The latest issue (June) has a thought-provoking accident report from Germany ("Lost At Sea") that occured a few years. It involves a fellow who went over in the North Sea in not particularly cold water (63 degrees) and eventually died of exposure. I got two sobering thoughts out of it: 1. The importance of making certain that you are using thoroughly tested and very familiar equipment if you are going into conditions that have any likelihood of being dicey. The fellow was using a new wing paddle, which likely contributed to his capsize and possibly affected any attempts at self rescue. The article mentions that he did have a paddlefloat but I would think a wing paddle might complicate use of one or at least call for some adjustments from what you do with an ordinary paddle that he certainly had not had a chance to practice. 2. The ambiguities in signaling for help. The guy was in the water waving his paddle. He was spotted in steep seas by passengers on a passing fast ferry. But the crew and captain claim they weren't certain of what really was happening and did not stop or go back to locate him. (The captain got away pretty lightly in the court case late last year.) Here again, a radio may have been of help with no ambiguity if used on an emergency channel. And unlike Wes's case on an inland lake when threatened by jetskis, the fast ferry would have certainly been monitoring 16 and probably some other radio channels as well. Anyway, read it. I wonder what Matt's take is on this one. ralph diaz -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
I tried to tell you this story a few weeks ago under those general rescue storys. Aug. 98 Reimer Siemers died after several hours on hypothermia nearby several North Friesian Islands. I know the guy who tell him, that a wing paddle is an "ideal" choice. But nobody told him, that he should go out alone and test this paddle there for FIRST time. The man was paddling only for few years, aged over 50 and got teachers profession. Maybe a problem on its own (oversized-selfconsciouness, >nothing against teachers<). He had trained the self-rescue by paddle float ONLY under calm (flat water) conditions and was unable to do the roll anyway. That it was the wing paddle, causes him to capsize is a easy thought and also mine, but nobody was there. So its only a "shot in the fog"- thought. Iīm using 3rd year a wing paddle and have done the re-entry (by float) WITH these (extreme) wing paddle. No problem Ralph! But you have to pay attention, for sure. And I got a spare paddle with me, everytime I use the wing paddle. Not normal, but for me. The thing with the ship is unbelieveable... And the Skippers is still in problems. He still might lose his captn license. BUT, Mr. Siemers GOT signal flares (donīt know with ones), BUT they still layed by a friend. He forgot them there after a tour... With any visible red or orange distress signal, the ship hadnīt driven away. But so, the skipper only hear that 2 passengers see a man in water, waving with hand or a paddle, and he interpreted it as a "Hello, nice day" sign. That they couldnīt see him, was more than clear. It was the fastetst ship in that area and the first binoculars take part a few minutes AFTER the short sightning. Nobody would have seen him after a few minutes by over 20-25 knots and 4 Bft wind and over 3 ft. waves! Thatīs one reason the skipper was sentenced on not-given-help. Was a really sad incident and the first dead kayaker for the SaU (saltwaterunion germany). The dead man got the first step (out of 2 ...) of SaU-certification. Should be an incident to learn and to talk about intensively. But the almost only man, talking about this incident do this very early and in a unpopular style. So, the "thinking" section of the SaU shot bundles of flame on him and his style of writing. Nothing had changed since them. The "Experts" say, there system is proved and okay. No necessarry modification is needed. The joke is, this first step, called the A-level, is almost the normally known "sea-proficiency". We know, the britains got 3 or 4 (??) further levels, the SaU only one real further one. The B-level, which is needed to lead a group (on SaU trips). Thats all! Okay, the C-level, but thats only for those leaders, doing enough trips a years... Much to do here in Germany. But which way?? Within the SaU or the official canoe federation you canīt build up those structures, like the britains got. Unbelieveable but typical human. bye from germany Jochen Grikschat *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
----- Original Message ----- From: "Jochen Grikschat" <grikschat_at_surfeu.de> > Iīm using 3rd year a wing paddle and have done the re-entry (by float) WITH > these (extreme) wing paddle. No problem Ralph! But you have to pay > attention, for sure. Sorry, I did not mean to imply that you cannot do a paddlefloat re-entry with a wing paddle. Rather, I meant that there would be some differences, differences he probably had not tested out. For example, the blade shape of the wing paddle is such that it is somewhat more difficult to slide into the blade pocket of some inflatable paddlefloats and probably impossible in solid paddlefloats since most offer only an unyielding narrow slit for the blade to go into. Also, the shipboard blade on the kayak would require some adjustment in its placement that differs from how you would place a flatter blade. Rough 9 foot seas would not be the place to figure out the necessary adjustments. I found it interesting that the account in Sea Kayaker did not bring this potential problem up although it did mention having an unfamiliar wing paddle that may have contributed to his capsizing. ralph diaz -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Sorry Ralph, read to fast. > Rather, I meant that there would be some differences, > differences he probably had not tested out. For example, the blade shape of > the wing paddle is such that it is somewhat more difficult to slide into the > blade pocket of some inflatable paddlefloats... Here the most common inflatible float is the zoelzer one(12 and 20 litre vol., new is the double sided 2x7litre), I got it also. Itīs no problem for me to place the wing blade inside. There might be some floats where this could be a problem. But look at a "normal" wing paddle. Most of them are equal broad. The different point is, they are higher than all the other blades. But with an inflatible it shouldnīt be a real problem. By solid floats this is a more serious problem, okay. But Iīve never seen a solid one here. No one sells them, so Iīd thought to build an own one. Havnīt done yet. But the biggest problem with a wing paddle is, how does it behave by bracing or some special strokes? When I paddle first time with a wing paddle, I have to learn which strokes are forbidden with those paddles. But there are also very different bevaviours of the different type of wing blades. There are the old flat ones (struer type). By all modern blades the angle between blade and shaft and the angle in the blade itself differ quite extreme. In my opinion blades with low angles make the biggest problems. I use the Bracsa II, thats an very modern design with high angles. But I can do almost every normal touring stroke without big problems, except bracing strokes. If you do so, you will lose your stability immediately. Thats the problem if you are unscilled with those paddles. By the next shit wave you brace by reflex, even if you arenīt a very experienced paddler (like R.Siemer) and you capsize. I canīt understand why a friend of him lend a wing paddle, without the warning for the problems. The sea is a really bad place to test out new stuff first time. Siemers payed the highest price for this fault. Before someone mentions problems by rolling with wing paddles, I donīt have problems with it. Itīs quite easy to roll with them. If you are an experienced roller, you roll with everything. If this fails, I got my spare paddle. In a swimming hall I tested to grab half a spare paddle from behind me and roll with it. Works, but if I could do it in cold water??? I think it also depends on mental strength, I will write a thread on this point next time. So, I close with these words: Nobody is unuseless, you could be a warning example. (shorter then the german idiom, hope I hit the target) keep clear, safe paddling bye Jochen *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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