JCMARTIN43_at_aol.com wrote: > A few years ago, our local (College Park, MD) REI rented out some kayaks which wound up on a Chesapeake Paddler Association (CPA) beginnners' trip; when working basic safety issues at the start of the trip with the newbies, we discovered that REI had sent the boats out without any paddlefloats, and we had to demo and instruct self rescues with spare equipment.< I suspect that most of the more vocal of us PaddleWisers have had nil experience in renting kayaks. I have rented at times and found the situation, to say the least, distressing. You should try it to see what info gets out to the rentee and the state of the equipment handed to them and the level of advice and tips. First of all, many places where you rent and use the kayak from their dock or nearby will _not_ issue you a sprayskirt. The supposition, a good one, is that complete novices using a sprayskirted kayak with no wet exit experience, might get entrapped. Second, never extra flotation even in kayaks with no bulkheads. Since the boats being rented tend to be wider kayaks, the boats will probably sink out of sight in a capsize that kept getting water in to the cockpit in attempts to re-enter. Third, never a bilge pump which makes dealing with point number 2 a near impossibility. Fourth, as our good friend Jack observed, no paddle float. But with a paddler not ever having use one, what would be the use. A pump they can figure out; a paddle float not necessarily; I have seen seasoned paddlers who have carried a paddle float but never practiced using one, not being able to do it when the time came; their puzzlement "Gee, I thought I knew how to use it from reading about it." (BTW,Yes, I do know that those paddlers on the CPA trip probably indicated they were on a trip but not specifically stating the possibility of re-entry drills.) Fifth, no whistles on PFDs nor any form of signaling device. Theoritically, the Coast Guard could yank such a novice paddler for not having the required minimum signaling devices. I think, except for absolute beginning paddlers who have signed on to this list, that PaddleWisers tend to be so far along in their own development that they are really unaware what is happening in the real world out there, I mean rentals and even new purchases of kayaks at retail outlets other than dedicated paddling shops. Given the paucity of gear and tips, I am amazed how few beginners get hurt using rentals. For me, it is proof that there must be a God up there somewhere who watches over not only children and drunks but also unawares paddlers. 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 - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Thu Oct 14 1999 - 06:15:44 PDT
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