[Paddlewise] Fwd: Paddlefloat Reentry: Back or Front?

I am curious to find out what you think when you do it!  I have two concerns
after doing the mental version.
1) Will it take a lot of effort to do the initial kick or will it contort your
back in the process?
2) You will now, sort of, be dragging your back and side of the PFD over the
stuff on deck.  If you get hung up, you have to cut yourself out blind.

Give it a whirl.


  

attached mail follows:

At 09:03 AM 6/8/98 -0700, you wrote:

>Don't think I will ever use the straps again.  The idea was to give a
>more secure attachment for the paddle, rather than sliding the blade
>under the rear deck bungies.  Does that, all right, but use of the
>straps also allows more play in the paddle/boat connection, and
>significantly increases the difficulty in getting onto the rear deck. 
>The straps are "quick release" types, which also allow the paddler to
>quickly bring the paddle around front, relative to the bungie method.


        Well, now we have a thread going. . . I've got this
theory/hypothesis/concept about re-entry and may spend some time this week
in the filthy Willamette testing it out.

Port-Side Re-Entry: 

        1) Approach the re-entry from behind the paddle/float which is held
in place by the right hand. 

        2) Facing away from the hull, bring the left foot/ankle up to hook
at the end of the paddle/float. 

        3) Grasping the paddle-shaft/coaming with the right hand and
gripping the paddle mid-shaft with the left hand, facing 3/4 forward toward
the cockpit . . . kick the free right foot and boost your body onto the rear
deck, coming to rest on the right side of the body with the hip at the point
of the coaming/paddle and right hand. It may be more efficient to extend the
left arm behind the body and along the rear deck. This move is a lot like
the standard high-jump vault over the bar--only you get to use the "bar" for
leverage.   

        4) Roll onto the right side of the body. Transfer the right
"ankle-hook" to a left "ankle-hook" and move the right leg into the cockpit
while facing forward. 

        5) Move the left arm brace outside the left hip and onto the paddle
shaft. Place the left leg into the cockpit while bracing/balancing on the
paddle shaft with the left arm. This becomes the standard paddle braced
entry from shore.  

        6) Bring the paddle in front of the body and across the lap to brace
while pumping the bilges. 


        I need to try this out on the water. . . but it makes sense that it
would solve the problems of dragging the contents in the PFD pockets across
the deck. Also, the re-entry would be face forward rather than trying to put
the feet in the cockpit "blind" while on one's stomach--and then having to
manage a 180 degree turn and sit into the cockpit. If it works, it works! 

        Overboard and awash, Geo.  

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