Re: [Paddlewise] Dry Suit Field Test

>> Water temperature:
>>      Curiosity


Private emails are leading me to believe the water was in the 30's.

>>I put my
>>hands in the water and started paddling myself around.  That lasted 5-10
>>seconds before the pain made me get my hands out of the water.  How cold
>>does that make the water?
>
>Given what you say above, do you think numb hands and the tight cross deck
>bungie aft of the cockpit prevented you from slipping the paddle underneath
>for use as an outrigger?
>Do you think hard line, with sufficient room for the paddle, would work
>better?


I don't think numb fingers played a part in this fiasco.  They were in the
water briefly and I had wrung the fleece gloves out and put them back on.  I
don't recall a sense of coldness (because they were already numb? :-)).

I was taught to simply place the paddle in the small groove behind the
coaming so I don't use the bungies at all during the rescue.  That is where
I store the pump and paddle float and don't recall any tightness in the
bungies when I removed them.  Remember I was working with a dry boat that
had not capsized so the aft deck and bungies were comparatively dry.


Not having thought about a hard line before, I think I'd alway prefer a
bungie, unless there was some concern about the elasticity(?) of the bungies
during the rescue.

Two days later I would have to say my main problem was not having even
thought of self rescue mechanics since last season so when I actually tried
to perform one in an adverse situation,  it was more or less by trial and
error, trying to recall what it was I was supposed to be doing.  I don't
think the cold affected my mind (nothing much does anymore) but I'm sure it
had some impact on my motor functions.

>I agree with Ralph. If you can't trust bungie to hold your gear in place on
>your boat, why would you ever trust it to rescue yourself back into your
boat.


I don't understand the concern.  The outer part of my bungies are starting
to wear but I have as much faith (naively?) in them as I would with any
other securing mechanism.

>Were you rescuing yourself from the stern side of the paddle, or the
cockpit side?


Cockpit side.  I'm trying to recall the reason but am drawing a blank.  I
prefer mounting from the port side but generally recall using my left leg
which would put me on the stern side.  This time however, I used my right
leg which puts me on the cockpit side.

>The reason that I ask is that after checking out Matt's web site, I have
>found that using the paddle as an outrigger (secured to the boat), that
>rescuing from the cockpit side is much quicker. Tried it with some friends
>and found that I could be in the boat in an upright position in 5 secs.
>Never have to put your legs on the paddle.

I'm aware he's got some good stuff out there, just haven't had the time to
look things over.  I hope people keep mentioning it so it doesn't slip into
the background again.


Jack Martin:

To the arguement that kayaks and PFDs don't come with instructions, I would
answer, maybe they should.  I know I would have benefitted from some kayak
care and feeding tips.






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