[Paddlewise] Pool Sessions

Thank you for all the good advice that came in with suggestions regarding
larger individuals having difficulty getting back in their kayaks. To
clarify, the ladies involved are not the type to desire to learn to roll or
do a reverse wet exit (re entry and roll). We are trying to teach good
bracing skills as a preventative, but feel that as a minimum, they should be
able to get back in with some assistance. The type of seas that usually dump
novices are not usually rough enough to be so unsafe as to not allow another
boat to pull alongside.

I was specifically looking for advice with respect to a large paddler out of
her boat - not the classic eskimo bow rescue and such. Old Bob Morris from
Seattle (now gone to the great shore beyond) told of a story in the Broken
Group, where a cargo hoist was used to rescue a particularly large lady, who
no one could get back into her boat. The passing ship took her to port. This
may sound funny, but the possibility and reality does exist with certain
people, that this could be a problem for would be rescuers.  

BTW, at the previous pool session, I did indeed show the re entry and roll
with and without paddle float, and with the SeaSeat. It was during this pool
session that I weakened my wooden paddle, leading to a close call when it
broke a few weeks later in a storm ( see SeaKayaker Oct 98). Maybe I need to
loose some weight! Again, thank you to those who responded, some directly to
my own e-mail address - don't be affraid to share, in between the metallurgy
lessons...

Doug Lloyd
Victoria BC

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