Re: [Paddlewise] landing a victim through surf

Richard,

  The last part of my tirade dealt with being able to tread water.  My
own personal "survivalist" rule is that I would not like to go out
further than I could return to land if need be under my own power.  I
might take a 30 mile kayak trip, but I personally would prefer to stay
no more than 1-2 miles off shore.  I know where are supposed to stay
with the boat, but what if a boat were to crack and sink?

  This might be my own personal lack of courage, but I do not want to be
20 miles off shore in a kayak!  This is the reason that cruising boats
carry inflatable lifeboats bigger than our kayaks!  Just in case ...

  I'm just giving my personal preference.  I applaud the fact that you
can go 20 miles off shore without spending the big $$ on a fishing
boat.  I personally would never do it.  But I wouldn't kayak to Hawaii
from California (didn't Gillete do it in an Arluk?), or cross the
Atlantic in a Klepper either.  To each his own.  I'm just saying that
when we leave our safety zone, the risks rise accordingly.

  Happy fishing!

  Scott

R. Walker wrote:
> 
> >   The point is that we must have great respect for the sea (or ANY body of
> > water - even a pool).  You just can't use a kayak, raft or anything else
> > as a crutch.  I think it is a terrible idea for anyone to go out farther
> > than they can swim in on any boat (or at least tread water for several
> > hours).
> 
> Now you are going overboard.  The purpose of a boat is to get you
> to places you can't swim or walk to.   I suppose with a PFD I could
> swim 6 miles; but that is not going to stop me from going to spots
> that are 6 miles from shore.   Routinely Texans have to go 10-20
> miles offshore to get to clear water, sometimes even much further
> than that.   I can get there in a kayak.  I can fish, and I can come
> home; without spending hundreds of dollars on a stupid fishing trip.
> To limit yourself to only near-coastal waters in a boat that was
> designed to hunt seals in freezing, big water, doesn't seem very
> logical.
> 
> Richard Walker
> Houston, TX
> http://www.neosoft.com/~rww/kayak_log.html
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