RE: [Paddlewise] (Paddle Float division)

ACA quote:
>>>>> "When holding the other end tightly to the boat (or
fastening to deck rigging) , the paddle forms an effective
outrigger, making the kayak more stable and easier to enter"<<<<<<

Shawn wrote (among other things):
>>>>>The ACA says hold the
paddle to the kayak or fix to rigging.  How can you be way ahead of an
either-or statement?<<<<<

I've not yet seen anything from the ACA or in their curriculum (not that
I've been looking that hard lately) regarding the benefits of the fixed
paddle system during the long time it takes to pump the kayak out. The stuff
on page 9 of the beginners manual is virtually useless beyond letting
someone know that such rescues are in the realm of the possible. I'd like to
see something in detail from the ACA on technique for self rescues where
pros and cons of which rescues work best when are discussed. Even Roger
Shuman (ACA) and Jan Shriner's (ACA) book "Sea Kayak Rescue" mostly focuses
on the supposed need to have a consistent paddle width and the lack of good
rigging on many kayaks that you may sometime be paddling to poo poo fixing
the paddle while strongly promoting the unfixed paddle for its versatility
for use with poorly outfitted kayaks that one might happen to borrow. All
except the "paddle blade width" red herring are valid points but nowhere is
the major advantages of fixing the outrigger to the kayak discussed while a
long discussion preceded it about how to deal with all the complications
created by not fixing the paddle to the deck. Nowhere is it stated that
these complications wouldn't have to be addressed if the paddle was fixed to
the deck. They agreed with Sponsonman that sponsons only slow a kayak about
20%.
John Lull (also ACA) gets it right and puts things in good perspective (with
excellent details and sound reasoning) in his excellent book "Sea Kayaking
Safety and Rescue".  Alas, even John shows only the California affectation
of coming up from the stern side of the paddle outrigger and laboriously
switching hands and feet to walk over the paddle. If the back deck is low
enough all these walk over steps are not necessary (especially when the
paddle is fixed to the back deck). They are usually not necessary even with
an unfixed paddle. If you can lift your chest out of the water (from a
swimming position--legs at the surface) next to the cockpit while pull the
back deck under you, until your belly is over the paddle blade, you are now
in position to immediately put your feet into the cockpit and twist down
into it.  This is a whole lot quicker than slowly spinning a 180 around in a
spider web walk with your chest or belly on the back deck while trading
hands and feet holding the paddle to move around the paddle while you also
try to keep the paddle out perpendicular to the kayak before you can put
your feet in the cockpit.
All I can figure is that few people ever practice pumping the kayak dry
after reentering it. To their credit Roger and Jan do address this as a
factor in how long a rescue takes and also the issue with the reenter and
roll of scooping far more water into the kayak before having to pump it out.
However, they don't mention that there will also be a lot slower pumping
rate because of the stability issues that must be addressed when trying to
use ones hands to hold the paddle to stabilize the kayak and use the same
hands to put on the spraydeck and hold and then operate the pump
simultaneously.

Matt Broze
www.marinerkayaks.com


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