[Paddlewise] Drogues and Separation from Kayak

Thanks Julio and Dave for your comments and I'ld be grateful for any other
suggestions or advice from people who may have used drogues to prevent
separation from a kayak or who are knowledgeable about avoiding separation
following involuntary exit from an unrollable kayak in rough sea.

Your advice supports what I have often been taught, that rolling should be
the 1st line of defence in a rollable kayak. However, I've read in John
Dowds book and heard from my sea kayaking instructor and others that rolling
won't always be practical in rough water, that holding on to your paddle is
an important 2nd line of defence. Nevertheless the kayaking deaths I have
read about have often involved involuntary separation from the kayak. (ref
"Deep Trouble", recent editions of "Sea Kayaker", etc). 

I should also have mentioned that the boat concerned is a Klepper Aerius 1
Expedition, which can't really be rolled back up if it tips over. As its a
Klepper I'm talking (hopefully) about a rare occurrence, which nevertheless
I want to be prepared for. A friend and I are planning to carry out self
rescue practice, specifically relevant to Klepper use, in rough water with a
manned motor boat near by. I'm ready to practice reentry strategies in rough
water as they are well documented and I have practised them in calm water.
However, there doesn't seem to be much evidence supporting strategies for
preventing separation from your kayak in rough conditions. So we are looking
at options that can be tested with a minimum of hazard. Hence the question
regarding an automatically deployable drogue attached to a PFD. 

The velcro attachment to the PFD would allow the deployable drogue to be
optional i.e it could be removed and stowed on the kayak when conditions are
not hazardous or appropriate. After all it should only be necessary to use
such measures in an unexpectedly rough sea. If I could have predicted that
the sea would be rough enough to risk irreversible separation then I would
be a fool to be there! Also Julio raises the issue of being on different
sides of a tide rip - and Dave refers to a similar situation. Julio
mentioned breaking waves and I'm now wondering whether a drogue would be
helpful in breaking waves? Like Dave I would be grateful to know of
difficulties with deployment of drogues and would very much value advice on
whether they can be effectively used to avoid separation from a kayak.

Thanks again, PeterO


Dave wrote
> What if it does work and the kayak stays put, but you drift away :-)

Julio wrote
> Breaking waves can certainly separate you from your boat.  A current
> would only separate you from your boat if you and your boat are on
> different sides of a tide rip.

> You should avoid getting out of your boat, and learn the techniques
> to avoid it.  But if you absolutely must, make sure that you do not
> get out completely, but keep one leg inside the cockpit.

Peter O wrote
> Is it principally wind that causes such separation or can wave action and
> currents do this also?
> A paddling mate has suggested tethering a drogue to the kayak and then
> attaching the drogue to your PFD using velcro. The idea is that if you
fall
> out of the kayak the drogue automatically deploys and stops the kayak
> drifting away. 
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