G'day Paddlewise safety enthusiasts Had the great pleasure of paddling my new Pittarak for the first time this weekend. What a sweet boat! Slightly tippy but as fast as the wind the model is named after and very responsive to edging. But a small cockpit - so before anything else I practiced paddlefloat self rescues (next week I go back to learning to roll reliably). Anyway here is the question. With large cockpit boats I've been used to the cowboy method so one of the rescues tried was to attach the paddlefloat in front of the cockpit which allowed both a paddlefloat assisted cowboy reentry (but feet first) as well as a self rescue from the position lying along the stern with one leg supported on the paddle. It wasn't clear which was more useful, both methods seemed straightforward. Its obvious that you have to set the paddlefloat at the back if you don't have a solid attachment. But if the paddle is securely fixed is there any reason not to position it at the front of the cockpit? All the books I've read set it at the back. By the way these were not rough water practice sessions as I was solo at the time. All the best and grateful for any feedback, PeterO *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
At 11:58 AM 7/25/00 +0000, Peter Osman wrote: >G'day Paddlewise safety enthusiasts > >Had the great pleasure of paddling my new Pittarak for the first time this >weekend. What a sweet boat! Slightly tippy but as fast as the wind the model >is named after and very responsive to edging. But a small cockpit - so >before anything else I practiced paddlefloat self rescues (next week I go >back to learning to roll reliably). > >Anyway here is the question. With large cockpit boats I've been used to the >cowboy method so one of the rescues tried was to attach the paddlefloat in >front of the cockpit which allowed both a paddlefloat assisted cowboy >reentry (but feet first) as well as a self rescue from the position lying >along the stern with one leg supported on the paddle. It wasn't clear which >was more useful, both methods seemed straightforward. I've got a boat with an equally small cockpit and resigned to the fact that a "cowboy reentry" is just not going to exist in my repertoire of self rescue techniques. I really question the usefulness of the technique in rough water conditions anyway. However, since I spend so much more time actually sitting in the cockpit as opposed to getting in and out of it, I like having the small cockpit because there is more area for my knees and thighs to contact when I'm edging, bracing, and rolling. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
<< But if the paddle is securely fixed is there any reason not to position it at the front of the cockpit? All the books I've read set it at the back. By the way these were not rough water practice sessions as I was solo at the time. >> I think the reason we generally fasten the paddlefloat to the rear deck is because most sea kayaks have peaked front decks which makes securing the paddle marginal at best. If your boat has provisions for securely fastening the paddle to the front deck, then I don't see why you couldn't do it that way. Scott So.Cal. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
At 07:24 PM 7/25/00 -0400, KiAyker_at_aol.com wrote: ><< But if the paddle is securely fixed is there any reason not to > position it at the front of the cockpit? All the books I've read set it at > the back. By the way these were not rough water practice sessions as I was > solo at the time. >> > > I think the reason we generally fasten the paddlefloat to the rear > deck is >because most sea kayaks have peaked front decks which makes securing the >paddle marginal at best. If your boat has provisions for securely fastening >the paddle to the front deck, then I don't see why you couldn't do it that >way. I don't think that putting the float on the front deck would work well at all, unless you are very very limber. The reason is that the last motion of re-entering the boat requires that you place a fair bit of weight on the paddle-outrigger for stability while you corkscrew into the cockpit. I can't really envision how this might work if the paddle is on the front deck. However, I haven't tried it myself, so I don't really know if the problem I suggest exists. But the theory seems sound enough. Hopefully Matt will have an opinion... Cheers, Kevin Kevin Whilden Your Planet Earth http://www.yourplanetearth.org (206) 788-0281 (ph) (206) 788-0284 (f) *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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