> From: Patrick Maun[SMTP:pmaun_at_bitstream.net] > > I think my biggest aversion is keeping the paddle on the front deck > is I just don't like looking at it. I also don't like how water > breaks and flows over the bow and deck when breaking through a wave. > Call me petty, but I'm an artist and aesthetics are high on my > priority list. I like my vistas clear, other than a chart and > compass, I keep almost everything either in kneetubes or on the back > deck (usually just the throw bag). > Up until this past weekend, Patrick's logic was the same as my own. But . . . two of us were coming in, finishing our days paddle against the current (approx 6 knots). After crossing the channel, we took a quick break because we knew we were really going to work hard the rest of the way (about 1/2 mile). We were coming into the Highlands Bridge which acts as a relatively narrow funnel, draining 2 large rivers into Sandy Hook Bay, NJ. In this section, the channel is probably 15 ft from the long row of marinas and restaurants on stilts. We paddled about 1/4 mile and were able to eddy out to take another quick break. Both of us were out of breath. He pulled out first and started into the last stretch. Giving him plenty of lead, I pulled out to follow noticing that people were starting to come down the piers to watch us. I hear one group on a pier and one group in a boat say "They'll never make it!" Because the paddling space is so narrow due to the channel traffic, the significant boat wakes and zillions of pilings, we had to go single-file. For those who have been in such a situation, you know it requires true focus. So there I am concentrating on my muscles and the power of my strokes, focusing my eyes at the bow, taking deep breaths and exhaling through my mouth. Off to my right, above me, I hear whistling. Now at this point, there was quite an audience, several who were whistling, so I ignored the one above. But it kept repeating as a call for attention. Then I hear "Hey, you. Kayaker." I turn my head ever so slightly (the water was really rough) and I see a gentleman flagging me from up on a restaurant deck. "Get the paddle. Your buddy lost his paddle!" I turn my head to the left just in time to see 1/2 a paddle fly by me in the current. Now there was no way I could have retrieved the paddle without catastrophia so I look forward and see my buddy with 1/2 paddle stroking like mad, going sideways towards the pilings and drifting back towards me rather fast. As he slides past me I yell "Take my paddle!" Fortunately I had a Greenland blade on my front deck. He stuck his 1/2 paddle under the front deck lines, took ahold of my Euro paddle as I retrieved my paddle from my front deck. The entire paddle swap took about 2 seconds. After painfully hard stroking, we were on the beach, out of breath, shaking hands (and shaking our heads) within five minutes. Due to the force of his strokes, his paddle had snapped in half. Prior to this incident I always thought that if I lost my paddle, I could just wet exit, retrieve the spare from the back deck, assemble it while in the water and then do a reenter and roll. Well, clearly, not all water is safe to do a wet exit. If either of us had come out of our boat, in that current, in those pilings, with all those propellers, we might not be here today. Moral of the story: A paddle on the front deck; it's a Good Thing. Debbie Reeves Sandy Hook, NJ *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Debbie wrote: <SNIP> >>Prior to this incident I always thought that if I lost my paddle, I could just wet exit, retrieve the spare from the back deck, assemble it while in the water and then do a reenter and roll. Well, clearly, not all water is safe to do a wet exit. If either of us had come out of our boat, in that current, in those pilings, with all those propellers, we might not be here today. Moral of the story: A paddle on the front deck; it's a Good Thing.<< Why not just fasten the paddle to the back deck in a way that it is quickly available from the cockpit? For an example of one way this can be done see the "Owners" Manual on the website below (its about 5/8 of the way down the long text). The small loop around the shaft on this set-up also makes it real obvious if the paddle is getting loose even though it is out of your sight. Matt Broze http://www.marinerkayaks.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced 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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