RE: [Paddlewise] swim for it?

Boy, I go away for a couple days and Paddlewise wakes up!
In real conditions, I have no roll yet. It is rather bothersome at San O as
I'll usually find myself making a few swims quite a way to shore. As Patrick
says, even if you were a good swimmer, in real conditions you find out how
difficult it is. Have to say though, the whole time I'm swimming, I'm
wishing I didn't have my PFD on. Cold water in this case isn't a factor;
it's just swimming with a PFD is inefficient. Try attaching it to the the
hull of your boat when you paddle if you don't think so! If I decide my life
depends on me having to swim, the PFD is probably coming off. They can
always have a nice funeral for it if they can't find my body.
I've been meaning to get back in the pool to work on my swimming skills,
maybe this thread will help me take the plunge.

And Scott is my hero.

Mark

-----Original Message-----
 >>I think too much emphasis  is put on immersion gear at the expense of
skills and judgment.

   I would tend to agree with Duane, except that I would include all
safety equipment, immersion and otherwise. I know that we have been
through this all before, but since it's back on the front burner again I
am going to include my two cents. While I realize that it is so much
easier to plunk down the money for a new piece of equipment then it is
to learn and polish a new skill, the odds are that your equipment will
not save you. To paddle into a situation with the belief that your
equipment will bail you out if you get into trouble is sheer folly, and
those who approach this sport with this assumption deserve what they
get. One should only paddle into a situation if they believe that they
have the skills to handle it - and that they have the equipment to back
them up if they make a mistake. Please note that what I am saying is
that if you have to resort to your equipment then you screwed up! The
equipment should be considered a weak substitute for the skills.

   On another note, James Farrelly seems to think that my posts are just
so much "hubris" (like we don't get an overabundance of that on this
list). Well I agree, I tend to slant some of them in that direction.
Regardless, I think a lot more people have died with your equipment then
they have with my skills.

Scott
So.Cal.
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