RE: [Paddlewise] swim for it?

"... The study appears in the National Research Council journal Applied
Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism. The paper points out that recent
research by the Canadian Red Cross showed that 60 per cent of those who
survived cold-water emersions swam for shore or other dry sanctuary. Only 30
per cent of survivors stayed with their craft. ..."

The following questions may, of course, already have been answered
adequately in the published text of the study itself, but it seems unclear
from the article, and so one wonders:

- How many of the non-survivors tried to swim and failed? How many died
staying with the boat? 

- How many of the swimmers carried flippers and used them to enhance their
swimming? 

- How many survivors swam while wearing PFDs? How many died without wearing
PFDs?

- How many paddlers plan to rely only on their own devices to survive? How
many plan to rely on outside help alone?

AND: If you find yourself in the water in conditions that allow you to swim
for a full 45 minutes, why can't you get back in the boat and paddle or row
back to shore that much faster?!?

Ralph Hoehn

-----Original Message-----
From: skimmer
Subject: [Paddlewise] swim for it?

Boat capsized? Advice changes on what to do
<http://www.thestar.com/printArticle/229808>  thestar.com (06-27-07)
Is this our best advice? 

Chuck Sutherland
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