Craig, i couldn't agree with you more ..... a large part of the problem around here is that most of the kayaks used in these parts are "sit-on-tops"..... open tops, self bailing w/scupper holes.....and after a month or more of "ugly, cold" weather, when the day dawns - clear, calm, & sunny with the air temps getting close to 80, some folks just don't realize how cold the water still is .... i have 4 kayaks... all of them "sit-on-top" .... and to be honest i too have been guilty of paddling "under dressed" ..... i have neoprene shorts and top that i wear .... not all the time, but i have them...... and i don't even want to talk about the rentals..... i could go on and on about that problem. i have introduced a number of people to the sport.... i have taken groups on paddles to include overnight camping..... even after giving out printed information on what to bring, and what not to bring .... i still get some folks who just can't seem to grasp the situation .... you said it best .... "you can't fix stupid" steve tampa/st. pete In a message dated 2/1/2011 3:40:17 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, crjungers_at_gmail.com writes: Educating paddlers about the effects of cold water on warm days is one of the "layers of complexity" in kayaking that affect no other sport that I know of and I think needs to be emphasized in paddling magazines and instructors. It is VERY difficult to tell someone that they could be in life-threatening danger by paddling their canoe/kayak on a nice day across cold water. And this is complicated by the simple fact that no one is going to buy a $900 drysuit (or even a $120 farmer john) for a couple hours of time on the water. Maybe those of us who paddle 100 miles or more a year lose sight of this. But lots of kayakers and canoists only do it two or three times a year, don't read paddling magazines, don't take lessons, and don't understand the issues. A PFD is a simple "solution" to only one "layer" of the problem (flotation) but you can buy them everywhere for $50 (or even less); marinas have them on hooks at the head of docks for FREE!. Even with government agencies, news journals, blogs, magazines and word-of-mouth about PFDs we still see paddlers on significant journeys across quite cold water not wearing them. Pam and I have seen entire flotillas of kayaks crossing from James Island just off the west coast of Orcas Island on their way to Sucia Island (ten miles or more) with no one - not even the "leaders" - wearing their PFDs and every youth (it was some sort of youth group) in swim suits or tee shirts and shorts! There is really nothing out there that we can tell them to wear that they can simply buy at a local store. Maybe we should start to promote those little "water skier" shorty-wet-suits that you can buy at Costco for $39.95. I really don't know the solution to this. Or if there even is a solution. People look at you like you're crazy when you suggest it. I can understand Chuck's frustration but if they don't even wear their PFDs when wearing them is so highly publicized getting them to wear fleece or wet suits or anything other than a cotton tee shirt and jeans with sandals is going to be a struggle. Maybe you just can't cure stupidity. Craig Jungers Moses Lake, WA _www.nwkayakng.net_ (http://www.nwkayakng.net/) On Tue, Feb 1, 2011 at 2:33 AM, <_Nole4ever_at_aol.com_ (mailto:Nole4ever_at_aol.com) > wrote: craig, i agree that more information would have been appropriate, but i find a general disregard of safety around here..... and with the air temp this week in the low to mid 70's, i'm surprised that we don't have more accidents like this.... steve tampa/st pete *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
There are so many variables.....too many to be dogmatic, ever <grin> I was paddling 30 miles south the day this paddler went missing. Cold and windy. I had on immersion pants, an insignificant sun blocking shirt, a "turtle" neck warmer and a hat. Pogies would have been nice. We were doing some distance training for the Everglades challenge and camped out the night before! A full wet or dry suit would have been taxing and cut into my miles. The day before, I paddled in running shorts (and hat and neck warmer). I was perhaps safer in that I probably wasn't coming out of boat, and if I did was probably getting back in alone, plus I had two paddling partners, plus VHS, etc...). We did hear the channel 16 alerts for the missing kayaker and as expected the mistakes were grounded more in ignorance (= not knowing what we don't know, rather than stupidity) Steve Bailey ACA level 4 coastal kayak inst. Michigan On 2/2/2011 7:00 AM, Nole4ever_at_aol.com wrote: > Craig, > > i couldn't agree with you more ..... a large part of the problem around > here is that most of the kayaks > used in these parts are "sit-on-tops"..... open tops, self bailing > w/scupper holes.....and after a month or > more of "ugly, cold" weather, when the day dawns - clear, calm,& sunny > with the air temps getting close to > 80, some folks just don't realize how cold the water still is .... i have > 4 kayaks... all of them "sit-on-top" .... > and to be honest i too have been guilty of paddling "under dressed" ..... > i have neoprene shorts and top that i wear .... not all the time, but i > have them...... and i don't even want to talk about the rentals..... i could > go on and on about that problem. i have introduced a number of people to > the sport.... i have taken groups on paddles to include overnight > camping..... even after giving out printed information on what to bring, and what > not to bring .... i still get some folks who just can't seem to grasp the > situation .... > you said it best .... "you can't fix stupid" > > steve > tampa/st. pete *************************************************************************** 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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