RE: [Paddlewise] Bad advice on paddle float rescue

From: John Fereira <jaf30_at_cornell.edu>
Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2001 08:23:36 -0400
At 03:29 PM 6/13/01 -0400, Rick Sylvia wrote:

>  Generally, I've always seen it suggested that you leave the
> > paddlefloat on until you've attached your spray skirt and
> > pumped out the
> > water.
>
>I can see that with an electric, or foot operated pump.  How about with a
>hand held pump?    With my current set-up, the only way I can pump water out
>is by not fully attaching the spray-skirt.
>
>Do I have a bad set-up, or am I missing a trick or something?

The "trick" is to slide the pump in the tunnel of the skirt between your 
body and the skirt.  The biggest problem with that sequence of pictures is 
that it's too simplistic.  It's shown in calm water conditions, not 
typically the kind of conditions that would likely cause a capsize and 
require a wet exit/reentry in the first place.  Attempting a reentry and 
then pumping your boat in those same conditions that knocked you over is 
going to be difficult and leaving the paddle with paddlefloat attached 
might provide the stability required.  The important thing is to get back 
in the boat, and stay upright, the first time.  It's only going to get more 
difficult, especially if the water is real cold, as it requires some 
physical effort and the potential for  hypothermia increases the longer you 
spend time in the water.



>While I'm at it, I've had a problem with getting my legs tangled in my
>paddle-leash.  I was told it's because I'm coming out backwards????  When
>upside down, I reach forward to release the skirt, then hold the sides of
>the coming, and do somewhat of a sumersault forward until my legs have
>cleared the cockpit.  From that point, I just sort of move to the side of
>the boat and pop up to the surface.  Is that incorrect?

That sounds like you're doing it right to me.  How do you have your paddle 
tether attached?  One of the biggest advocates of paddle (and boat) tethers 
is Audrey Sutherland.  Inevitably, when she does a slide show talk, the 
question arises about getting tangled.  Her answer is simple.  She 
practices (a *lot*) doing wet exits and reentries with the 
tethers.  Through repetition she is able to avoid the entanglement problems 
during practice, making is less likely that she'll have a problem under 
"real" conditions.


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Received on Thu Jun 14 2001 - 09:33:25 PDT

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