I haven't learned to roll yet but am pretty comfortable with solo rescue. So I try to keep the rear deck free. I only keep the paddle float there and carry the spare paddle forward. I imagine though that even if (oops, I mean when) I learn to roll I'll keep the back deck clear just in case. Jordan Engel *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Just as a friendly word of caution, I've seen 2 paddlefloats stored on the rear deck unravel from waves and since both were tethered to the deck lines, the floats filled with water and pinned them to the waves. One broached and capsized. He did roll up eventually. The other broached to the seas and went, 'eeeeeeeeeeeekkkkk', and required someone to lift the bag with its water onto the deck for a quick dumping before underway again. If you carry a paddlefloat on deck, my suggestion is to put it on like you mean it to stay on deck, or secure it inside your cockpit. Cheers, Rob G -----Original Message----- From: jengel_at_gmavt.net I haven't learned to roll yet but am pretty comfortable with solo rescue. So I try to keep the rear deck free. I only keep the paddle float there and carry the spare paddle forward. I imagine though that even if (oops, I mean when) I learn to roll I'll keep the back deck clear just in case. Jordan Engel *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
I keep mine bungied to the after bulkhead in the cockpit, where it is out of the sun as well as out of the waves, yet easy to reach from within the cockpit or while in the water. Chuck Holst > Just as a friendly word of caution, I've seen 2 paddlefloats stored on the > rear deck unravel from waves and since both were tethered to the deck > lines, the floats filled with water and pinned them to the waves. *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
You wrote regarding paddlefloats: > > I keep mine bungied to the after bulkhead in the cockpit, > where it is out > of the sun as well as out of the waves, yet easy to reach > from within the > cockpit or while in the water. > > Chuck Holst > Chuck, I think this has merit in that it keeps the float out of the sun and possibly prolongs its life. There is a downside however. If someone else had to be rescued and you wanted to loan them your paddlefloat, you would have to undo your sprayskirt to get to the float. If that same person needed your float because conditions were bad and they went for a swim, you might be reluctant to undo your skirt. Of course you might try other rescue techniques. I just thought I'd point out a down side to the under-the-skirt storage. Bill Leonhardt *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
If someone else needed help, I would do a boat-to-boat assisted rescue rather than dig out the paddle float. As someone else pointed out, it is faster. Alternately, I might offer my paddle for a reentry and side-by-side Eskimo rescue, if I knew the person had practised Eskimo rescues. (The first time I did this with my wife, when I was backed into a corner of the pool and couldn't offer my bow, she grasped the concept -- and the paddle -- immediately and rolled up though she had never heard of the side Eskimo rescue. Of course, she was ready to grasp at straws by then.) As for how I fastened the bungies to the bulkhead, I don't have any pictures, but maybe I can create a word picture or two. I use homemade fittings. You will need four: 1. Take a section of small-diameter, hollow, aluminum tent pole and roughen the outside with coarse sandpaper. 2. Lay it on a heavy-duty plastic bag, wet it out with epoxy resin, and drape fiberglass cloth over it. 3. Thoroughly saturate the cloth with the resin, cover it with clear plastic, and lay a piece of two-by-four or a brick on either side of the pole, flattening the cloth and snugging it up against the pole. 4. After the resin has cured, cut the pole into pieces about 3/4 inch long. 5. Trim the fiberglass, round the sharp edges with sandpaper, and roughen the bottom of each fitting. 6. Now epoxy the fittings to the bulkhead in two pairs. In each pair, the fittings are in line with each other, and they are aligned vertically on the bulkhead. Leave at least 1/4 inch of space between the fitting and any adjacent surface, such as the hull or the underside of the coaming. 7. Thread a length of small-diameter bungie cord through each pair of fittings, knot one end, adjust the tension, and knot the other end. 8. You now have two bungie cords (shock cords, elastics) mounted vertically on the bulkhead. Fold paddle float and insert. Needless to say, this works best on fiberglass bulkheads. Chuck Holst *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Kirk Olsen once gave me a golden tip on where to store a fleece hat for winter paddling in case I dunked and needed it fast. Stick it between your life vest and chest. I have had to use this before in real life and it worked wonderfully. A carefully folded paddle float could be kept the same way and would be be available in an instant. I think if a paddler has any trouble using/holding on to/deploying a paddle float they probably wont succeed in using it in real conditions. Their buddies will have to get them back in the saddle and going again. Pick your buddies wisely and keep your deck as clean as possible. The only thing on my deck is a spare GP. If I break my Aleut or lose my grip on it I am certain that short of a broken bone I can remove it from under the bungies and roll up with it. Absolutely certain. The broken bone scenario consists of punching out and hoping for rescue. I should be able to walk in through the surf and hobble over to really hot coed, make her think I am her uncle in black neoprene and shorts, and hope she has a cell phone. But I digress... Jim et al > If someone else needed help, I would do a boat-to-boat assisted rescue > rather than dig out the paddle float. As someone else pointed out, > it is > faster. > Chuck Holst *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
James Farrelly wrote: > The broken bone > scenario consists of punching out and hoping for rescue. I should be > able to walk in through the surf and hobble over to a really hot coed, > make her think I am her uncle in black neoprene and shorts, and hope she > has a cell phone. But I digress... Unless there's a northerly breeze, in which case you'll hobble onto Myrtle Island instead of Tybee Beach, and the coed is more likely to be a possum. Steve -- Steve Cramer Athens, GA http://www.savvypaddler.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/ ***************************************************************************
cholst_at_bitstream.net wrote: > I use homemade fittings. You will need four: Holy cow - you have a lot of time on your hands :-) My approach was simpler. My paddle float has a Fastex buckle to close it around the paddle shaft. I use this to attach to the rear of the seat. I get a matching Fastex buckle and make a loop of webbing to attach each half of the buckle to either side of the seat back (you could wrap the webbing around the seat pillar if you want. Then I just roll up the paddle float and wrap it in a rubber band to keep it rolled. Clip the buckle halves on the paddle float to the halves on the seat and you're done. <http://www.greatlakeskayaker.ca/paddleFloatAttach.htm> Mike *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
> I keep mine bungied to the after bulkhead in the cockpit, where it is out > of the sun as well as out of the waves, yet easy to reach from within the > cockpit or while in the water. Do you have a picture of that setup? I've been thinking of doing something like that but i'm not sure what would work best. One thought was a square or rectangular mesh bag attched to the bulkhead some how at four corners with the draw string opening pointing upwards. -mike -- mike Dziobak Dept of Civil and Environmental Engineering Michigan Technological University 1400 Townsend Dr. 870 Dow Bldg. Houghton, MI 49931 Tel:906-487-3471 Fax:906-487-2943 *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
[Please remove all old content that is not pertinent to your reply including old headers and footers. It's list policy.... this post was modified to meet policy] Thanks for the warning Rob. I've been using a solid paddle float for the last couple years as the thought of floating around in a raging sea while trying to blow up the damn thing sounded pretty daunting. Jordan On May 1, 2007, at 9:39 PM, rcgibbert_at_aol.com wrote: > Just as a friendly word of caution, I've seen 2 paddlefloats stored > on the rear deck unravel from waves and since both were tethered to > the deck lines, the floats filled with water and pinned them to the > waves. One broached and capsized. He did roll up eventually. The > other broached to the seas and went, 'eeeeeeeeeeeekkkkk', and > required someone to lift the bag with its water onto the deck for a > quick dumping before underway again. If you carry a paddlefloat on > deck, my suggestion is to put it on like you mean it to stay on > deck, or secure it inside your cockpit. *************************************************************************** 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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