I wouldn't paddle a sea kayak without bulkheads in a billabong full of dead wallaroos *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Actually I wouldn't paddle one with or without bulkheads under those conditions. ; ) -----Original Message----- From: Nick Gill <nicholas.gill_at_adfa.edu.au> To: paddlewise <PaddleWise_at_lists.intelenet.net> Date: Thursday, June 24, 1999 9:18 PM Subject: [Paddlewise] no bulkheads >I wouldn't paddle a sea kayak without bulkheads in a billabong full of dead wallaroos > >*************************************************************************** >PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List >Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net >Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net >Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ >*************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Why not Nick? I'm a big fan of bulhead free sea kayaks. I find that many of are daytrippers that don't need the waterproof compartments for gear. I have a fiberglass Wilderness Systems Artic Hawk that weighs in at only 42 pounds or so. Why so light for glass? Because there are no heavy (and in my opinion useless) bulkheads. "But wait, you need bulkheads for safety" some of you will say. But why? I fill up the empty areas with two large flotation bags. These displace alot of water, and weigh much less weight than the bulkheads. As an added bonus, I can reach all of my gear while in the kayak. So folks, don't discount bulkhead free boats so long as you are responsibly using flotation bags! - Scott Nick Gill wrote: > > I wouldn't paddle a sea kayak without bulkheads in a billabong full of dead wallaroos. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
No bulkheads are ok, and handy for stuffy big stuff in the hull for camping, but I recommend using a sea sock. Barbara At 01:05 AM 6/25/99 -0400, ssives_at_erols.com wrote: >Why not Nick? I'm a big fan of bulhead free sea kayaks. I find that >many of are daytrippers that don't need the waterproof compartments for >gear. I have a fiberglass Wilderness Systems Artic Hawk that weighs in >at only 42 pounds or so. Why so light for glass? Because there are no >heavy (and in my opinion useless) bulkheads. > > "But wait, you need bulkheads for safety" some of you will say. But >why? I fill up the empty areas with two large flotation bags. These >displace alot of water, and weigh much less weight than the bulkheads. >As an added bonus, I can reach all of my gear while in the kayak. > > So folks, don't discount bulkhead free boats so long as you are >responsibly using flotation bags! > > - Scott > >Nick Gill wrote: >> Sea Kayak Italy http://www.seakayakitaly.com tel. 650-728-8720 fax 650-728-8753 bkossy_at_igc.org *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
> > "But wait, you need bulkheads for safety" some of you will say. But > why? I fill up the empty areas with two large flotation bags. These > displace alot of water, and weigh much less weight than the bulkheads. > As an added bonus, I can reach all of my gear while in the kayak. > > So folks, don't discount bulkhead free boats so long as you are > responsibly using flotation bags! > > - Scott I've heard of situations where kayaks with bulkheads have taken on water in the hull in either the bow or stern area and couldn't be pumped out because.... the paddler couldn't get to the water to pump it out as it was sealed off by the water-tight bulkhead 8-} Airbags would have been a big help in that case. Or maybe a drill. :-) Jackie *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Jackie Fenton wrote: > > I've heard of situations where kayaks with bulkheads have taken on water > in the hull in either the bow or stern area and couldn't be pumped out > because.... the paddler couldn't get to the water to pump it out as it > was sealed off by the water-tight bulkhead 8-} > > Airbags would have been a big help in that case. Back about 10 years ago, my wife and I were at an early Paddler's Retreat at Delmarva's Camp Arrowhead. I was off doing something else while she was in a rescue clinic. She was paddling a plastic kayak at the time with bulkheads and no airbags, a rental from a NYC club. Unbeknownst to us, the bulkheads had lost some of their adherence to the hull and were leaking, probably the result of bad handling by various renters of the boat. Every time she attempted a paddle float self rescue and would scramble on to the back deck, the boat would go under. The guys in charge of the informal class were fairly elite paddlers with only knowledge of fiberglass boats. They really didn't know much about plastic boats and the now-known record of bulkhead failure in these; the bulkheads in their Brit boats did not leak. The guys couldn't figure out why the boat was going under each time she attempted to climb on. They were really puzzled. (I wasn't there but hearing of the episode later I was reminded of an old Hagar The Horrible cartoon in which a wagon and horse are in a repair shop. The mechanics are looking all over the wagon for why it would not run, meanwhile the horse is sprawled out on the floor full of arrows!!) One guy finally decided to open the hatch and discovered the stern compartment was filled almost to the brim. The boat started to do a Cleopatra's needle act and they had a devil of a time emptying it. This is a long way around of reminding anyone in a plastic boat with bulkheads to get airbags and use them. No matter what the manufacturers say, the bulkheads are susceptible to failure period. Also anyone who paddles a folding kayak must have airbags and use them religiously. I know that after inflating the built-in sponsons, the last thing you want to do is inflate something more...but do it. An aside point about that incident that touches on hyperthermia, something far from our minds in many parts of the world right now as waters have warmed up. These guys, one of whom was a well known expert on hyperthermia, left my wife in the water while they spent a good half hour working on the boat. Despite the water temperature being in the low 70s, she got quite blue-lipped. Later, it took several hours of sitting in front of roaring fireplace and wearing tons of fleece for her to finally warm up. So even 70s degree water can get to you. If a rescue is going to take more than a few minutes, get the victim out of the water; on to the back decks of two rafted kayaks was a possibility because conditions were calm. Also your first consideration should be the victim not the boat. 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." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
yes has happened. if no gear Should always have positive bouancy in boat even with bulkheads. I just use wine casks, closed cell foam etc. nick *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
>An aside point about that incident that touches on hyperthermia, >something far from our minds in many parts of the world right now as >waters have warmed up. I think in this instance you mean HYPOthermia. Yes, still a danger this time of year. But also so is Hyperthermia. Take lots of fluids with you on these especially hot days when you are working hard. Now's the time I take my PUR Hiker along because it's possible for me to drink up all my water. > Despite the water temperature being in the >low 70s, she got quite blue-lipped. Later, it took several hours of >sitting in front of roaring fireplace and wearing tons of fleece for her >to finally warm up. When I lived in Florida and dived in the springs there, water temps were about 72 degrees. If you were immersed more than 20-30 minutes, you were COLD. A lot of EMT and rescue personnel define cold water drowning as those occurring in water temperatures as high as 70degrees also. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
>> Unbeknownst to us, the bulkheads had lost some of their adherence to the hull and were leaking, probably the result of bad handling by various renters of the boat. >> Reminds me of my first rolling lesson. The boat I was using, a borrowed Sea Lion, kept sinking deeper and deeper, and I couldn't figure out why until I removed the outside hatch covers and discovered the neoprene inner hatch covers were missing and the compartments were full of water! Chuck Holst *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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