RE: [Paddlewise] wet exit? why?

Phil,

I too have worried about capsizes in windy conditions and the 
possibility of loosing the boat should I wet exit.  I haven't tested 
it yet, but here's the solution I'm working on.

I have a towing belt with a quick release mechanism on my PFD.  I
run a teather from the towing belt to the boat.  If I capsize and wet
exit (which is unlikely since I roll quite well), loosing the boat in high
winds is a real possibility.  With the teather, however, I can keep the
boat nearby while I get my paddle float out and carry out a paddle
float re-entry roll  (which works remarkably well --- even for non-rollers).


I don't teather my paddle since I haven't figured out how to do it without
interfering with rolls, dufeks and other extreme strokes I like to do.  It 
seems to me that the right approach is to teather the paddle to your 
wrist. At any rate, I always carry an extra paddle whenever I'm in the 
sea, so I'm  partially covered without teathering the paddle.  

By the way, I brought up the point of teathering in an earlier discussion 
on this list.  Lots of people supported the idea of teathering a paddle to
the 
boat,  but no one supported teathering the paddler to the boat.  I find this

strange  since a boat can VERY quickly get away from you in the wind.

Now for some pre-emptive responces to this method.  

   * I would never teather myself to anything in white water 
     or in the surf.  

  * I have a knife on my PFD so if the quick release on my towing
    belt failed, I  have a backup.

  * I know from my white water paddling that the real trick is
    to hang on to your boat and paddle when you wet exit.  This
    is actually quite easy and natural even in rough water.  In 
    fact, other than one  time where I was pinned against a 
   strainer and the paddle was pulled out of my hand, I have 
   never lost a boat or paddle on white water.

I'm looking forward to how this discussion plays out on the list.

--Tim

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	pbaum_at_ix.netcom.com [SMTP:pbaum_at_ix.netcom.com]
> Sent:	Saturday, July 11, 1998 11:07 AM
> To:	paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
> Subject:	Re: [Paddlewise] wet exit? why?
> 
> On 07/09/98 10:39:52 you wrote:
> 
> Julio's comments are very good and there's been several thoughtful replies
> 
> but there's one additional reason for staying in the kayak I haven't seen.
> 
> In one trouble report I read, two experienced kayakers (see Sea Kayaker
> book 
> on this) went out in very challenging conditions, encountered cross-waves 
> from another inlet, one capsized and his kayak was blown away faster than
> he 
> could swim towards it.  The other kayaker had to choose between going
> after 
> the kayaker in the water or going after the kayak, possible losing sight
> of 
> his friend.
> 
> He went after his friend, the friend hopped on the stern of the kayak but 
> they were unable for a long time to head towards land because of the wind 
> effect on the unbalanced kayak, eventually they got lucky and made it to 
> shore.
> 
> Ever since reading that story, I've been conscious of the dangers of
> losing 
> a kayak and have been using a paddle leash shortened to about 18" to
> prevent 
> it winding around me.  If I was unexpectedly capsized, fell out, and lost 
> control of boat and paddle, my hope is that the paddle floating in the
> water 
> would serve as a useful drag on the boat until I could reach it.  (I have 
> practiced paddle float rescues many times, have done a few rolls in a
> class, 
> listen to weather reports, and rely on my own decisions on paddling 
> conditions so they relate to my abilities)
> 
> So the question for others in this impressive group:  What precautions do 
> you take against losing the kayak itself in a windy capsize?    
> (obviously for a white water kayaker, swimming to an adjacent river shore
> is 
> a way out, a sea kayaker does not have this luxury)
> 
> Phil Baumgaertner,
> Bremerton, WA
> 
> 
> >I recently read an article by John Heath that explains how lethal
> >it is for the Inuit people to get out of their kayaks (wet exit), and
> >how ironic it is that the first thing that it is tought to sea kayaking
> >beginners is the wet exit. The same article has some statistics that
> >show that in almost all fatalities the kayaker is found (if found) out
> >of the kayak.
> >
> >There are two ways to remain in the kayak after a capsize without
> >rolling. 
> >
> >The first on is to grab an inflated or solid paddlefloat that
> >one carries in the aft deck and put it behind your neck; that keeps
> >your head comfortably out of the water while inside the kayak.
> >
> >The second method is to use a dog swimming stroke to take a breath
> >every two strokes. This second method is the same one used to 
> >retrieve a paddle that has fallen away from the kayak. It takes
> >about four sessions of practice to learn how to swim that way without
> >getting exhausted and conserving energy.
> >
> >Neither of the two skills explained above is tought at any sea kayaking
> >class around here, beginning or advanced.
> >
> >I suggest that those of you who are serious about sea kayaking start
> >practicing those two skills to the point where you can wait for rescue 
> several
> >minutes until you get bored.
> >
> >Another skill I suggest that serious paddlers should practice is to
> >roll with a float (an inflated or solid paddlefloat are good), and make
> >that roll your 100% bomb proof roll. Not only that would allow you
> >to say good bye to wet exits, but would make it much easier for you
> >to learn the paddle rolls, also known as eskimo rolls.
> >
> >- Julio
> 
> 
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