Re: [Paddlewise] Solo surf launching

At 12:21 PM 10/30/98 -0600, R. Walker wrote:
>I tried a bit of solo surf launch and reentry practice a couple weeks 
>ago, and did ok, but I was wondering if anyone has any ideas on a 
>more graceful way of scooching a kayak off the beach and into 
>enough water to actually float. 

Richard,

For a beach with little slope I watch the wave pattern and position the
cockpit just out of reach of the surge. Once the water recedes I quickly
jump in and attach my skirt then wait for a suitable wave to arrive.
Usually I only need to push off my knuckles for a foot or so before I get
waterborne. You may need to exert strong pressure and pivot around one of
your hands in order to keep your kayak perpendicular to the shore. Proper
positioning is everything. If you setup too far shoreward you may have to
wait for quite some time until a wave arrives to float your bow. On the
other hand, launching in the surf itself is normally not a good idea unless
you have a sit-on-top. Another factor to consider are run-outs (rips). In
Florida, I usually look for a good rip to give me a fast ride into the surf
zone. Of course, you had better understand rips and know how to escape one,
should you become a swimmer. Beaches vary widely around the world, seek out
local knowledge because generalizations (such as using rips) could be poor
advice in some cases.

Regarding the proper 'scooch' technique, I usually lay the paddle across my
lap (perpendicular to the keel) and hold it in place with a slight forward
tuck. This frees my hands to make a strong push forward. On Florida's
Atlantic coast this works well since there is often a longshore bar or two
very close to shore than prevents the waves from breaking directly on the
beach. On dumping beaches, you would probably opt to push with the palm of
one hand and with the paddle blade on the other side. This is hard on
paddles and I have cracked blades doing this, so use with caution.

Greg Stamer

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