I was paddling out on Tomales Bay this past Sunday. There was some wind, some white caps, quite normal. I put in at Heart's Desire beach. What I didn't realize is that I didn't secure the front hatch. Things started getting weird by the time I made it to the eastern shore. I didn't land, but decided to push back to the launch site. The bow kept getting lower and lower in the water. It was a little sluggish and hard to manuever, but I never felt I was in big danger. I thought, "Wow, what if the front compartment completely filled with water? Would I be prepared for that? What would that be like?" When I got back to shore I opened the hatch and found that in fact the front compartment *was* completely filled with water. I'm thinking it might be good to go through this as an exercise with all my boats: learn what it is like to try to handle them with either the forward or rear compartment flooded. If flooding a compartment leads to potentially disasterous results maybe that compartment is better off with a flotation bag in it. BTW, I'm still working on the summary listing of everyone's boats. I've got close to 100 boats so far. Sorry it's taking so long. Keith Kaste *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Keith Kaste wrote: > I was paddling out on Tomales Bay this past Sunday. <snip> > When I got back to shore I opened the hatch and found that in fact the front compartment > *was* completely filled with water. <snip> > If flooding a compartment leads to potentially disasterous results maybe > that compartment is better off with a flotation bag in it. This may sound like overkill to some paddlers, but I've learned the hard way that "flotation" does not simply mean having water-tight hatches. Sad but true, hulls can be cracked or breached on reefs or unseen rocks, and it's *really* a good idea to have secured flotation *inside* your hull. This means carrying inflated dry-bags bow & stern on day trips, and having inflatable gear bags for multi-day trips. All bags tied in to the boat. Since getting them, I've never actually needed the extra safety of "inside-the-hull" flotation, but I feel better knowing I have the secondary system, just in case. Craig Olson Bellingham, Washington *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
G'day all - It of course depends on where you intend to be paddling which may determine the level of additional floatation required in your boat or, how secure you wish your gear to be in the boat. I strongly agree, from experience, with Craig on this particular point - There are few things more disappointing than, after having broken the complete bow off of you kayak in a very narrow gutter along a rock ledge, than watching several hundred dollars worth of gear either sinking to the bottom or floating off into the back of the gutter to be pummelled and broken into little pieces of flotsam. Never to be seen again. Even worse is having to withstand the "hindsight" analysis of all your mates on the myriad of things they would have done differently had they been in the same situation. A very sad, ego crushing experience - I can understand why some Captains choose to go down with their ship. To avoid their mates cheeky comments. :) Regards - Wayne Langmaid Craig Olson wrote: > Snip > > This may sound like overkill to some paddlers, but I've learned the > hard way that > "flotation" does not simply mean having water-tight hatches. Sad but > true, hulls > can be cracked or breached on reefs or unseen rocks, and it's *really* > a good idea > to have secured flotation *inside* your hull. This means carrying > inflated dry-bags > bow & stern on day trips, and having inflatable gear bags for > multi-day trips. All > bags tied in to the boat. Since getting them, I've never actually > needed the extra > safety of "inside-the-hull" flotation, but I feel better knowing I > have the > secondary system, just in case. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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