Re: [Paddlewise] Bow Flotation

From: Mark Zen <canoeist_at_netbox.com>
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 1998 10:40:51 -0700 (MST)
On Tue, 17 Feb 1998, Craig Olson wrote:

>>
>>R. Walker wrote:
>>> I have inflated bags in both bow and stern; and it is boyount
>>> enough to where it doesn't do what you are talking about.  I
>>> have swamped it in the pool, and its fine.
>>
>>I assume you were fully loaded when trying this in the pool?  ('just checking.) 
>>Also, while pool sessions are very useful, it's far more useful to check performance
>>in rough seas where a capsize might occur and a re-entry is likely to be needed. 
>>Preferably near a sandy beach with an on-shore wind close to your car -   The sandy
>>beach, on-shore winds & car help ensure that if things go wrong, you'll have a soft
>>landing and a warm place to go. 
>>
>>> To be honest though, it wouldn't really matter unless there
>>> was some really bad luck, 99% of the time I am in water that
>>> is three foot deep or less.  So while I have practiced 
>>> recovering the boat over the deep end of the pool, its not
>>> a skill that I likely will ever have much use for. 
>>
>>So, I take it you're a river kayaker?  That *is* a different thing.  I was thinking
>>about sea kayaking or other waters where you're a ways from shore and it's *much*
>>deeper than 3 feet  without adequate bow flotation.  It's not that common that the
>>flotation is actually needed - but there have been enough cases of people getting
>>injured or killed that I thought it worth mentioning.

[snip]
>>
>>Not preaching - just hoping that no-one gets hurt, OK?
>>
>>Craig Olson
>>Bellingham, Washington
>>
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reminds me of some trouble my daughter got into last year. we went on a
river trip with the RMCC, and she took along a friend. she took my sea
kayak [plastic aquaterra spectrum] which has no forward bulkhead. she went
for a swim, and the boat took off. our fearless club prez went after it,
and caught it about a 1/2 mile down river, but couldn't rescue it for
another 1/4 mile, due to the full front half of the boat... the moral of
that story was, if Jessica wants to paddle rivers, she needs the bow float
bag ;-)  i got trashed in a hole the next day, with the sea kayak, and
swam the boat to shore, before anyone could even get close to me [just a
hard class I run]. the boat i got for playing in harder water has
bulkheads front and rear, and if/when i'm ready for the class III in it, i
will put float bags into the compartments, for safety.

DON'T ever get between your swamped boat, and rocks, always stay upstream
of your boat [if at all possible]. the best representation i've seen for
that was in a bill mason film, where the show the swamped boat as a vw
beetle, pinning someone to a rock.... let's see, 8.4pounds/gallon, 200
gallons, ~1680pouns [~760Kg] --- now that hurts!!

mark

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Received on Wed Feb 18 1998 - 09:41:54 PST

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