Re: [Paddlewise] Swimming a boat beyond the surf zone?

<< Scott wrote
 SNIP
 > 4. Swimming the boat out beyond the surf zone and then performing a 
 > paddlefloat or assisted rescue.
 
 G'Day Scott,
 
 Is this really practical? - wouldn't surf that tipped you into the drink be
 too hard to swim against with a kayak - maybe even dangerous - I've been
 taught to stay seaward of a kayak in the surf? >>

   I had already sent a back channel response to Peter before this showed up 
on the list. My response follows;

 Every situation is different and must be judged accordingly. This is one of 
the things that makes the arguments on Paddlewise so frustrating. Despite 
what some folks on the list want you to believe, everything in this sport is 
just not so cut and dried. Yes, you should always try to stay on the seaward 
side of the kayak when in the surf. Swimming the boat out into deeper water 
by pulling it along behind you will accomplish this. However, if the surf is 
really large and consistent then attempting this would probably be, as you 
say, pretty futile. Often what capsizes the paddler is a larger set of waves 
that catches them by surprise. Once the set has passed you could have a long 
period of calm water which would allow you to swim out beyond the surf zone. 
If the wave that capsized you happened far from shore, then this might be 
your best option.
   I was launching a class some time ago when just such a scenario took 
place. Half of the class had already launched and set up beyond the surf. The 
next person to launch almost made it beyond the surf when a larger then 
normal set came through and caught him, and he capsized. I launched the next 
person from the beach with instructions to tell the the person in the water 
to swim out to the group rather then into shore. It was a much shorter swim 
and I knew that it would be a while before another large set came through. Of 
course, had another large set come through unexpectedly then the swimmers 
boat would have probably ended up back on shore and the decision would have 
been made for us.

   As an addendum to the above post, one may not be adept at self rescues to 
the point that they are able to do them quickly on the first try. In which 
case swimming out beyond the surf zone will buy them more time. Or one may 
not be able to do self rescues at all! In which case swimming out to the 
group for assistance would certainly be the prudent thing to do. Not to 
mention that if the person in the water believes that they can get beyond the 
surf zone before the next set, then they will not have to undergo the 
inevitable pummeling to themselves and their equipment should they instead 
decide to head into shore. Of course, like I said above, every situation is 
different and should be judged accordingly.

Scott
So.Cal.
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