From: "Nick Schade" > In the 20 years of teaching paddle float rescues how many classes were held in 30+ knot winds? Great point. My experience has been that very few kayakers ever practice their rescues in rough water and rough conditions. Recently on an "experienced kayakers only" outing with a local club it was decided to do some rescue practice. I was astounded when the entire group paddled into a protected lee to do the practice leaving an area that was ideal - a steady but manageable wind, and good two foot waves. Almost all capsizes I've witnessed happen in rough water with the exception of the getting in and out type. Oddly almost all the rescues are practiced on flat water. I try to make it a point to include rough water rolls, re-entries and rescues as part of my normal routine but readily admit I don't do it often enough. When this incident first hit the airwaves I watched the video again and again and could see no evidence of a spray skirt or spray deck. This emission was the single most significant factor in his dilemma. His troubles really accelerated when according to him he's hit by a four foot wave that puts two to three inches of water in his kayak cockpit causing it to destabilize. Up to that point he was simply paddling in rough water. Afterward he had to employ skills he simply had not mastered. Going out with out a spray deck/skirt is crazy. Gordin Warner Victoria *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************Received on Sun Apr 12 2009 - 20:13:23 PDT
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