Hi Matt, Thanks for the mention of my "Sea Kayak Rescue" book in your recent post about the paddlefloat reentry. To clarify a few things about your comments about the ACA and my own preferences regarding this recovery, I felt compelled to respond. (BTW: In my kayaking school, I only use Mariner paddlefloats in my classes because I find them so superior.) Since hypothermia is a major consideration, I emphasize using whatever techniques are the quickest (yet still stable enough), so students get out of the cold water that much sooner. I believe that in many situations, even a few seconds can make a big difference (if you are drifting into the cliffs on the open coast, for example). For example: I only suggest using a sling with the paddlefloat reentry for those students who have trouble getting up on their back decks without it. Otherwise, it is a waste of time spent in the water rigging a sling for those who don't need it and can get back in their boats that much quicker without it. Similarly I only teach using the back-deck rigging method to those students who have trouble holding on to their paddles without it. I've discovered over the past 12 years of teaching classes that, from beginners in my Intro to Kayaking class all the way up to those in my Advanced Open Coast and Rock Garden courses (where we are practicing recoveries in much more challenging, open-ocean conditions) I've found that most of my students are able to reenter and pump out their kayaks quickly and easily without adding time to take the extra steps of rigging and later removing the paddle from the back-deck bungees. > 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. I teach kayaking pretty much full time, literally hundreds of students every year for the past 12 years, from every level from first time beginners to instructors to advanced open-coast rock-garden paddlers. And I can only say that I have not found this to be my experience, and--assuming they use good technique--pumping out the kayak is no slower or less stable for most students. Of course, there are a couple techniques and tricks students need to learn in order to make this work, but most students quickly pick these up. If you do try, as you say above to "use your hands to hold the paddle...and operate the pump simultaneously..." it won't work. So this is not the way I teach it. The paddle is secured against the stomach with the elbows while the hands are on the pump. This is not that hard for most of my students to learn. However, for those few who can't pull off the recovery without the extra stability of rigging their paddle under the bungies, I teach them how to do that, although it typically adds an extra 30 to 45 seconds to most students' recovery time. In regards to your comments about the ACA teaching students to come up over the back deck behind the paddle: > .... 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. I didn't realize this was a "California" thing, but if it is, I'll take that as a compliment! Again, learning proper technique is key. With a little instruction, most of my students don't find this technique the least bit "laborious." For many it makes little difference which side of the paddle they climb in on. For those with less upper-body strength, however, I've found that the back deck is generally a little lower and easier to climb onto. Students who could only get in their boats with a sling previously, were soon able to skip the sling when I taught them the back-deck method. Those with long legs also seem to have less trouble getting their legs in the cockpit from the back deck. I actually learned to do the paddlefloat reentry originally by coming up in front of the paddle beside the cockpit, and I taught it that way for several years. I've since experimented extensively, both with myself and with my students. Personally I can get back in my boat in just a few seconds either in front of, or behind the paddle. For me it makes little difference. But as an instructor I've learned that it's not about what works for me. It's about what works for my students. What I've found, however, is that more of my students have had more success with the back-deck method. As an instructor (ACA or otherwise) I am always looking for ways to reach a wider variety of students. As to you comments about the ACA... > 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. I'd really love to see that happen too. But as an ACA-certified Instructor Trainer Educator (the one's certified to certify the Instructor Trainers who in turn certify the instructors) I know that the ACA is only a bunch of (mostly) professional instructors who care enough about kayaking to try to continually search out better ways of teaching it. All of them are taking time out of busy lives to volunteer their time to try to keep such materials up to date. In other words, if your really would like to see that happen sooner than later, I respectfully suggest that you might join the ACA and volunteer to do this job yourself. We'd certainly appreciate the assistance of someone with your background. Cheers, Roger Schumann ACA Instructor Trainer Educator Owner: Eskape Sea Kayaking school www.eskapekayak.com 831.427.2297 *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Roger wrote: <SNIP>>>The paddle is secured against the stomach with the elbows while the hands are on the pump. <<<<SNIP> Roger, by elbows do you mean the paddle is held down to the cockpit rim with the forearms near the elbows or the paddle is held up against the stomach with the back of the upper arms near the elbows? The reason I ask is that using the former I found it extremely difficult (even in a swimming pool) to put the spraydeck on a tippy swamped kayak and pumping was also much slower because I couldn't use my forearm like a con-rod (imagine a steam engine) attached to a piston (rather than pulling up from the shoulder--or elbow--like an oil well pump). Perhaps your students who pump the same speed either way aren't also using the con-rod pumping method to speed up pumping when using a fixed outrigger even though they would be free to do so because of the fixed outrigger. If you tire with one pumping method you are free to switch to the other if the outrigger is fixed to the deck, not so if holding something with your elbows. Roger, should I have tried to hold the paddle up off the coaming and back into my gut with the back of my elbows instead of holding it down on to the coaming (where it also seriously interferes with putting on the spraydeck)? I can't disagree with most of what Roger wrote or with how he describes teaching paddlefloat rescues. But, why not demonstrate both methods and point out when (or with what kind of person or kayak) each might work better. Even those better suited to one or the other ought to know of the other possibilities (even if they won't work for them they should understand why). Note: one does not have to climb over the coaming to slide up on the back deck from in front of the paddle. done as I describe, one automatically goes back at about 45 degrees to the kayak and straight into the position where you can put your feet down into the cockpit. It is pretty much like a seal landing onto the back deck. Starting with your feet on the surface in a swimming position, pull yourself towards the back deck and the paddle (one hand on the paddle and one on the coaming) and then pull your arms down a bit to lift your chest up enough to slide onto the deck in one continuous motion. With back decks that are too high (or for those who lack the coordination and/or strength to do this) then try to get up over the stern because you can sink it lower into the water by climbing more over the thinner end of the kayak and effectively make the deck a ramp to climb up gradually. If even that doesn't work for you then take the time to fasten a pre-rigged sling (either several inches below the surface or deep enough so that your knee or foot doesn't swing forward under the kayak as you step up on the sling) to use leg muscles to try to get ones chest up onto the back deck. The front of the paddle method should be quicker (without fastening the paddle) because it puts you into position to enter the cockpit as soon as you have slid up on the back deck (which is one continuous move). However, since it only takes me a few seconds to slide the paddle under the deck lines and lift a line over a drip ring (this helps to keep the paddle from easily pulling out if you pull to much in that direction when entering and is very easy to undo) why would I want to carefully walk around on the paddle shaft while carefully switching hands and feet on the shaft to always make sure to hold the paddle into the perpendicular to the kayak position (especially when the deck lines hold it there for me automatically if I slide the paddle under them). Of course, especially heavy or weakened paddlers may need other methods but an agile paddler with a reasonably low back deck does not need to deal with the extra time they take. Fixing the paddle frees up both your hands and your arms to more efficiently pump by hand, (or hand and foot, or hand, foot and electrically pump all at the same time, if so equipped). Of course, if you don't use your forearm in line with the pump shaft and still pump like you were holding your paddle into your gut with your elbows, pumping might not be much faster that way even with the paddle fixed to the deck. Someone was asking about breaking paddles using a paddlefloat rescue. I see a lot of folks throwing a leg or knee up onto the paddle shaft to try to help them climb out of the water and onto the kayak. This looks like a good way to break a paddle shaft to me although I've only cringed when I've seen it rather than actually witnessing a paddle break). Which ever paddlefloat method you use, try to put most of your weight over the boat (or if walking around on the paddle put pressure either out near the float and over the kayak rather than in the middle of the shaft (or worse directly over the joint on a two-piece paddle). With the fixed paddlefloat method I describe, one never has to put more than just a little weight on the paddle shaft during the rescue. Just enough weight to the float side so that you don't risk unbalancing yourself to the other side where there is usually no paddlefloat to support you. Matt Broze www.marinerkayaks.com *************************************************************************** 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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