In Finland – the land of thousands of lakes and the unique Baltic Sea – there are excellent destinations for paddling trips. When out on the water, however, special attention must always be paid to safety.
Before the trip
Develop your skills by taking part in guided training sessions or courses, or by practising together with your paddling companions.
Practise capsize situations as well so that you know how to act if your kayak or canoe tips over.
Planning
- Familiarise yourself with the destination and plan your trip.
- Assess your fitness and skills in relation to the weather conditions and the difficulty of the route.
- Check the weather forecast (fmi.fi)– do not head out in winds that are too strong. Take any wind warnings and wildfire warnings into account.
- Paddle preferably with a companion – help will be close at hand in problem situations.
- Inform family members or friends of your planned route.
Equipment
- Ensure the buoyancy of your kayak or canoe: it must remain afloat horizontally even when filled with water. Buoyancy is ensured by watertight storage compartments or separate buoyancy aids, such as air bags. Make sure that all hatches are properly closed.
- Please note that whenever you cross the Maaselkä watershed (along the Pokka–Tankavaara–Saariselkä line), your canoe must be disinfected. Read more about the salmon parasite (ruokavirasto.fi).
- Take a mobile phone packed in a waterproof case.
- Dress warmly enough according to both air and water temperature.
- Carry spare clothing as well as food and drink.
During the trip
- Always wear a buoyancy aid (a paddling buoyancy aid or a life jacket).
- Paddle preferably close to the shoreline.
- Monitor changes in the weather.
- Continually assess your fitness and skills in relation to the weather and the route. Adjust your plans if necessary and seek shelter.
- Give way to other water traffic.
- Bypass rapids that are too difficult.
- Wear a helmet when paddling in rapids.
Avoid intoxicants
- Alcohol and intoxicating substances do not belong on the water.
- Balance is a key element of safe paddling. Alcohol increases clumsiness and impairs balance already at blood alcohol levels below 0.5‰.
If you end up in the water
- Call for help in good time – not only when it is too late.
- Despite careful preparation and caution, things can still go wrong. If the situation is dangerous, call for help via Maritime Rescue at +358 294 1000. On inland waters, call the emergency number 112.
Near-miss and accident report
- The Finnish Paddling and Rowing Federation collects information on accidents and hazardous situations (near misses) related to paddling. The information is used in paddling safety work, for example when planning training content.
- Reports can be submitted with a low threshold. It is extremely important that all incidents are reported. The information is handled anonymously by the Paddling Safety Advisory Board, a cooperation body for paddling safety.
- Near-miss and accident report (In Finnish, melontajasoutuliitto.fi)
