[Paddlewise] Climbing on back deck

> 	Getting the Torso out of the water is a good idea, especially in
> 
> these northern waters. Hypothermia can set in very quickly, as you 
> are aware.   But I am trying to think of a situation where you could 
> get your body on the deck, and not be able (or want) to get your but 
> back into the cockpit.  Even if the cockpit is partially filled with 
> water I would think that you would still be better off in the seat 
> then on the deck.
> 
I would assume that the conditions that knocked me over in the first
place would prevent me from me from maintaining an upright position
after having climbed back into a cockpit full of water.  I've also had a
lot of trouble trying to use two hands to pump out water and maintaining
my balance while being bounced around by wind and waves.

Maybe my paddle got away from me (damn, forgot my leash) or I'm injured,
making a normal self rescue impossible and I'm stuck on the back deck.
Once the water warms up a little, I will try to enter the cockpit from
the back deck but I suspect it will be pretty tiring, even if I'm not
cold and can maintain my balance.  What would I do then, without a
paddle or maybe a bum shoulder?  At least on the back deck I could kick,
assuming I didn't have a bum leg too :-)

> >  I would then tie myself onto the deck in some manner, probably
> > cutting the deck lines on the forward deck, wrapping them around the
> > cockpit coaming and myself in case I were to lose consciousness or
> > control due to hypothermia.
> 
> 	Due to the log-like nature of a kayak, I'm not sure I would TIE 
> myself to the deck of one.  I can't argue with your desire to stay 
> out of the wet, but should the "dry side" decide to become the "wet 
> side" due to some lump of flesh (me) throwing off the center of 
> gravity, I wouldn't want to be married to my position on the hull.
> 
That was why I wouldn't try to climb up as high as I might.  My theory
was that if I only climbed half way up, my weight would lift the bow up
somewhat and while the bow might get blown around, I would be less
likely to capsize.  What other option would there be if I was becoming
hypothermic and started losing mental and physical facilities and
possibly consciouness?

I've been reading some seamanship books recently and one of the things
they stress about singlehanding is to think about all the things that
could go wrong and then try to determine potential solutions.

Remember, Murphy is always out there waiting :-)

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