Rob wrote: > Take Seaward, for > example: Even the Nigel Foster series has a fixed paddle My Nigel Foster Shadow by Seaward did not have anything to secure a paddle for a paddlefloat rescue. Last spring, I discussed this with Nigel Foster at the Symposium in San Diego. He stated that he didn't think it was necessary because all kayakers should be able to roll and do a re-entry and roll. The point that I took was that although, I can roll my boat, what would happen if one of my arms or shoulders were injured - i.e. a shoulder dislocation? I think it would be very difficult if not impossible for me to get back in my boat with an injury like that. Another reason for the rigging for the paddle float is if you have a paddler who is ill. If there are only two of you, and you need to tow them, it is a simple matter to take two paddles and put paddlefloats on them to make an outrigger for both sides of the kayak. Although, I would use a paddlefloat rescue as a last resort, there are times that the rigging can be helpful. My Shadow has it added by me. Steve Holtzman Southern California *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
> Rob wrote: > > > Take Seaward, for > > example: Even the Nigel Foster series has a fixed paddle > > My Nigel Foster Shadow by Seaward did not have anything to secure a paddle > for a paddlefloat rescue. Last spring, I discussed this with Nigel Foster at > the Symposium in San Diego. He stated that he didn't think it was necessary > because all kayakers should be able to roll and do a re-entry and roll. > > The point that I took was that although, I can roll my boat, what would > happen if one of my arms or shoulders were injured - i.e. a shoulder > dislocation? I think it would be very difficult if not impossible for me to > get back in my boat with an injury like that. > > Another reason for the rigging for the paddle float is if you have a paddler > who is ill. If there are only two of you, and you need to tow them, it is a > simple matter to take two paddles and put paddlefloats on them to make an > outrigger for both sides of the kayak. > > Although, I would use a paddlefloat rescue as a last resort, there are times > that the rigging can be helpful. My Shadow has it added by me. > > Steve Holtzman > Southern California The dealer I bought my boat from -- Frontenac Outfitters, near Kingston, Ontario -- was so enamoured of the Seaward straps for paddlefloat rescues that he purchased sets of the straps and was offering to mount a pair -- for free -- on every boat he was selling. I have used the straps a couple of times for self-rescue when I've been alone. They work very nicely. Not only do they hold the paddle securely, but they keep the paddle at right-angles to the boat for maximum stability. I've seen people using bungy cords where the paddle shifts position so that it is at a 60-degree angle, offering less support for the person trying to use the shaft as a brace to enter, and less stability because it is not longer at the optimal distance from the boat. When I'm with someone, it's faster -- usually -- to have the other person raft up beside and help brace the boat with their body weight. But I have used the paddlefloat as outrigger to give me more stability while fishing from my kayak. I just keep my weight on the outrigger side of the boat, so it a big one decides to go for my lure, I'll hopefully not go over. (Still waiting for a big -- or small -- fish to volunteer for this experiment. <sigh>) -- Darryl *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 10/1/2006 10:20:01 AM Pacific Standard Time, sh_at_actglobal.net writes: My Nigel Foster Shadow by Seaward did not have anything to secure a paddle for a paddlefloat rescue. Last spring, I discussed this with Nigel Foster at the Symposium in San Diego. He stated that he didn't think it was necessary because all kayakers should be able to roll and do a re-entry and roll. The point that I took was that although, I can roll my boat, what would happen if one of my arms or shoulders were injured - i.e. a shoulder dislocation? I think it would be very difficult if not impossible for me to get back in my boat with an injury like that. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I highly doubt I could do a paddlefloat reentry in lumpy water with a popped shoulder, rigging or not. I might be able to reenter the cockpit and use it as an aid to a reentry and roll and an aid for staying upright. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Another reason for the rigging for the paddle float is if you have a paddler who is ill. If there are only two of you, and you need to tow them, it is a simple matter to take two paddles and put paddlefloats on them to make an outrigger for both sides of the kayak. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> And just as simple to add it to the deck lines forward of the cockpit for that purpose. Besides, the paddler has something to hold onto if he isn't paddling Cheers, Rob G *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:33:42 PDT