Re: [Paddlewise] Paddlefloats in big water

> I've never used a PLB or flares but that wouldn't
> stop me from carrying them out at sea. But is it useful to carry a
> paddlefloat, 'offshore, in cold/high wind, "big" water up to your neck...?'

   As long as I am temporarily back on the grid I will add my two cents 
on this topic. For years I would go out with a group every winter to 
practice various rescue scenarios in the rougher, colder (Southern 
California) water. We would practice everything we could think of, 
doubles, singles, paddle floats, loops, panicked paddlers, all in, you 
name it, we did it. One year we practiced the paddlefloat rescue in 
probably six foot seas. While practicing our rescues we were visited by 
the Coast Guard boat responding to a call of some kayakers in trouble. 
After that we made a point of notifying the CG when we did our winter 
rescue practices. But I digress. We found that with a little practice 
the paddlefloat rescue could be accomplished in significant seas. The 
keyword here is "practice."

   I once had the opportunity to take a class of beginner paddlers out 
into some pretty confused seas to practice the  paddlefloat rescue. I 
believe I reported on that day here when it occurred. My classes were my 
laboratory for testing kayak techniques. I found that with some 
practice, and instruction, most (not all) of the people in the class 
were able to accomplish the rescue with some degree of competency. These 
were very inexperienced paddlers who managed to do amazingly well with a 
new technique in fairly difficult conditions. Once again, the keyword 
here is "practice."

   Years ago I had a fellow in my class who told me a story of the time 
he needed to resort to his paddlefloat for a rescue. It seems that he 
had practiced the rescue some when he first purchased his paddlefloat 
and then forgot about it for a year or so. When he capsized in some 
confused seas at the mouth of the harbor he did a wet exit and then 
reached for his paddlefloat. Not having practiced the rescue in quite a 
while the paddler found the valve of the float to be frozen shut with 
salt and corrosion. He was eventually rescued by the Coast Guard.

Scott
So.Cal.
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