Re: [Paddlewise] Safety Warning

> Are there really sprayskirts that fit so tightly that just bracing your 
> hands on the coaming and shoving with the appropriate amount of adrenaline 
> doesn't work?? (serious question)
> 

  OK, a quick story. I was teaching a class in kayak surf technique during 
which I mentioned that neoprene sprayskirts are really better suited for surf 
play then are nylon. So when the sand talk ended we prepared to launch into 
the surf. One couple in the class came prepared with two whitewater boats as 
well as two sea kayaks, not sure of which they would want to practice in. 
Well, they chose to use the sea kayaks. As they prepared to launch I noticed 
the girl was struggling a bit to get her neoprene sprayskirt on. I didn't 
think too much about it as it was their own equipment of which they had used 
before, and I assumed, they were familiar with. It turns out that this was a 
mistake on my part.
   After we launched I was working with the class moving from one student to 
another in order to try and give each some personal attention. At some point 
I hear the girls partner, you know, the one's with their own equipment, 
shouting at me with some urgency. I look and see that his girl friend (wife?) 
had capsized and obviously was having trouble exiting the boat! The boyfriend 
or husband or whatever was farther away then I was so I paddled like mad to 
reach her, then I reached under water and ripped her sprayskirt free which 
allowed her to exit.
   It turns out that with my endorsement of neoprene sprayskirts in the surf 
the couple had decided to use the rubber skirts from their whitewater boats, 
which had appreciably smaller cockpits, on their sea kayaks for this class. 
Something neither one of them had ever tried before. I think all three of us 
learned a thing or two in that class.

Scott
So.Cal.


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