[Paddlewise] Serious Tourers Can Wet Exit

 A serious tourer will not wear a nylon sprayskirt, especially in 
rough conditions. 
Sid Taylor
-----Original Message-----
From: Peter Treby 
To: Paddlewise (E-mail) 
Date: Thursday, March 08, 2001 3:25 PM
Subject: [Paddlewise] Wet exits and spray deck removal

I'm not sure about a "serious tourer"?  Just not sure, that's all.
One might think that a "Not So Serious Tourer" would be better 
off not wearing a skirt than wearing one and not knowing how to 
wet exit.  

Last year my wife and I were on a white water kayak trip down the 
Kern River in Central California.  A young lady who was new to 
kayaking went over as one would expect, but could not get out of 
the boat.  She paniced and placed her hands on each side and 
pushed, but the skirt wouldn't release.   It looked as if she were 
attached to the boat with bungee's!

Someone was able to get ahold of her and get her head above 
water and pull the loop.  She promptly dropped/fell out of the 
boat.  It wouldn't have taken long for her to drown she was in 
such a state of panic.

I think everyone should practice wet exits even those with a 
bomb proof roll.  You just never know when you might need air.

Fred Thomas
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