River Safety: A Floater's Guide

River Safety: A Floater's Guide examines actual floating accidents, then moves on to identify and explain the most common hazards confronting canoeists. Author Stan Bradshaw draws upon more than twenty-five years of experience and eleven years of teaching canoeing safety to show how the vast majority of fatal river accidents are easily avoidable if canoeists follow a few basic, simple rules. From "reading the water" and identifying river hazards, to basic principals and techniques of river navigation, to fundamentals of river rescue and a thorough discussion of clothing and equipment, River Safety is highly recommended reading. Enhanced with equipment and first aid kit check lists, a section on important knots for river runners, and an extensive directory of river running courses offered throughout North American, River Safety is a "must" for the novice canoeist and has much of significant value for even the seasoned river floater.

I'm an open ocean paddler and thought I could handle an upcoming river trip without any fuss; but this book brings to light in an easy to read format the great need that even the most experienced of paddler has to properly prepare for the calmest of water journeys on the best of days. I'm very greatful for the river reading techniqes Bradshaw discribes and for the true stories of people who lost their lives because they weren't prepared. With so many people getting out on the water these days, books like this are essential and will save many lives.