BOSTON, Mass. -- Kayakers today opposed a bill that would require all students taking kayak instruction to first be trained on how to pull themselves out of water when their kayaks flip over, according to Priscilla Yeon of the State House News Service.

Yeon reports:

The wet exit training measure, which would require that kayaking instructors teach students how to get out of their kayak when they go under water by having them do it, received significant opposition from instructors and kayakers who said the bill is poorly written and would hamper the instructor’s ability to properly teach their students.

Filed by Rep. William Straus (D- Mattapoisett) on behalf of a constituent whose husband died in a kayak accident during a training course, the bill faced opposition in the last legislative session because opponents said it would put some people “out of business,” said Sen. Jarrett Barrios (D-Cambridge), co-chair of the Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security.

“The concerns that were raised, honestly, I never really understood them,” said Straus.

Diane Beauvais of Mattapoisett said she believed her husband’s death was caused by a “mishandling” of his kayaking course. Beauvais said her husband was “totally inexperienced” in kayaking and decided to take a beginners’ course. She said the instructor decided to bypass the wet exit training because the water was too cold.

Instead, the instructor simply told students on how to get out of kayak if it overturned, Beauvais told the committee. While in training in open water, her husband’s kayak overturned and he died.

“There was no one around to immediately help him and he panicked,” said Beauvais.

Straus said his bill would require that kayaking students know how to get out of an overturned kayak before they go into any water deeper than five feet. He said to simply instruct students orally is different from doing it in practice.

“If you flip over and you’re doing the wrong thing, within seconds it’s a question of life or death,” said Straus.

Rep. Kay Khan (D-Newton) said she is a kayaker and opposes the bill because of this language. She said the bill addresses only one type of kayak when there are several types of boats.