Tragic. Leg-leash failure. Left behind. Death. http://surfskiracing.org/2011/10/todd-ellison-dies-in-tragic-surfski-acciden t-by-zach-handler/?utm_source=rss <http://surfskiracing.org/2011/10/todd-ellison-dies-in-tragic-surfski-accide nt-by-zach-handler/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=todd-ellison- dies-in-tragic-surfski-accident-by-zach-handler> &utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=todd-ellison-dies-in-tragic-surfski-accident-by -zach-handler http://blogs.twincities.com/outdoors/2011/10/11/detailed-account-of-kayakers -death-on-mille-lacs/ *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
On Thu, Oct 13, 2011 at 9:01 PM, Doug Lloyd <douglloyd_at_shaw.ca> wrote: > Tragic. Leg-leash failure. Left behind. Death. > It doesn't seem right to leave a fellow kayaker in the water as you paddle to shore for rescue. I don't have much experience with surf skis but I suppose your recourse for rescue options is smaller. But I don't see how that option would ever be considered. A couple of things come to mind. Why didn't the escort paddler simply paddle to Todd's boat rather than attempt to swim to it? Of course, maybe the escort didn't have a way to tow it. But at least they should have been able to retrieve a cell phone. I would also think just bobbing in the water together would be much safer, as they weren't in danger of hypothermia and would eventually be blown to shore. There is still a danger of drowning, but you don't hear it talked about since hypothermia is what gets most people who end up in the water. Looking at the comments, it seems Nick Schade covered most of my thoughts...I do have one thing I wanted to add though. I do more recreational cycling these days than kayaking. Organized bike club rides almost always have a 'sweep' which is in communication with the ride leader. And it's sometimes the case the more experienced leader is the one in the back. For cycling, this is important mostly for flats, mechanical, or other incidents that can come up. But it's also done for safety as that person can be there in case of an accident. Having a leader in the front is there to navigate. But you often see the other riders get ahead of the front -- even if they don't know the route! -- and then disappear or get lost. This happens quite frequently. The idea is groups keep together. But even with that stated philosophy, I have seen groups that almost split up regularly. And then I wonder if the group is really more about regrouping for drinks after? I think we all need to ask if the group we're riding (or paddling with) is really doing it for safety's sake or incidental camaraderie. *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Elais Ross wrote, "I think we all need to ask if the group we're riding (or paddling with) is really doing it for safety's sake or incidental camaraderie. " Outside of paid lessons/classes I have never seen a group of paddlers act any other way. Most people dont even know the last names of their fellow paddlers. I have kind of given up on the group concept because the group generally doesnt care. YMMV. Jim et al *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Jim said: > Outside of paid lessons/classes I have never seen a group of paddlers act any other way. I paddle with two clubs in Auckland - on the water, one behaves essentially as a collection of solo paddlers, while the other has a very strong culture of no-one-left-behind. If I'm paddling as part of a group, I prefer the second approach and I think I'm lucky that such a group has come to exist in my area. If I'm paddling for exercise or adrenaline - then I won't go on a 'club trip'. I'll chose to go just with similar speed/skill friends, to avoid any tensions between getting a decent workout and 'watching each other's backs'. If the skill/speeds are similar, it's easy enough to do both. As Matt says, something like a sea-anchor would be a cheap 'parachute' if other gear fails. We all know that often paddlesport fatalities are domino-effect disasters (with many small events combining to create an unsurvivable situation) - but this event seems like a single-point of failure left them with really no good survival strategies to exploit. I've been banging on for years about having critical survival gear on the paddler and not just 'on the boat'. This is another instance where the simplest insurance would have been a comms device (phone, VHF or PLB) on each paddler. If it's too hot to wear on the torso - strap it to the leg like a dive knife. With a comms device each, it would have required two separate failures (of both comms devices) to... well, to kill them. Perhaps the take-home from this event is that one of the most useful things a kayaker can do - more useful than buying gear or gaining certificates - is sit quietly - alone or with some kayaking friends - and play the What-If game... I think it was Eisenhower who said "I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable." It took me a while to wrap my head around that. RIP Mr Ellison - and may the rest of us paddle a little safer, in memory of you. Best Regards Paul Hayward, Auckland, New Zealand *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
As a low-tech paddler, carrying only a pfd, I have just a few basic rules. I try to paddle near the shore as much as possible, so as to avoid boat traffic and make for a shorter swim if necessary. I try to assess weather and conditions before setting out, as I don't much like surprises. And I try not to be dependent on fellow paddlers for my survival, as my experience has shown that fellow paddlers are often oblivious of their surroundings and your welfare. -- Bradford R. Crain Quoting Paul Hayward <pdh_at_mmcl.co.nz>: > Jim said: >> Outside of paid lessons/classes I have never seen a group of paddlers act > any other way. > > I paddle with two clubs in Auckland - on the water, one behaves essentially > as a collection of solo paddlers, while the other has a very strong culture > of no-one-left-behind. If I'm paddling as part of a group, I prefer the > second approach and I think I'm lucky that such a group has come to exist in > my area. > RIP Mr Ellison - and may the rest of us paddle a little safer, in memory of > you. > > Best Regards > Paul Hayward, Auckland, New Zealand *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Nick had some excellant points in the comments on surfskiracing.com. I really don't like the decision to leave a swimmer in the middle of the lake. Some here may recall my story last fall of chasing a windblown surf ski. We were only 2 or 3 hundred meters off shore, the paddler involved that day didn't have a leash. A passing motorboat grabbed the tumbling boat. The tumbling surf ski was moving at a fair clip, it was getting airborne as it went off the wave peaks. Figuring out how to stop a tumbling surf ski is difficult. The lightweight surf ski's are vacuum bagged carbon fiber, to successfully get a tumbling boat you would need to paddle downwind of it, while leashed to your own boat jump into the water and stop the boat with your hands, then straddle/raft the two boats while the swimmer swam downwind to you. You might be able to turn broadside to the tumbling boat and get it, but that seems like a really tough maneuver. Any collision between hulls is likely to hole one or both boats. I've practiced paddling with a swimmer on the back deck with legs splayed it works pretty well. It's important to get to the centerline of the boat. Otherwise you risk having both paddlers in the water. Another option could be to push the swimmer with the bow. That doesn't seem great to me, with large waves and a sharp entry bow I see this as an injury waiting to happen - better than death, but definitely a second choice to me. Virtually everybody I paddle with would be considered a minimalist paddler. The only gear attached to the boat is the leash, waterbag, and maybe camera or gps. I like the idea of adding a waist belt tow line to my own version of minimalist gear... We've got a mixed group headed out for a downwind this weekend - I think we'll have 9 surf skis and 1 outrigger canoe. 3/4 of the group is of the watch out for each other ilk. 1/4 is prone to wandering off without notification. Amongst the crew are a couple new epic V8s that have integrated bow and stern handles. This is a great improvement for getting a wayward surf ski. With one minor exception none of the other surf skis have any bow or stern grab points, the only deck lines are in the cockpit or just behind it. On more than one occasion have I chosen to paddle back out to find a straggling compatriot. We usually raft up every mile or so. None the less the tragedy in Minnesota has me doing more than the usual thinking. I'm quite sure it will be a topic on the beach saturday, as we head out. Kirk On Thursday, October 13, 2011 9:01 PM, "Doug Lloyd" <douglloyd_at_shaw.ca> wrote: > Tragic. Leg-leash failure. Left behind. Death. > > http://surfskiracing.org/2011/10/todd-ellison-dies-in-tragic-surfski-acciden > t-by-zach-handler/?utm_source=rss > <http://surfskiracing.org/2011/10/todd-ellison-dies-in-tragic-surfski-accide > nt-by-zach-handler/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=todd-ellison- > dies-in-tragic-surfski-accident-by-zach-handler> > &utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=todd-ellison-dies-in-tragic-surfski-accident-by > -zach-handler > > http://blogs.twincities.com/outdoors/2011/10/11/detailed-account-of-kayakers > -death-on-mille-lacs/ -- Kirk Olsen *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
How hard would it be to pack a sea anchor someplace where if the paddler falls off or the boat inverts it would be activated? Maybe the seat could be a hatch with a lightly spring loaded sea anchor under it? Latched "saftey on" when not needed, and unlatched "safety off" when aboard and paddling? For those who may have been sky divers, I'm thinking of the spring loaded pilot chute on our rigs in the early 70's to deploy the chute after the rip cord was pulled. I dunno if they still are used. (he looks...) Yes, like this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot_chute On Fri, Oct 14, 2011 at 11:05 AM, Kirk Olsen <kork4_at_cluemail.com> wrote: > > Nick had some excellant points in the comments on surfskiracing.com. > > > On Thursday, October 13, 2011 9:01 PM, "Doug Lloyd" <douglloyd_at_shaw.ca> > wrote: > > Tragic. Leg-leash failure. Left behind. Death. > > > > http://surfskiracing.org/2011/10/todd-ellison-dies-in-tragic-surfski-acciden > > t-by-zach-handler/?utm_source=rss > > <http://surfskiracing.org/2011/10/todd-ellison-dies-in-tragic-surfski-accide > > nt-by-zach-handler/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=todd-ellison- > > dies-in-tragic-surfski-accident-by-zach-handler> > > &utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=todd-ellison-dies-in-tragic-surfski-accident-by > > -zach-handler > > > > http://blogs.twincities.com/outdoors/2011/10/11/detailed-account-of-kayakers > > -death-on-mille-lacs/ -- http://parkswhistles.com/ http://www.facebook.com/carey.parks http://twitter.com/LuthierCarey *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Falling off a surf ski usually isn't significant. Falling off, in strong winds, having your boat leash disconnect, and your boat blow away is very significant. Having a backup leash, possibly from pfd to the stern of the boat seems appealing. Adding a couple of surface mount eyelets with a length of chord, at each end of the boat also seems worth considering. Having a good remount on a surf ski is akin to having a good brace in a sea kayak. You really don't want to leave sheltered conditions without the skill. The blog for custom kayaks has a lot of good pictures of surf skis. My purpose in this is to show people what the boats are and the lack of grab points anywhere but near the cockpit. http://customkayaksblog.wordpress.com/ Kirk surf ski paddler for the last 15(?) years. On Friday, October 14, 2011 11:28 AM, "Carey Parks" <carey_at_jimparksfamily.com> wrote: > How hard would it be to pack a sea anchor someplace where if the > paddler falls off or the boat inverts it would be activated? Maybe the > seat could be a hatch with a lightly spring loaded sea anchor under > it? Latched "saftey on" when not needed, and unlatched "safety off" > when aboard and paddling? For those who may have been sky divers, I'm > thinking of the spring loaded pilot chute on our rigs in the early > 70's to deploy the chute after the rip cord was pulled. I dunno if > they still are used. (he looks...) Yes, like this: > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot_chute -- Kirk Olsen *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Doug, With my recent taking up of the surfski and ocean temps here about 62F now and getting down to the upper 50's in the winter, I read that report with much interest. I am fascinated with the lack of safety outfitting involved in the surfski, but I guess the whole idea is that in a race there are boats present to pluck people out of the water. On my solo surfski workouts I haven't been venturing more than a 1/2 mile offshore because of safety concerns. What bothers me about the report is that Todd was led out by these guys, given the impression that he'd be taken care of, and then let down. But more so, he was a victim of surfski culture than anything else. Duane Southern California >________________________________ >From: Doug Lloyd >Subject: [Paddlewise] Surf-Ski Death > >Tragic. Leg-leash failure. Left behind. Death. > > > >http://surfskiracing.org/2011/10/todd-ellison-dies-in-tragic-surfski-acciden >t-by-zach-handler/?utm_source=rss ><http://surfskiracing.org/2011/10/todd-ellison-dies-in-tragic-surfski-accide >nt-by-zach-handler/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=todd-ellison- >dies-in-tragic-surfski-accident-by-zach-handler> >&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=todd-ellison-dies-in-tragic-surfski-accident-by >-zach-handler *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
My first reaction on reading the incident report was that leaving Todd to look for rescue was the same as leaving him to die and there were likely a multitude of actions that could have been tried first. I tried to be careful in posting my comment as I didn't think there was anything to be gained in being too blunt and the more productive thing was to try to foster a discussion on improving safety protocols. His compatriots are going to have a hard enough time coming to terms with their involvement without some uninformed 3rd party like me suggesting they did anything wrong. In a group situation like this in a competitive activity like surf skis it is awfully hard to keep a group together. The reason for the group is as much to have an impromptu race as it is a safety thing. Often there will be one or two safety conscious paddlers in the group but effective safety requires everyone look out for everyone else, and some means of communicating as the group spreads out. While it is fine to say everyone should share responsibility, in reality it is very hard to make that happen. In my local roughwater sea kayaking group we have annual discussions about maintaining group safety and every year we find our efforts break down in one form or another. So far we have been lucky. I do tend to agree that the surfski culture is more of a racing/fitness activity without the safety emphasis that has grown around the expeditioning culture of sea kayaking. This may be due in part because the sport evolved in warm waters where a long swim is a viable plan B for fit paddlers. It may take some reprogramming of the culture as the sport gains more ground in colder water environments. On Oct 14, 2011, at 1:07 AM, Duane Strosaker wrote: > Doug, > > With my recent taking up of the surfski and ocean temps here about 62F > now and getting down to the upper 50's in the winter, I read that report with > much interest. I am fascinated with the lack of safety outfitting involved in > the surfski, but I guess the whole idea is that in a race there are boats > present to pluck people out of the water. On my solo surfski workouts I > haven't been venturing more than a 1/2 mile offshore because of safety > concerns. > > What bothers me about the report is that Todd was led out by these > guys, given the impression that he'd be taken care of, and then let down. But > more so, he was a victim of surfski culture than anything else. > Guillemot Kayaks 54 South Rd Groton, CT 06340 USA Ph/Fx: (860) 659-8847 http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/ *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Nick, as usual, I find your comments reasoned and constructive. It is important for sea kayakers to remember that surf-ski activity is as distant as white-water in the paddlesport continuum. Some things are similar and some are just not the same. While some primo surf-ski areas (Hawaii, Australia & half of South Africa) have warm waters, I believe other centres of ski activity have reasonably cool waters - Duane speaks of upper 50s in San Francisco and our Auckland waters get down to the very low 50s mid-winter - as does the warmer side of Cape Town. Our Ski community thrives year-round - and I believe the other communities likewise cope with cool/cold water preparedness. I shall be interested to get the reaction (to this death) from my surf-ski friends here. Best Regards Paul Hayward, Auckland, New Zealand *************************************************************************** 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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