Re: [Paddlewise] Face Up Paddlefloat Rescue and more

Peter Treby wrote:

> In any rescue, I suppose, paddle preservation has to be part of the plan, if
> possible, although in extremis you're probably just concentrating on getting
> back into the boat quickly, dealing with the rough water, etc. <snip>

I busted up all my new Lendal paddle shafts. I removed the new blades and glued
them on the older shafts still in good shape where the older, inferior blades
had snapped. Older and heavier is better (that view helps my spouse love me
still :-)  ) This applies to the paddle shafts, anyway.

> I was guessing at a fixed paddlefloat outrigger rescue, as of the various
> rescues I've tried, this seems to put the most strain on the paddleshaft. The
> other thing that cracks a paddle shaft is putting it across the back deck
> while getting in and out of the boat. A paddle shaft can have hidden
> weaknesses after using it this way.

That's what happened to me, only it was after teaching a paddlefloat rescue to a
group, not the back-deck beach entry. It was still my fault to use faulty
equipment. I also wonder if wood has a certain life expectancy that's shorter
the glass.


> Now I think I'd better start experimenting with body to boat tethers among
> other skills to refine. If the paddleshaft breaks, there goes the paddle to
> boat connection, and maybe, there goes the boat.

I certainly don't use my boat-to-person tether as much as I used to. When I do
use it, its kind of like my deep-draft rudder -- if I really feel I need it,
then I really do, otherwise I don't. Know what I mean?. But its not all the
time. I'd still rather have people learn to surface from a capsize holding their
boat and paddle. But in breaking offshore seas with mixed opposing tidal
currents and high wind gusts, it's a challenge mate. Having a competent
partner(s) might be better than a tether, but while good partners are hard to
find but not impossible, finding one(s) that want's to assume the same levels of
risk as you do can be difficult. Most paddlers jam out on me just when it gets
interesting. I say this only to legitimize my back-up gear dependent methods,
nothing more. There are a thousand paddlers better than me, but they don't want
to push past a certain point -- and they shouldn't have to. (I'm not talking
whitewater kayakers here).

> I know I've got your article in SeaKayaker somewhere, if the kids haven't
> chopped up that issue for school project illustrations, but Doug, can I ask
> what is your preferred person-to-boat tether?

Chopped up? Maybe burnt would be better. Or just forgotten would be fine by me.
My preferred tether is a length of webbing from bow to a quick-release belt for
a non-clutered deck, and a coiled-in-a-pouch length of webbing from a
quick-release belt to a caribiner (which can be hooked to whatever-you-like, for
the cluttered deck boat). I have both. I have three kayaks. I DO NOT USE
ROPE/CORDAGE. I DO NOT USE IN SURF. I DO NOT USE IN FRONT OF NOVICES. I DO SEE
THEM AS AN OPTION, BUT ONLY AN OPTION. THEY CAN KILL YOU. I ONLY PROMOTE THEIR
USE WITH QUALIFICATIONS -- can you tell?

> "another option folks might like to practice is the "face-up" paddlefloat
> rescue."
>
> Fill this in a little; how do you get your body onto the back deck with this
> rescue? Face up and do a dolphin-like backwards swallow dive?

You need a fixed-deck outrigger paddlefloat system (see Matt's website for
details), then face forward to bow with your back up on the shaft that extends
out at 90 degrees.


> Which side of the paddle shaft are you when you launch backwards onto the back
> deck?

If you are doing a port side rescue, as your back goes up the paddleshaft, your
right arm is behind the cockpit to the back of it with your right hand grasping
the back of the cockpit rim on the opposite side of the cockpit to the side
where your body is. Your left arm is draped over the shaft with your left hand
holding the shaft firmly toward the distal end of the paddle near the
blade/float.All but your kidneys, bum, and legs should be out of the water now.
Then, keeping your head well back and low along the rear gunwale, maneuver your
feet up out of the water and into the cockpit in front of you. At this point,
your butt should be directly in line with the back of the cockpit and your body
forming an semi contorted elbow in two separate planes. If your feet are hooked
in properly, you should be able to lift your bum out of the water and swing it
onto the cockpit rim. Keep looking heavenward, saying your prayers, with your
head held back and low. Remember, one hand is still on the shaft, and the other
grabbing the cockpit rim, so it is very easy to perform a sit-up maneuver which
leaves you sliding into the cockpit while avoiding the tendency with the normal
paddlefloat reentry which often results in the "yellow rainbow" flash and
splash. YMMV depending on cockpit size and other factors. The more shock cord
play in your rear deck fixed-rigging , the more spongy this rescue gets during
the sit-up phase. You also don't need to time it as much with the waves as you
do with the normal methodology. BTW, the amount you engage your back onto the
rear deck depends on how tall you are, but most of us can usually go from the
back-on-shaft to sitting position in a few smooth seconds -- mostly off to the
side of the kayak. Canadians may want to try out the spring 2002 issue of
Adventure Kayak Magazine for a quick summary by Doug A. In the end, you might
need to modify some of the basic phases, but do give it a try. It is definitely
a lot more forgiving of paddle breakage.

>
>
> "When it comes to self-rescues, most of us are such losers. I say that with
> love :-) We really need to get out and practice, experiment, think outside the
> box a bit, keep it as simple as possible, develop a no-fail attitude, and not
> skip a beat with a few backups in place. Ultimately, good seamanship keeps us
> out of trouble in the first place, or at least trying to keep within our skill
> level. And that means having the ability to self rescue in the seas you might
> be contemplating "challenging". That is the credo I've tried to live by --
> literally."
>
> Well put.

Thanks Peter. When I said "loosers", I didn't mean Paddlewisers. I was thinking
of the masses. PW'ers are the cream - maybe that's why my cholesterol goes up
when I spend to much time clacking on the keyboards on PW excersising. my
opinions :-)

Doug

>
> PT, Melbourne, OZ.

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