Re: [Paddlewise] Diving from a kayak?

From: R. Walker <rww_at_mailbox.neosoft.com>
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1998 03:43:12 +0000
> >this is a $6 sponson!  Cut it in two pieces, add some shock
> >cord, and walla, instant strap on sponsons for getting back
> >in the kayak after having dived myself to exhaustion!!!
> 
> So you use a kayak as a diving platform? 
> How do you make sure that the kayak doesn't drift away while you are 
> diving? Where do you put the paddle? Do you use an anchor of some 
> kind?

Anchors work fine.  Pick the size and type of anchor based on
bottom type, depth, etc.  My paddle is a werner 2 piece.  Pull
apart, I can slip it inside the cockpit.  No forward bulkhead
in the Dagger Edisto.

Be careful about trusting the anchors most kayak shops sell.
They are inadequate to truly hold the boat in place, especially
on soft bottoms.  I use a ~10 pound anchor for my 15' kayak.
Holds rock solid even in the presense of a current and wind.
Though it is a pain in the butt to manuever on the kayak. A
rocky bottom will allow a lighter anchor to be hand placed
on the bottom to hold the boat.  

Most folks who use a kayak exclusively for diving choose a
sit on top, like the Aquaterra Prism.  I wanted a bit more
flexibility, so I chose the Edisto.  It is much harder to
get back into though, after you are tired out from chasing
fish or whatever; which is the reason for the float, and
thoughts about a $6 sponson...  Also, fwiw, I don't do
scuba, don't like machines much in general.  Carrying
air tanks could make one choose a sit on top, without
a doubt. 


Richard Walker
Houston, TX
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Received on Fri Jul 31 1998 - 01:42:51 PDT

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