G'Day, They say most people have accidents after they've acquired a little experience and become complacent - here are two accounts of minor near misses last weekend. The lesson for me was not to do with the techniques which were involved, which were trivial. But the danger of complacency! Both events were based on the false presumption that its easy to fall out of a boat if you roll it upside down - even with a spray skirt attached - something I've been told more than once! First event was during rolling exercises when I noticed halfway through one exercise that I'ld forgotten to ensure the spray skirt tag was free - of course I freed it up and out of curiosity tested the back up method I'ld been taught, of bunching the skirt with a knee, grabbing the bunched fabric and pulling the spray skirt off. I've seen this work but this time it didn't. What would I have done under water - fallen out? Second event was trying out a small cockpit boat with low initial stability, pushing the limit and finding myself upside down. I expected to fall out, which is what had always happened to me up til then. This didn't happen and boy was I grateful for the training sessions which said make sure the spray skirt tag is free before paddling and if and when upside down in the water pull the skirt off with the tag and slip the boat off as though it were a set of trousers. I wrote this because of Debbie's discouragement over her attempts to promulgate safety in kayaking - I'm enormously grateful to the many responsible kayakers like Debbie, Paddlewisers in general and various highly dedicated kayak club members and professionals, who provide safety advice and training! All the best, PeterO *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
> > First event was during rolling exercises when I noticed halfway through one > exercise that I'ld forgotten to ensure the spray skirt tag was free - of > course I freed it up and out of curiosity tested the back up method I'ld > been taught, of bunching the skirt with a knee, grabbing the bunched fabric > and pulling the spray skirt off. I've seen this work but this time it > didn't. What would I have done under water - fallen out? I've been shown that a sprayskirt can be released in an emergency by grabbing its edge at the middle of the side of the cockpit coaming where it can be grabbed more easily than at the front if the pull loop is tucked under. Larry Koenig Baton Rouge, LA *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Larry Koenig wrote: > I've been shown that a sprayskirt can be released in an emergency by > grabbing its edge at the middle of the side of the cockpit coaming where it > can be grabbed more easily than at the front if the pull loop is tucked > under. Other alternatives include: Smash your open hand into the skirt in front of you, grab a fistfull and pull. It works for every neoprene skirt I've tested. Reach behind and grab the bungie that sticks out the back of your skirt (if it has one) and release from the back. Push up against the underside of the skirt with your knees (this is not really effective - the skirt seems to really stretch). Put your hands on the deck at the rear "corners" of the coaming and push yourself out. This doesn't work for really tight skirts (like my WW). If the skirt isn't really tight, you'll come out. This might not work well if you've got short arms! I've practiced all these in the pool and some in open water. I find the rear bungie the best, Larry's and the smash and grab second. Mike *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
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