Re: [Paddlewise] Ripped Out of the Cockpit?

I don't like the keyhole cockpit arrangement personally. It does secure you
well enough once you lock you thighs under, but I find the "birthing
position" tiresome and painful for long periods of time. I much prefer the
ocean cockpit, where knee support (with some padding) gives more security.
The thigh braces of the keyhole cockpit work in such a way that if you slip
out from under that position, you loose all purchase, and can then easily
come out of the cockpit, though in actuality, you usually always have one
leg still left holding you in. 

I installed a custom curved knee tube in conjunction with the ocean cockpit
of my VCP kayak. I have a constant source of comfortable bracing and
support, and can spend hours in rough seas, happy as a pig in ship. As I am
always braced and ready, sudden occurences, boomers, eddies, etc, don't as
easily trip me up. I am also relatively short, so the arrangement works
well for me.

I did run a seat belt for a few years, when I was single. I did a lot of
whirlpool paddling, and was nearly sucked out of the boat a few times. In
those extreme conditions, you MUST remain in your kayak for the inherent
buoyancy afforded. To come out of your boat is unconscionable. The seat
belt idea is a good one for sit on tops (Tsunami Rangers call them
wash-decks), but for closed decked kayaks with the double undo issue of a
spray deck before you could release the seat belt, was a bad idea (like,
duh). The knee tube idea was what I came up with instead, though I do not
run big whirlpools now that I have a family and trying to develop a more
middle-brow attitude.

While I have been partially sucked out of my kayak in 10 foot clapotis
waves off the breakwater (I have actually been thrown up out of the water),
I have always remained in the kayak. Keeping sprayskirts and prescription
glasses secured has been a bigger issue. Man, I hate wearing glasses for
this sport! And I've had contacts washed out too.

BC'in Ya
Doug Lloyd (who still gets chills thinking about the chances he took when
he was a younger man)   
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