Re: [Paddlewise] Successful Paddle-Float Re-entry

Su Penn wrote:
> 
> Yesterday my partner David, our friend Eli, and I, all relative beginners,
> took our boats out in a quiet lake and practiced paddle-float re-entries
> for the first time. SNIPPED
> We also developed a small shopping list of gear it would be nice--no, make
> that essential--to have (who ever said paddle leashes were optional? None
> of us was able to right a flipped boat one-handed while holding onto a
> paddle with the other hand, and would surely have lost paddles if we'd been
> in current or waves--I'm sure this is not news to most of you)

I advocate using paddle leashes although there is always the fear of
entanglement.  If you don't use a leash, you can have both hands free if
you place your paddle between your legs a la how a witch flies on a
broom :-).  In assisted rescues, you could also grab your rescuer's
paddle while he or she works on dragging your boat over theirs to empty
it.  Less crunch and possible damage to the their paddle than if it were
on their bow deck while your boat is being pulled across there to be
emptied. 

You complained about the buoyancy of your PFD (see below) and that
undoubtedly made it difficult to flip your boat.  As you pushed up, you
probably very disconcertedly were sinking down into the lower part of
your PFD.  If your PFD were holding better you would have a better
platform for doing the flipover of your boat.

, and I found
> that my PFD is worse than useless and won't be any better unless I install
> a crotch strap to keep it from riding up. It's good to learn these things
> on a quiet inland lake 20 yards from shore on a warm and sunny day!

Get a better PFD of the right fit and it won't ride up.
> 
> We're all eager to get out in the water again to practice some more.
> 
> Here's a question: Any tips for righting an upside-down boat without taking
> on water--or tips for minimizing the water taken on? We found that we
> always took on what seemed like a significant amount of water when righting
> our boats, and that was on a glassy surface.

I assume these are solo rescues.  You might try to empty some of the
water out of the boat by getting on to its rear while it is upside
down.  Go on to the upturned boat cowboy style and this will raise the
bow and empty it.  There are various ways of flipping the boat.  Climb
on to the boat and flip it toward you.  Or reach under to the opposite
side of the coaming and yank it toward you as you flip the nearside of
the coaming.  Depending on your strength, technique one of these methods
should work.  Experiment as each idea here and that you will hear from
others has the equal potential of flooding your kayak quite a lot.

ralph diaz
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter
PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024
Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com
"Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag."
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