Re: [Paddlewise] Launching in dumping surf

For the last days I've been too busy to reply to any messages: My new
boat has arrived! Sold as a "seakayak", it took me 3 days of hard labour
to convert it to a seaworthy craft. The process involved drilling about
100 holes, scraping and sawing away 4 meters of coaming, adding 12
meters of line, 6 meters of shock cord and 2.5 meters of aluminium tube
to reinforce the hull. That's just the big modifications: the small jobs
include sealing hatches, adding a backrest, kneebraces and an electric
pump.

I've read and considered all the replies on launching in dumping surf,
and I think I can reach a conclusion. It is something to avoid whenever
possible. Even Doug Lloyd will not try it willingly. Swimming out may be
possible, at least in surf less then 3 feet high, although you not only
risk loosing your boat, but also your swimming trunks.

When dumping surf prevents me from leaving some wilderness beach, I
guess I will try the following survival techniques, in the stated order:

- Read a book, avoid sunburn
- Try to find some fresh water from a small stream
- Shoot a seagull and eat it
- Try to find any kind of non-salt water, however dirty it might be
- Drink my own urine
- Launch through dumping surf
- Employ flares, EPIRB or cellphone to call outside help
- Panic.

Meanwhile, I can't resist the temptation to get the last word on some of
Doug Lloyds comments:

> [...] as long as they
> don't get in over their head too soon during the skill development phase -
> pun intended.

In my local club I am considered to be a highly skilled expedition
paddler. I will NOT elaborate on the number of seakayakkers in my club
or the average skill level: It would disprove my point.

Most kayakkers in my club are white water kayakkers, on a high skill
level. I joined them a couple of times for a day of surf kayakking. I've
seen and paddled some quite serious surf, but the shallow, sandy, Dutch
beaches don't have dumping surf. During these club sessions I push my
skill level and experiment, knowing help is close at hand. During my
solo trips I try to stay well within my skill level, meaning I will
avoid situations I'm not sure I can handle. I will NOT practice in
dumping surf during my vacation: I will avoid it whenever possible.


> [...] The key
> ingredients are an appropriately short bow line, easily deployed but
> securable when not needed, as well as a diameter of cordage that will not
> cut through your hands.

On my new boat, I've added a bow line of one meter (3 feet) that is kept
in place by a bungy cord. The bow line ends in a toggle. When you grab
the toggle, you can pull out the bowline. When you release the toggle,
the line is pulled back by the bungy. This might come in handy in surf,
but I mainly designed it to be able to drag my boat across sandbars,
where the water is too shallow to paddle, yet too deep to employ my
wheels. 

By the way: Doug wrote something about the need of a tough boat. Don't
worry: I ALWAYS paddle plastic.

Niels.


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