There has probably already been a thread on here about this topic, but with everyone's opinions on the paddle float, and roll & reentry, I'm wondering what the opinions are from the group on sponsons. I'm taking a rolling class in a months time, and hope the roll & reentry is part of it. I've heard different comments from people about sponsons for self rescue and would like to know those of this group. Anything is helpful. Thanks John There are only two things in life.........RESULTS or EXCUSES *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
John sez: > I've heard different comments from people about sponsons for self = > rescue and would like to know those of this group. Sponsons are handy for towing injured paddlers. Regarding the utility of sponsons for self rescue, you can find out for yourself: Go to a beach with at least three lines of surf, or otherwise open ocean with rough conditions, small craft advisory should work. Try to put those things on. If you succeed, try to get in the kayak. The sponsons will prevent you from doing a re-entry and roll, so be creative in finding a way to get back in the kayak. If you get in the kayak, tell us the benefits of increased form stability with beam seas. Now, try to land through surf. See how the sponsons help you, or not, in bracing and leaning on a wave. Next, call your bank and stop the payment of the check with which you paid for your sponsons. :-) - Julio > There are only two things in life.........RESULTS or EXCUSES You must be a manager. Have you read Dilbert lately? :-)) *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Julio MacWilliams wrote (regarding sponsons): > ...<snip>... > > If you get in the kayak, tell us the benefits of increased form > stability with beam seas. If you find yourself confronted with beam seas while reentering or while pumping out, then you must have forgotten to deploy your drogue (which will hold you pointed into the wind). An alternative to the drogue is to have someone use a tow line to keep you pointed into the wind. Once you are pumped out, the sponsons should be deflated, since paddling with the sponsons inflated is inefficient, and creates problems in beam seas. (BTW, there is no need to remove them--deflated sponsons are held tight against the boat.) > > Now, try to land through surf. See how the sponsons help you, or not, > in bracing and leaning on a wave. If you find yourself having to fight the sponsons as you land through the surf, then you must have forgotten to deflate them. > > Next, call your bank and stop the payment of the check with which > you paid for your sponsons. :-) Either that or learn how to use them. :-) I am not a fan of sponsons. Sponsons are a very poor substitute for avoiding a wet exit in the first place. But some of the things that people say about them suggest that they have not really spent any time developing their "sponson technique". (Excuse me now while I go search for my asbestos suit...) Dan Hagen *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
I am not a fan of sponsons. Sponsons are a very poor substitute for avoiding a wet exit in the first place. But some of the things that people say about them suggest that they have not really spent any time developing their "sponson technique". (Excuse me now while I go search for my asbestos suit...) ----------- You'll have to get your fire somewhere else ;-) I bought some during the sponson wars (Voyager, not <his>) and know I'd have trouble in really rough water because I still haven't developed the 'technique' :-) 4 fastnet clips are permanently tied to the fore and aft bungie fasteners closest to the cockpit. The sponsons themselves have straps and clips that hook into them. While on one side of the (probably)wildly bucking kayak, you must inflate one sponson but connect the clips of the other to the clips on your side. Now you have to pass the uninflated sponson you just clipped in and the straps of the inflated sponson under the kayak and somehow make them come out on the other side of the kayak. Hopefully you have a real skinny kayak and/or some really long arms so you can push these things under the kayak with one hand and reach over the bucking kayak and grab them with the other. That's lots of fun even in calm waters. If you can't, then you somehow have to manuever around to the other side of the kayak and hope the straps and the uninflated sponson are still there. Now it's a simple matter to connect the clips and inflate the sponson and see if you have the right straps connected to the right clips. Some of us more mechanically challenged folks sometimes have trouble with this part in which case we get to deflate the sponsons, unhook the clips and start all over. Once installed properly, the sponsons didn't seem to hinder me much (or maybe the image has grown foggy with time) when doing a paddle float rescue, but then I get pretty good thrust with my legs and can hop up on the deck pretty far. When not installed properly, they just kinda float there, don't provide any support, look like broken training wheels, generally just get in the way and look pretty stupid. At least that's how I remember things from a couple of years ago, but like Dan says, I probably haven't fully developed the proper sponson technique yet :-). Unless you're gonna wear them all the time you're gonna have some trouble and take some time putting them on in rough water. - *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Sisler, Clyde wrote: > ...<snip>... > While on one side of the (probably)wildly bucking kayak, you must > inflate > one sponson but connect the clips of the other to the clips on your > side. > > Now you have to pass the uninflated sponson you just clipped in and > the > straps of the inflated sponson under the kayak and somehow make them > come > out on the other side of the kayak. > Hopefully you have a real skinny kayak and/or some really long arms so > you > can push these things under the kayak with one hand and reach over the > > bucking kayak and grab them with the other. That's lots of fun even > in calm > waters. If you can't, then you somehow have to manuever around to the > other > side of the kayak and hope the straps and the uninflated sponson are > still > there. Wow! This is pretty creative. But it does not sound at all like the way I did it when I was experimenting with these things. My approach is less "interesting": The sponsons are clipped in place prior to inflating them. First you clip in a sponson on one side, then, while holding the sponson that is not yet clipped into place, you rotate the boat along its axis such that the boat wraps around the sponsons (the straps passing across the bottom of the boat). This leaves you with the unclipped sponson and the corresponding clips on your side of the boat. You clip the remaining sponson into place, and inflate both sides (using the long inflation tubes). > Now it's a simple matter to connect the clips and inflate the sponson > and > see if you have the right straps connected to the right clips. Some of > us > more mechanically challenged folks sometimes have trouble with this > part in > which case we get to deflate the sponsons, unhook the clips and start > all > over. There is no mystery to getting the straps connected to the right clips. The key is color coding. If you can match up colors, then it is a trivial matter to get them hooked in correctly the first time, and you will not have to "unhook the clips and start all over." The clips are all the same color when they come from the manufacturer, but this is easily remedied. :-) > ...<snip>...At least that's how I remember things from a couple of > years ago, but likeDan says, I probably haven't fully developed the > proper sponson technique yet :-). Apparently not. :-) As always, Clyde, I enjoyed your post. Dan Hagen *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Wow! This is pretty creative. But it does not sound at all like the way I did it when I was experimenting with these things. My approach is less "interesting": The sponsons are clipped in place prior to inflating them. First you clip in a sponson on one side, then, while holding the sponson that is not yet clipped into place, you rotate the boat along its axis such that the boat wraps around the sponsons (the straps passing across the bottom of the boat). This leaves you with the unclipped sponson and the corresponding clips on your side of the boat. You clip the remaining sponson into place, and inflate both sides (using the long inflation tubes). ------------ Weeeeeell, I suppooooose that miiiiight work. ------------ There is no mystery to getting the straps connected to the right clips. The key is color coding. If you can match up colors, then it is a trivial matter to get them hooked in correctly the first time, and you will not have to "unhook the clips and start all over." The clips are all the same color when they come from the manufacturer, but this is easily remedied. :-) ------------ Now how would the mechanically challenged go about solving that problem? Hmmmm, I got this really ugly tie with some really wierd colors for Xmas. I could cut that up in teeny little strips and tie them to the straps and buckles. Uh oh! If she's a closet paddler and lurks on Paddlewise I'd be in deep doggie doo! I think I better come up with another plan and leave the ugly tie alone. :-( *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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