Showing posts with label DVDs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DVDs. Show all posts

Friday, August 09, 2013

Sea kayak with Gordon Brown Vol 3 review.


I was delighted when a preview copy of this long awaited addition to the award winning Sea Kayak with Gordon Brown series dropped through the letterbox. This volume deals with: Handling emergency situations, Sea kayak navigation, First aid kits and Rolling clinic. In a break from the format of the first two volumes, this DVD does not include a journey component. In those volumes the journey illustrated techniques from the instructional part of the video being put into practice. The key chapter in Volume 3 is "handling emergency situations" and it would not be ethical to set up a real rescue involving the emergency services on such a journey.

Instead, Gordon Brown has involved the rescue services in exercises involving two sea kayaking emergency scenarios set in the remote Hebridean Islands of Scotland.

Film maker and sea kayaker Simon Willis has expertly directed and filmed these scenarios from just about every angle and perspective possible and the results are eye opening.

Handling emergency situations running time 46 minutes.
What is truly unique about this film is that each of the key rescue personnel. that describe the rescue scenarios from their own point of view (Coastguard helicopter pilot, Coastguard radio officer and RNLI lifeboat coxswain), is a sea kayaker!

Alun, Coastguard helicopter pilot and sea kayaker.

Anne, Coastguard radio operator and sea kayaker.

Murty, RNLI lifeboat coxswain and sea kayaker.

This film discusses best ways of alerting attention of the emergency services and concentrates on voice communication by VHF and electronic communication via satellite Personal Location Beacon with GPS. The limited range of hand held electronic VHF DSC and traditional rocket flares are discussed and I challenge anyone not to think very carefully before renewing an expired rocket flare...

... after seeing Gordon nearly lose both hands after firing one.

The emergencies were not set up with someone conveniently falling out of a kayak beside a lifeboat. The full time frame of real rescues were involved as the situations took place in remote areas and one was near nightfall.

The helicopter pilot and lifeboat coxswain each described the difficulty of spotting sea kayaks even at the close range provided by PLB GPS coordinates...

...and the film compares different devices for attracting attention at this close range.


The kayakers were all wearing dry suits with thermal insulation underneath but all became bitterly cold when they stopped paddling and were waiting for rescue in rafts. As a retired doctor, I was delighted to see how rescuers kept a kayaker, rescued from immersion in the sea, in a horizontal position to avoid post rescue collapse.

(Not doing this led to the deaths of many of those "rescued" by helicopters after a Baltic ferry sank.)

The post rescue debriefing involving Murty Campbell, the lifeboat coxswain and Gordon Brown was very interesting. Murty is also an experienced kayaker and volunteer coach who pioneered open crossings to remote, rocky outcrops which lie off the Outer Hebrides, far into the Atlantic. Murty thought that many kayakers got in trouble because they are in a rush to get into challenging conditions rather than gradually building up their experience of the weather and sea, preferably in a supportive club environment. Not everyone has access to a club like his excellent local Stornoway Canoe Club but, even for those who paddle in small independent groups, it is a point well made. Murty and Gordon both learned from these realistic rescue exercises. Murty was going to add SOLAS reflective tape to his kayak and paddles and Gordon was not going to fire a rocket flare unless carefully rafted up. He was also going to make sure he had even more accessible extra clothing as his hands got so cold he could hardly fire a pinpoint flare.

At the end, Gordon joked with Murty "It wouldn't be very good if you were rescued by your own lifeboat!" He then concluded by telling viewers "I hope the worst doesn't happen but if it does, you will be better prepared to help yourself." If the DVD just consisted of this film I would say that it would be a best buy but there is more and it is also excellent!

Sea kayak navigation running time 48 minutes.
This film is co presented by Gordon Brown and...

...Franco Ferrero, experienced coach and author of the definitive Pesda book "Sea kayak navigation". For example,...

...Franco uses excellent diagrams to explain tides and...

...Gordon follows up by teaching students how to allow for tides (and winds) on short crossings, both by empiric calculation then by using transits.

Then Franco explains how to use a chart and vectors to shape a course allowing for a tide, which is across your direction of travel and there is no transit. The film stops short of shaping courses on longer crossings where the tide will change during the crossing. Franco illustrates how useful smart phone marine apps can be for calculating tidal times and flows but warns of the need for paper back up due to battery failure. I was surprised that more mention was not made of GPS. This is now mature technology and its use is an important addition to our navigational skills. Maintaining a GPS bearing to an intended waypoint is one of the best ways of allowing for variable tidal streams and just about the only way of allowing for crosswinds, if no transit is available. However, Franco does refer the viewer to the book for more advanced navigational techniques.

As a footnote to the navigation film, I need to mention the filming of Franco's wonderful boat control...

...as he manoeuvres tightly round the rocks in the beautiful north Wales coastline in his Quest LV, which most see as a directional touring kayak.

First Aid kits, running time 20 minutes.
The First Aid kits film is co-presented by Rowland Woollven who is both an experienced coach and a respected member of the Wilderness Emergency Medical Services Institute. He has also experience of handling a real life threatening medical emergency on expedition. In the film, Roland demonstrates the contents of various first aid kits suitable for on the water day use to full wilderness expedition use. I was delighted to see mention of dry iodine antiseptic spray, electrical and duct tapes, three of my personal favourites. He illustrates a number of procedures but both he and Gordon emphasise the film is not a first aid course. However, it is a great advert for going on one, preferably a course delivered in a sea kayaking environment. The film opens with the end of one of Gordon's sea kayaking courses when Roland springs a surprise on the tired students. He feigns unconsciousness and falls out of his kayak. It is the students' task to get him to safety and keep his vital signs stable and his body warm until professional help arrives. The film is a graphic example of what can happen when a medical emergency occurs in an untutored and unsuspecting group. The group went into "headless chicken" mode, with no one taking command and lots of conflicting ideas being put forward.

Once they got Rowland ashore, one person supported his neck as if he had a spinal injury (though there did not seem to be any history of trauma). Despite his "unconscious" state, no one put him in the recovery position in case he vomited and choked. Eventually, with prompting from Gordon, order prevailed and Rowland was safe and warm inside a group shelter awaiting the arrival of the emergency services. I am sure that all the participants in this scenario will have signed up to a first aid course and I am sure that it will trigger the same reaction in many viewers of the film. As sea kayakers, an unexpected medical problem in a remote place can be very frightening and even life threatening but I can almost guarantee that a possible medical emergency will be very low down the list of "what ifs" in most people's trip planning. As a retired doctor, I applaud this film and those who participated in it for showing the chaos of a sudden medical emergency in an unsuspecting group. It is much more effective in demonstrating the need for first aid training than showing a sanitised, well rehearsed, idealised incident.

Rolling clinic, running time 36 minutes.
This film is different from most rolling films, which demonstrate a variety of perfect rolls. Gordon sets the scene by saying "For me rolling is about being upright and breathing air. How we get there isn't that important." This film is not about developing extensive Greenland rolling skills but is directed at giving the touring sea kayaker a reliable first roll to encourage them to tackle more challenging conditions. The film bravely starts with 6 people who cannot roll and who have had either no previous rolling practice or, at most, one session. At the end of the session two out of the six can roll. The film demonstrates both forward and rear finishing rolls then analyses common mistakes, which students make in each. This is followed by very clear demonstrations of how to correct these mistakes. The film is designed to be an adjunct to your own practice sessions. You are advised to do these with helpers who observe and assist directly and also film, so that they and you can spot any mistakes hindering your progress. Aided by the DVD's clear menu system, you can then easily refer back to the appropriate section of the film's "fixes" chapter.

The session starts with land exercises designed to get students used to the feel of getting their lower bodies to twist the kayak upright rather than to use the paddle as a lever.

 In the water the demonstrations are very clearly filmed from a variety of different angles. The coaches observe the students initial attempts and advise them to develop either forward or rear finishing rolls to suit. I was pleased to see that in the initial stages, students were encouraged to come up on the same side as they went over on. I am sure that the full forward tuck and roll in (on the opposite side to which you come up) disorientates many learners. One of the things that might have been mentioned in the back finishing roll, is to sweep the paddle forward in a low brace position to give stability while raising the body off the back deck at the finish (as in the standard Greenland roll).

One of the coaches, Callum, actually demonstrates this several times in the film but it is not specifically mentioned.

Special mention has to go to the very clear menu system, which divides the rolling film into many parts. This makes it is very easy find and jump backwards and forwards to review and replay sections without having to pause, rewind and forward. This is the best implementation of navigation through a kayak rolling DVD I have seen.

Preview.
You can watch a preview of the DVD here:

Volume 3, Sea Kayak with Gordon Brown v2 from Simon Willis on Vimeo.

Publication Date.
The Premier of the DVD will be at Paddle 2013, the Scottish Canoe Association annual show in Perth on 26th October. The DVD will then be available for purchase from selected dealers and directly from:
seakayakwithgordonbrown.com

Conclusion.
I am a friend of both Gordon and Simon and took part in the journey section of Sea kayak with Gordon Brown volume 2. I have therefore tried very hard to be critical and dispassionate but you will need to bear this in mind.

This third volume is a superb addition to the previous two volumes of Sea kayak with Gordon Brown and like them, it deserves to win more awards. I think the Handling emergency situations film is unique. I am not surprised that this film has come out of the UK. Recreational sea kayaking started round the fabulous coastline of the UK in the middle of the 19th century and so perhaps it is unsurprising that the UK now has so many coaches of Gordon Brown's calibre. However, there can be few places on Earth where a coach has such close working relationships with rescue helicopter pilot, coastguard radio officer and lifeboat coxswain, not to mention film maker. The fact that they are all sea kayakers is extraordinary and adds a unique synergy and chemistry to this outstanding and thought provoking film. The other three films on the DVD are each outstanding and original in their own right and the combination of all four make this DVD a must have for sea kayakers of all abilities. Lastly the frequent smiles and the Hebridean scenery make sure that this is not a dry technique DVD. This is sea kayaking fun (with Gordon Brown)!

Wednesday, September 07, 2011

Sea Kayak with Gordon Brown Volume 2 DVD preview.

I wasn't going to review Sea Kayak with Gordon Brown Vol 2 DVD for several reasons. Many of you will know I am friends with both Gordon and with Simon Willis, who has produced, directed and edited the DVD.  Also, I appear in the expedition section as I was lucky enough to be on the voyage to St Kilda aboard the MV Cuma that features in the DVD (as a full fare paying passenger). However, now that I have have made a declaration of interest, I feel better and you can keep it in mind to judge whether I am being objective or not.

Almost exactly two years ago, I published one of the first reviews of Sea Kayak with Gordon Brown Vol 1 DVD. In it I said that it had achieved a new standard for sports technique videos. I was not surprised when it went on to win several awards.

I have watched the preview of Sea Kayak with Gordon Brown 2 many times and it has raised the bar yet again. This is no dull technique DVD, filmed on flat water, there is a great deal of white water in this DVD! The technique section is divided into 8 parts covering up to date ideas on handling rescue situations and towing. The filming has been done in the environment and weather conditions that developing sea kayakers aspire to. It shows Gordon illustrating rescue and self rescue techniques while actually coaching students. Some of them, like Janice, are extremely long suffering! However, don't get the impression that Gordon is not prepared to get wet. Far from it, my heart was in my mouth watching him swim his kayak ashore then launch again in heavy surf, which was breaking into a rocky gully on the remote island of Cearstaigh off the coast of Harris. The final section on "anticipation and reaction" is designed to help you avoid the need to be rescued and builds nicely on the handling of a kayak in fast moving tidal waters that was introduced in DVD 1.

As with Volume 1, the filming and particularly the quality of the "on the water" sound recording is outstanding.  Volume 2 also features a journey, this time to the remote St Kilda archipelago, which lies 40 miles west of Scotland's Outer Hebrides. For me this is what makes this series of instructional DVDs unique. It is learning techniques in the context of and environment in which they will be applied. Ultimately sea kayaking is about the journey and learning the techniques, so clearly demonstrated in this DVD, will make your journey safer. During filming of the journey section, one of the team capsized and made a wet exit on the exposed SW coast of St Kilda. The rescue took seconds and a second rescuer was standing by to tow both rescuee and rescuer off the rocks if required. The paddler had not been dressed for immersion and quickly began to feel cold but a variety of spare over-cags, hats and gloves were produced to prevent hypothermia and the planned route was changed, given the weather conditions and the rescued paddler's condition. It was a wonderful, unrehearsed demonstration of the effectiveness of the techniques demonstrated earlier and more importantly the overall leadership and planning required to paddle safely in a demanding environment.

St Kilda features throughout the DVD and there are interviews with both Hamish Gow, the first paddler to reach it and Donald Thomson, the paddler who led the party which made the first return crossing.  The DVD is enriched by cine film of St Kilda shot by Gow in the 1960's. His description of his navigational method is a treat, though it might not feature in the BCU 5* syllabus!

I think that kayakers of all levels will learn from this DVD. Each time I have paddled with Gordon Brown I have come away with the confidence to take on more challenging conditions when paddling on my own trips. Sadly not every sea kayaker can have personal coaching from Gordon but this DVD is the next best thing. Sea Kayak with Gordon Brown Volume 2 is the result of a unique synergy between a coach at the top of his game and a talented film maker, who is himself a sea kayaker. I expect to see this DVD win several more awards for Gordon and Simon.

The DVD is due to have its first public showing at Paddle 2011 the Scottish Canoe and Kayak Show on 22nd/23rd October 2011. It will be available for purchase at the show and thereafter at www.seakayakwithgordonbrown.com

The cover of the preview DVD included this contents information:


ASSISTED RESCUES
The deep water rescue in detail. Also the scoop rescue for an injured kayaker.

SELF RESCUE FOUNDATIONS
Gordon’s coaching programme will help you teach yourself this vital skill.

SELF RESCUES
Starts with paddle float straddle and leg hook and leads on full re-enter and roll.

TECHNICAL LANDINGS
Heart stopping footage of landing and launching safely on  wave swept shores.

CONTACT TOWS - Watch Online
Making and modifying contact tows, plus their correct use in calm and rough water.

DISTANCE TOWS
Modifying and using tow lines. Using for rafted and ‘dog-lead’ tows on injured kayakers.

RESCUE SCENARIOS
Kayakers tackle challenging real-life rescue scenarios.

ANTICIPATION & REACTION
Rough water paddling skills to help you avoid the need to be rescued or towed.

Sunday, October 04, 2009

Sea Kayak with Gordon Brown DVD #2

My recent review of Sea Kayak with Gordon Brown DVD did not have any video footage. Simon Willis has just released this promo clip, which illustrates very nicely what the DVD is about.

Sea Kayak with Gordon Brown trailer from Simon Willis on Vimeo.

Friday, August 28, 2009

Sea kayak with Gordon Brown DVD preview


I have a drawer full of both inspirational and technique DVD's and videos from the windsurfing, mountain biking, snowboarding and sea kayaking worlds. Most, I have watched just once but I am now previewing one that will be watched many times and in different ways. It is Sea Kayak with Gordon Brown.


Gordon Brown is a highly respected Scottish kayak coach who runs Skyak Adventures on Skye with his wife Morag. He recently wrote the technique book “Sea Kayak”, published by Pesda Press. This has already been reprinted and has become a standard text for aspiring sea kayakers across the world. The one criticism of the book is that its many illustrations of sequences of strokes are, by necessity, small. Simon Willis of Sunart Media, and a keen amateur sea kayaker himself, has now teamed up with Gordon to produce a DVD to address this gap in the book. But this DVD is not just a technique DVD; it is a synthesis of technique demonstrations interspersed with an inspirational four day sea kayaking voyage along the west coast of the island of Skye off Scotland's west coast. I think this DVD has another unique feature, Gordon and Simon know each other well and this comes across in lots of ways, like a shared laugh, which makes this an involving DVD to watch. It really is like having Gordon as your personal coach, he is not just talking to an impassionate, professional cameraman. Simon is one of us!

The DVD can be watched right through ,with the journey being interspersed with the coaching at appropriate points e.g. linking steering strokes when rock hopping through the skerries and tidal paddling when rounding Neist Point etc. Alternatively, in the final production edition of the DVD, you will be able to watch just the journey or just the coaching or any individual chapter of either section.

The DVD is primarily intended for intermediate kayakers to improve their techniques in more challenging conditions but it is also intended to set beginners on the right track. Many who consider themselves experts will also see that there is still much too learn. The technique chapters don’t cover everything in the book but concentrate on body position, edging and paddle strokes, which will allow intermediate paddlers to develop their ability to handle their kayak when rock hopping, in rough water, in windy conditions, in following seas and in tidal waters.


How to paddle with your eyes shut!

There are six technique chapters. Chapter one, the foundations, covers body position, edging and leaning. Chapter two covers forward paddling. Chapter three, turning, looks at sweep strokes, bow rudder, cross bow rudder, braced turn and linking several turning strokes together. Chapter four, steering, looks at the stern rudder. Chapter five, rock hopping, introduces draw on the move, hanging draw and bow draw and shows how all previous strokes can be combined. Gordon also demonstrates how to read rough water. Chapter 6, tidal races, looks at breaking in and out, angle of approach and handling confused water. It also illustrates how many of the above strokes are used at different stages of crossing eddy lines. Gordon finishes by demonstrating a 720 degree pirouette on a fast eddy line, finishing back where he started, with his eyes shut!

As mentioned above, there are some omissions of material covered in the book and some basic stokes such as low and high braces are not given individual coverage. However, more advanced bracing is demonstrated as a component part of manoeuvres such as fast turns in rough water and crossing eddy lines. I think this is appropriate for a DVD which is primarily aimed at intermediates. Aspects of sea kayak handling, which are not covered, include: rolling, rescues, towing, landing and launching in surf and up tide eddy hopping. There is plenty to look forward to in a second DVD then!


I am not going to say too much about the journey section and let the viewer discover for themselves that it beautifully illustrates stunning Skye scenery, geology, natural history, archaeology, history and a group of people having fun in this wonderful environment. Two highlights, that I will mention, are Gordon singing a Jacobite rebel song deep within the recesses of huge sea cave and Jim, one of the paddlers, describing how sea kayaking is great for clearing all the pressures of work out of your head. His description is dubbed onto a clip of him paddling under a waterfall, with the spray bouncing off his head! The filming (shot in HD quality but edited in DVD quality) is superb, as is the editing. The on water filming is shot from the bow cockpit of an Aleut Sea II double kayak.


Cross bow rudder position demonstrated statically...


...dynamically...


...and dynamically from on board camera.

The technique chapters are all shot from various heights and angles with camera locations on land, on another kayak and with Simon probably chest deep in water. This part of the DVD was also shot in HD but is complemented by lower resolution filming from high camera mounts on Gordon's bow and stern. Each technique is illustrated several times and from these several viewpoints. The blade positions are demonstrated statically then dynamically. This and the fact that Gordon's kayak and paddle are clearly labelled with red and green, port and starboard, stickers makes it very easy to follow what is going on. This was particularly useful when demonstrating turning strokes such as the cross bow rudder.

The sound quality, even in the rough weather sequences, is superb with very little wind noise. Gordon has a soft Scottish accent with good diction, which I find very relaxing, engaging and easy to follow. I cannot say how easy this will be for non native English speakers to follow. However, each technique is repeated about three times and Simon does a studio voice over on the last. Simon is a naturalised Scot from Northumberland, who has worked for the BBC. If you can't understand his diction, you can't speak English!


The editing has resulted in a very clear to follow film which is not rushed. Unlike some other technique videos, you will not wear out the pause, reverse and slow motion buttons on your remote control. A small price of this is occasional repetition but I think the editing has achieved a new standard for sports technique videos. It never becomes dry; at one of the rough water handling sections, when the camera lens is being drenched by spray, Gordon is nearly on the rocks, surrounded by crashing waves but just can't stop grinning and having fun! One criticism that might be made of the DVD is that Gordon is not wearing a helmet in this sequence. I know that the rock in question is just down from his house and that he has sat in the waves there countless times. In the book, Gordon describes a very pragmatic and sensible approach to helmet use.

Many sea kayakers use forward paddling strokes 99.9999% of the time. I think that they especially would benefit from watching this DVD. Many may question the need for other strokes but to watch Gordon is to open your mind to a whole new level of sea kayaking. After seeing Gordon perform 10 different, linked and flowing strokes in about as many seconds, while winding through a narrow rocky channel in the surf, you will realise that this is not just rock hopping but rock ballet! (Minus the pumps and tights of course, Gordon is a green Welly man!)

Watch Sea Kayak with Gordon Brown on DVD, broaden your horizons, improve your paddling and have more fun!

Sea Kayak with Gordon Brown trailer from Simon Willis on Vimeo.



Essential details:
Price: £19.95
Format: PAL DVD
Running time: 75 minutes plus 15minutes extras.
Purchase from: http://www.seakayakwithgordonbrown.com/ site live early October 2009.
Scottish Premier: SCA Paddle 09 in Perth at 11am Saturday 24/10/2009
Release date: 1/11/2009