Document Type

Report

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Disciplines

Leisure Studies | Sports Studies

Abstract

Anecdotally, paddlesports (canoeing, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, and rafting) are seen as safe sports, though prior to this report little evidence was available to support this view in an Irish context. This report provides a summary of a research project exploring safety practices in Irish paddlesports. It includes the aim, objectives, research methodology, findings, and recommendations. Discussions early in the research process about how to investigate safety practices in Irish paddlesports brought a number of objectives into focus. It was agreed to compile empirical evidence on current safety practices across Irish paddlesports and to determine what, if any, additional supports may be required to increase levels of safety. Multiple methods were utilised to address these objectives and generate data for this study. Initially, a desk review of relevant legislation and regulations was undertaken, before two surveys were distributed to the Irish paddling community – one for paddlers and one for clubs. 256 responses from paddlers were received and 14 clubs responded. Overall, this study found that paddlesports safety is good, with the majority of paddlers exhibiting high levels of safety awareness. A number of areas were identified, where paddler safety could be enhanced. These areas included reviewing and adding to Canoeing Ireland’s three golden rules of safety to further align with current legislation, standardising club safety documentation, and implementing a national database to record accidents and near-misses. Canoeing Ireland’s position on solo paddling may also require review, and a focus on the effects of climate change and its potential impacts on paddler safety may also be pertinent.

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