Re: [Paddlewise] Matt's sea socks

Robert C. Cline wrote:

>>I bought a sock from Matt Broze thinking that it would help keep water out
during a re-entry and roll.  In rough conditions (surf), I am having
problems staying upright after the R&R with water sloshing around in the
cockpit.  I have a modified forward bulkhead to reduce cockpit volume.  A
look at the sock however revealed it would not reduce volume any, or at
least not substantially.

Maybe there is a way to reduce the sock volume?<<

When getting in the sock pull the sock back until your feet are all the way
to the end. Tuck any excess material behind the seat. Some seas socks have
less room side to side but they often don't give the knees enough room
(especially if the cockpit of the kayak is higher than average). Unless you
modified the front bulkhead to use it as your footbrace and have the back
bulkhead as your backrest the seasock will reduce the cockpit volume. Use a
fixed outrigger paddlefloat rescue rather than the Reenter and Roll if you
need the kayak stabilized for pumping. The Reenter and Roll scoops the
cockpit very full unless you can reattach the spraydeck before rolling (very
few folks can reattach the spraydeck). If you right the kayak with a sea
sock in it by pushing it up and away much less water will be scooped up.
After doing an outrigger rescue there will be much less water to destabilize
you (or to pump out) if using a sea sock. It's the rescue you are using
rather than the sea sock that results in so much water in the cockpit. In
the surf a cowboy rescue might be worth trying (rather than the R and R) if
you are trying to keep paddling without having to empty out.

If you have used a Reenter and Roll because you are playing in surf (where
an outrigger paddlefloat is not recommended) the shore is often nearby and
paddling into shore to dump out is usually the best bet. In surf I find the
seasock reduces the weight of water in the hull. If the kayak washes in
without me and hits something or sticks an end into the beach the kayak will
be much lighter and less likely to be damaged using a sea sock.

Matt Broze
http://www.marinerkayaks.com

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