Re: [Paddlewise] Of Clothing and Equipment...

In a message dated 5/29/00 3:37:51 AM Central Daylight Time, 
alsjfs_at_voyager.co.nz writes:

<< Nobody should be put off by the warning that "your boots/waders will fill
 with water and drag you under!" Utter bovine excrement - I hope you were not
 implying anything along that line Doug. >>

The problem is not getting dragged under, it is trying to lift your legs and 
feet up out of the water when doing a rescue (other than reenter and roll). I 
switched to using rubber boots because of the very muddy conditions at most 
of my launch sites.  The first time I tried to practice my paddle float 
rescue I got a real surprise.  I had no problem swimming and manuvering to 
get everything set up, but I could not get back up onto the back deck.  After 
several tries I swam the boat to shore and switched to a pair of tennis 
shoes.  I had no problem getting back up on the back deck and completing the 
reentry.  If your deck height and body strength make it easy for you to get 
back up on the deck then the extra weight of water in the boots may not be a 
problem, but if you are just marginal in getting back up, that extra weight 
as the boots come out of the water can make it very difficult. 

Mark J. Arnold
MJAkayaker_at_aol.com  
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