, too dangerous. Even if you give them the end of your leash, chances are they’ll take you with them.
As a former thru most of the 60’s Fire Island, NY, ocean lifeguard/supervisor at an active beach frequented by marina-based weekend acute alcoholics who occasionally spawned multiple, frequently combative rescues: I taught that the vic’s drowning was preferable to 'guard+vic drowning, that we could always try to resuscitate the vic on the beach. Survival of the fittest…in reality. This dictum was not printed in the Town’s brochure…
Today, in any area where the water is cold enough for rapid hypothermia to be problematic, I believe I would suggest surrendering my shorterboard to the vic. The surfer/rescuer has a leash and a wetsuit, right? Tow the idiot in. Re-view above reservation.
swim to the victim and froma distance push your board over to him to he can float on it. do not get close as he will climb all over you (this is stressed pretty big in lifeguarding classes). get him floating on the board and talk to him. get him calmed down and reassure him. if you are a strong swimmer you could hold onto the board with one hand and swim with the other, if not you could both lay down laying across the board and kick in (get him to take off his shoes), swimming is faster. if your board is big enough (10’ probably) you can have him lay down towards the nose and you lay on top of him and slightly behind him (thats how rescue boards are used) and youll be surprised how much weight you can actually put on a board and still paddle effectively.
if the victim is un responsive and has fallen off an elevated area it is important to be cautious of a spinal injury. you will need to get creative in the water but this will give you the jist of it. lay on top of them so their back is to your front. put your arms through their armpits. cradle their head firmly with both your hands so the head does not move and slowly turn them over. keep their neck inline with the rest of their body and kick to shore.