Re: [Paddlewise] What's in the PFD?

On Wednesday 21 March 2007 15:42, Eric wrote:
> Good judgement comes from experience, but it seems that some people
> never grasp the concept (or have the experience).......

This is a bit like driving: Some have to do the foolhardy things before
they come to their senses, most progress, slowly but surely, till they
can handle their car pretty well, but things can still happen that you're 
not prepared for, or can handle.

Therefore active and passive safety features are good, but being
a good driver, with luck on your side, you will make all the modern gadgets 
superfluous, even your seatbelt might not be tested ever! 

But just a little bad luck, some lack of attention, or another driver doing 
something that endangers you, and suddenly all those gadgets might
have to work like mad to save your life. And possibly fail!

The Citroen CV2, the classic 'Deaux Cheavux', is a nifty little car,
that uses very little resources, is easy to repair (the entire body can 
easily be taken off, for instance). And lovely to drive at slow pace!

But if something happens that involves you and your CV2 the chances
that you'll get seriously hurt is bigger than for any other type of car, as
it has very little safety, passive or active. A fenderbender, that on
the other vehicle barely is visible afterwards, might easily be fatal to
the CV 2 driver. 

The same is true for paddlers: if you are lucky, and up to date with your 
training (say, having the right basic skills and having trained rolling in 
the kayak you're paddling and within the last year, or so), and can handle 
the weather and wave conditions you might encounter there is little need 
for any extra safety gear.

But freak things happens, like being run over by some weirdo on a jetski,
or being hit by a motorboat, yacht, or ship. Your kayak might suddenly 
spring a leak in the middle of nowhere, or you might fall ill, or be under
the influence, just so much that your abilities are degraded - what then?

I know fully well that when our Klepper rolled, due to the combination of 
our waving with our paddles, the wind, the waves and a too high CG, my 
wife and I would have been very dead, hadn't we had some safety gear 
on us, and with us.

The last of the Chillcheater stuff had arrived the day before, the Musto 
fleece hats, that we for some reason were wearing (I didn't wear mine, 
just 20 minutes earlier!). We had found those by chance in a boat shop a 
few weeks earlier - we normally never visits boat chandler's -
but we had bought a typical, American, bilge pump made for canoes, in
an outdoor shop, that sells everything from kayaks to tents.

This pump proved to be far from capable to empty a semi-water-filled 
Klepper, even after 20 minutes of intensive pumping, while our present 
electric bilge pump with a hefty battery would have done that in 2-3 
minutes. But the idea of installing an electric bilge pump had not even 
been considered, as we didn't know that anyone did use the in kayaks!

When we eventually got it out of the water we very nearly broke it in two 
(the gunwale broke in a few places, but it was repairable), due to the 
50-100 liters of water still in it. And the warf was over two meters high!

Naturally, our warm clothes and the cellular had floated out of the 
half-water-filled Klepper, in under the wharf, as we hadn't yet learned 
that you need to secure things, always! 

Eventually we retrieved the dry bag, with the cellular, and then could call 
for help, which arrived an hour later.

Since then we pack our essentials, like cellular, lighters, repair kit,
VHF, flares and some other stuff in a yellow drybag on deck. To make it 
float well it is connected to a scrapped inflatable PFD, that activates
if you pull it off the kayak. That way we get some extra flotation as
well as a basic emergency kit, that will not sink!

If we roll again, and the kayak floats away, we will at least have
the basics for calling for help (we did have whistles the first time,
which altered people on shore, but it was a 80+ years old fisherman
that picked us up with his old boat).

Technical equipment is fallable, man is fallable, and life is
unpredictable. I think that one shall cover as many bases 
one can - by paddling as much as one is able, each year,
and by bringing safety equipment suitable for the occasion.

What is dangerous is relying on old skills, as it takes practice
to keep them current, and that is true both for the handling of the
vessel, the equipment and ourselves. 

Some things can be learned from books, but not much 
(do we all remember what the local emergency channel is -
can it have been changed lately? When did you check the batteries
in your VHF - how old are they? NiMHs and NiCads die before they
get to be ten, no matter how little, or much, you use them! Is the VHF 
still water-proof? If not, you better do something about it!

I almost forgot: How are you yourself doing? Have you got the stamina
and strength to go through with what you've planned? Have you made a 
travel plan and told your friends when you'll be back, and what to do if 
you're not home at that and that time, et cetera.

And yet, there is always something you forget to bring, to do,
or to check, so bringing a little more than you probably need is wise,
to bring a little less than you need can be troublesome, but only 
occasionally, fatal! 

G'night!

Tord
***************************************************************************
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/
***************************************************************************