> Good question which defies all logic! Paddlefloats aren't used in the UK > and the few folk I know that carry one do so with the conviction that they > would maybe be the last resort aid to a re-enter roll, definitely not for > the fix your paddle to your boat - climb back in - pump out with both > hands on a stirrup pump - discussion which comes up on this list so > frequently. I wonder why anyone could believe it would realistically work > in rough water. Let me describe my use of a paddlefloat, since it seems different than others. To me, rescue situations call for rolling, period. I can't imagine being able to do an "official" paddlefloat rescue in a situation where I could not roll. On the other hand, setting up the paddlefloat outrigger on the OPPOSITE side of entry, makes swimming up ontop of the kayak with fins relatively trivial, making the tradition sit-inside kayak a perfectly reasonable diving platform. Basically, after coming to the surface and getting stuff squared away, I give a hard kick, and pull the kayak under me; as I start to tip over to the opposite side, I can put a hand on the outrigger, and then I can either slip my butt into the seat, or just lay there to rest, depending on what I was wanting to do. Caveat, be sure to have the seat and foot area cleared of junk; its a pain to arrange stuff inside the kayak, while you are floating at chin level next to the boat. The other thing a solid paddlefloat is good for is simply providing more arrangeable solid floatation, to guard against the case of completely filling the cockpit. Richard Walker Houston, TX http://www.neosoft.com/~rww/kayak_log.html *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************Received on Tue May 11 1999 - 17:04:07 PDT
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