T-Rescue A Swamped Canoe

What happens when your smooth sailing (canoeing) runs into trouble and now your swamped?  If canoeing with a group, the T-Rescue or Canoe-Over-Canoe method is vital to know.

Step One: The rescue canoe should come up alongside the swamped canoe.

Step Two: Position the swamped canoe so that the end is pointed directly at the rescue canoe. This will form the T shape.

Step Three: With the assistance of the scouts that are in the water, tip the end into the water to bring the other end closes to the rescue canoe up out of the water for the rescuers to grab and pull over their canoe.

Step Four: The rescue canoe will need to continue to pull the swamped canoe completely out of the water in order to drain it. This will form a cross shape with an upside down canoe over the rescue canoe.

Step Five: Flip the now empty canoe over so it is right side up, and slide back into the water.

Step Six: The rescuers should hold the empty canoe parallel with their canoe and give balance and stability to the vessel and the scouts get back into the canoe from the water.

Having your canoe swamp is part of canoeing. Eventually everyone will experience it, but knowing what to do in the event of a swamp is key to helping the bad situation not get worse.