Bell boating

Download this page as a pdf

General requirements for water activities

Description

A bell boat is a twin-hulled open canoe that seats up to 14 children plus the helm, or eight adults plus the helm.

Forms

An Information and Consent for Event/Activity form is required to participate in this activity.

Who can participate?

Open to those aged seven and over.

Some activity providers have their own age, height and weight restrictions.

Participants must be able to:

swim 50 metres
keep afloat for five minutes in the clothes normally worn for the activity.

Participants may fulfil these rules wearing a buoyancy aid or life jacket when either is required for the activity.

If you have a participant with a medical condition that will affect her ability to swim, ensure that you inform the instructor and make provision to allow her to participate safely.

Ratio of adults to girls

Normal ratios for activities away from the meeting place are required. Guiding Manual ratios

Regulations

The leader must ensure that all participants under 18 have written permission to take part from an adult with parental responsibility.
The local Commissioner must be informed that the activity is taking place.
Carry out a risk assessment for the activity.
When offering this activity to participants under the age of 18, and in sea, tidal or inland water that is more than 50 metres from land, it is a legal requirement that the activity provider be properly licenced by the Adventurous Activities Licencing Authority: AALA
Additional awards to help you determine the quality of a centre are Adventuremark or LotC Quality Badge for Adventure.

The above endorsements are not applicable in Northern Ireland, where you should ask your local Outdoor Activities Adviser to recommend an approved provider.

The Leader must:

ensure that safety rules and alarm signals have been explained to the participants
Ensure the required buoyancy aids/life jackets are used.
be satisfied that everyone understands the need for instructions to be obeyed immediately
follow the guidelines in the Water Safety Code and ensure that the responsible adult helpers are familiar with them
ensure that the water is suitable for the activity, seeking advice if necessary
decide on the day, with the instructor(s), whether conditions are safe for the activity.

Instructor qualifications

Instructors should hold one of the following qualifications:

• British Canoe Union (BCU) Bell Boat Helm Award

• A canoe/kayak coach qualification along with knowledge of the philosophy and handling techniques of bell boats.

British Canoe Union (BCU) – http://www.bcu.org.uk/

If alternative qualifications are held, please seek advice from your Outdoor Activities Adviser, the BCU or contact activities@girlguiding.org.uk to ensure the instructor’s qualification is appropriate to the nature of the activity.

Useful information

Ensure the equipment being used is in good condition.

Water should be inspected for signs of visible pollution, for example rubbish, blue green algae or chemicals.

If either the Leader or the instructor is not satisfied that the conditions are safe, the activity must be abandoned.

The Leader should ensure each participant (or her parent if the participant is under 18 years old) is aware of the dangers and symptoms of Weil’s disease and knows what action to take if infection is suspected. On the day of the activity participants should be advised to cover cuts and grazes with waterproof plasters to help prevent infection.