[Paddlewise] cowboy scramble

Brian wrote:
Snip
>However, I
>have to bite on this mention of the cowboy rescue.
>IMHO the cowboy rescue is at most a gimic rescue or one to use after
>you have gone for a swim on purpose on a hot day on flat calm water.
>The balance required to do it correctly is considerable, and the
>technique is not intuitive.
>As an instructor, even if I show it, I make it very clear that it is
>NOT A RESCUE. A rescue is something that gets you reliably back in your
>boat. The cowboy rescue is a pool trick.
Snip

No rabid disagreement from me. At my current skill level of doing this,
it isn't even a pool trick yet. It usually is an embarrassing situation.
:-)
And I think you would be doing a good job of helping the students choose
their rescues and backups safely. 

It does seem like there are quite a few "rescues" that might not get a
particular paddler back in his or her boat, however. And we must decide
what works the best for us (whether we call these our "rescues" or
"bread & butter rescues" or whatever). If I reenter & roll (without a
float or hands-free pump) I'm up with a boat full of water. That is a
pool trick for me but for others it is their 1st rescue of choice after
a swim (so they tell me).

>Yes, Yes, I know that a skilled, balanced person can negotiate their
>way back into their boat in somewhat chaotic seas, but now what? You
>need two hands to do the cowboy well. Where is the paddle? Attached? In
>one hand? 
Snip

When I've seen it, the paddler held the paddle in a high brace position.
After climbing onto the stern deck with legs dangling in the water
(facing forward), he inched forward on elbows with paddle ready to
brace. By favoring this side, he was able to stay upright and brace in
rough water. When far enough forward, he dropped into the seat (this is
where I usually fall in). As he lands in the seat he leans to one side
and braces. He's in a dry boat in seconds and puts on the skirt.

The first guy I saw scramble in told me he did it at a class with a
famous instructor and was told the same thing you said. He told me that
he used to surf (the standup kind). He said if you can stand up on a
surfboard on a wave, that this scramble isn't such a big deal. Not being
a surfer I don't know if this is true.

But, trying it has improved my padlle float reentry quite a bit. (It
makes it seem easy.) And for some of the skilled paddlers on this list
it could actually become a real rescue for them. But not if they never
try it because someone told them it won't work.

Frank
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