Sounds like this is only done in a training situation in order to train a T rescue. That same light person doing the rescue would more likely just do a scoop in a real life situation and get them out of the cold water quicker and then pump.
I saw a guy who just took an empty plastic cooler (coleman or whatever). He hooked his foot under the handle, and was able to easily propel himself onboard.
To a number of the above, OPer says they have a sit on top.
To the OPer, heel hook, re-enter and roll and likely a few more of the suggested techniques only work in a sit inside. I suspect that trying to hook your foot under a piece of bungie or deck rigging on a sit on top is an extremely dangerous idea.
I do not know if a rescue sling would work for a sit inside, I honestly don’t know if you could physically get one around a pretty wide sit on top while in the water. But you should give it a try.
Does your boat have something non-stretch on the deck that you can grab and help to pull yourself in? If not see if there is a way to add that.
In general you want to start already on the surface, so you are more swimming onto the boat than pulling yourself up to it. A properly used paddle float may be helpful here if you can find a place to kind of hold the blade like sea kayaks have. Might be an awfully slippery affair without that for a sit inside.
The older, overweight gentleman is likely to only get rescued with more than one boat coming up and helping. Perhaps a couple of three boats would give him enough support to be able to inch back over his own boat. This would require some practice. Give it a shot, you don’t want to find out you can’t do it in the middle of a sudden storm.
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Good catch. I missed the part about the SOT.
When I was a guide just yelling " SHARK" usually did the job… 
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Nothing about this thread says T rescue. Lighter rescuers often have difficulty with heavier people, especially with the scoop.
A paddle float & sling in an assisted rescue is not a primary method of recovery, however it is another tool in your toolbox. I would rate it about my 7th or 8th option in a real world situation. So far, I have only gotten to probably 5th in a real world situation = assisted rescue using a rescue sling.
I mentioned it earlier in the thread but the Rescue Step is specifically made for a SOT and attaches to the handles on the side or another fixed point. In combination with removable inflatable outriggers it makes for a stable and relatively easy method of getting back up. That said I have only used it in practise scenarios and not “in the wild” so I don’t know how well it would work when you are cold and tired, but then I don’t know what else would work better other than somebody else there to assist.
This is a good video that demonstrates the Rescue Step in use, as well as paddle float slings and such. Rescue Step for Kayaks-- 4 Methods of Re entry ( Long version) - YouTube
Best accessory is the solid skill set. Lot of experienced posters have provided some intellect. Include learning to roll.
The kayak is the perfect pfd. Try not to take it off while on the water.
Peace J
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I carry a sling in my PFD. When someone hits the water I get it out. We place the boats parallel, bow to stern. I take the swimmers paddle and run it through the sling. I then place the paddle cross-ways under both boats with the other end floating beside the boat. I tell the swimmer to place their Left foot into the stirrup. The swimmer should then stand up and do a belly flop onto their back deck. At the same time they need to put their Right foot into the cock pit. They can then slip their Left foot out of the stirrup. They can now corkscrew them-self’s back into the seat. The whole time I steady their boat. Once they are steady, hand them their paddle. It works the same way with a SOT or canoe. I have gotten #300 ponders back in the boat this way.
To make this sling get 14’ of 1" tubular webbing. Loosely tie an overhand knot a couple of feet from one end. Thread 1’ of the webbing into the other end. Work the knot down so it is in the middle of the doubled portion. Cinch it down. You are now ready to go. You can slide a 4" piece of hose on to the webbing before making the loop if you want a step.
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Self rescue skills/gear are just a wee bit important. Kayak rescue video: Man rescued from water after falling out of kayak - Leakreality.com Uncensored news, politics, latest news, unbiased news, humor,
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Please read original post. OPer is talking about a traditional SOT, not even a surf ski. The latter is apparently not easy to roll and the suggestion to roll a basic probably recreational SOT is ridiculous for most. Especially older folks like described by the OPer.
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Thanks for a very useful reply. SOTs not my area so it is nice to know they can be rigged to work well with a sling.
I have seen a situation where a pretty healthy guy in his 30’s had to be towed in hanging onto the SOT by his wife paddling a Swifty, rope that happened to be on the back of the Swifty used to tow the SOT, because he could not get back on from the water. They were in a place neither should have been to start with, and the 58 degree water with the guy in a regular bathing suit and tshirt was not helping. But it is not always true that someone can just climb back onto SOT.
Unfortunately I did not have a camera close by to get a picture when they came by my cabin. The whole thing was so silly looking it never occurred to me that they were coming in from nearly a half mile offshore. The guy was damned lucky and his wife phenomenally clear headed to have pulled that one off.
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Thanks for the comments on creativity needed for lighter paddlers being the rescuer. As a 5’4" woman it has been extremely rare for me to have to rescue anyone who doesn’t outweigh me by at least 30 pounds, in my best form I have managed it with someone who had more like 60 or so pounds on me but they were also an experienced rescuee. Not sure I could have done it even then with someone who was dead wood.
Serious question, how many of those rescues have involved a paddler in a SOT? Above comments suggest that a rescue sling moves up to the number one spot if a SOT.
Only one was a SOT - it was easy to rig the paddle, my paddle float, & my rescue sling. The U (over paddle, under kayak, back over paddle on opposite side) method rescue sling is more versatile & easy to use on any type kayak.
I primarily paddle sea kayaks so I usually carry a cockpit oriented rescue sling set up for my kayaks since it is less bulk than a U rescue sling for general use.
For some reason folks paddle well away from shore in SOTs, rec kayaks, and sea kayaks without beforehand figuring out how to get back into an overturned kayak. The common comment is something such as, “I didn’t think I would turn over. It has never happened before.”
Celia, additional reply based on your edit:
In the case of a smaller person rescuing a much larger person in a SOT, I would defer to the paddle float and rescue sling early on if the person could not do a scramble after one or two tries. I want the person back in the kayak before they get too tired.
Do you know about the home made rescue slings…especially the one I call the U method (loop over the paddle, lines under the kayak, and then back over the paddle next to the kayak on the opposite side where the paddle float is located as an outrigger) ?
Another fun thing with the SOT that isn’t talked about much, gear tracks! If you are rigged for fishing you have all sorts of crap typically right where you would be trying to pull yourself up. On my Hobie I keep my fish finder and such on one side so I always have one side that is clear, but that’s not typical. I don’t know how people manage with all the poles, camera mounts etc.
That’s a great story about a very lucky guy! Hopefully he learns from the experience and gets some training and a better boat. Half the reason I learnt the re-enter and role was because hauling myself up on my old Sealution was so painful. Nothing brought home how vulnerable I was than when I failed my heel-hook again on the third try. I know it’s “not the boat” heh, but man that boat had such an obnoxious high back deck. I have newer boats with better decks now and hauling myself up is much easier, but I’ll never forget that feeling of “uh oh”.
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I have used a rescue sling but only in practice so far, usually have one in my kit when I am not out with a bunch of other paddlers I could enlist to help. Per your description. I bought it but a loop of strap is a loop of strap. The one time I was in a real rescue situation where the swimmer became total dead wood - interestingly in a training session - said swimmer was also unresponsive to any commands. At all. The coach as well as myself were trying to talk to him and four other kayakers pulled into position to support him. Turns out this person had a quite different response to being in the water as rescue bait than they had previously indicated. Finally towed him in. Lucky for this guy the practice session was on a nice, small flat warm lake.
I agree that anything which gets a swimmer in sooner is the better idea. I have so far been able to manage bigger guys mostly by reaching over to their boat’s static line and getting a piece of that as long as I am in a sea kayak, but at my less strong paddling situation these days enlisting other paddlers and their boats would be my first go to. Would go to the stirrup in a heartbeat if I was alone and dealing with a very large person who was limited in helping themselves.
My go to boat for solo paddling is slower etc. But it also has the lowest, kindest in terms of stability deck for re-entry of any boat ever made. I go out each summer and recover my roll somewhat, but it has never been as solid as it was before I had a family situation that took me out of training or serious kayak work for three years. I have to be able to get back on that deck in a real situation. And yes I carry the paddle float all the time too.
The place where I visit in Maine gets a show when I first arrive because lately it is the first time in the season when I have had the chance to go out and really do the work. I get the most kudos for my initial tries, where I always forget something dumb like which foot to put in the boat for a heel hook or how to handle weight transfers. The ones where I make in clean are not nearly as entertaining for spectators.
TY Celia, ahh once again. I did learn to read but never really learned to pay attention.
Apologies to original poster, stay wet, Have fun, be safe.
Peace J
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No problem, you were hardly alone. Unfortunately it seems more questions about how to manage rescues come in from sea kayakers than recreational paddlers… pretty refreshing when that happens.
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These are the two homemade rescue slings I prefer to any I have seen marketed and tried to make work:
SOT and sea kayak (and best for rec kayak):
Stirrup Strap Re-entry | Paddling.com (posted a few days ago by rstevens) I used about 3/8 or 1/4 inch braided line instead of strap.
Or specifically for a sea kayak (and rec kayak if constructed long enough - mine are not. If long enough, this can be used on a SOT but the monkey fist may slip out of it’s loop until under tension)
Disclosure: These photos are from a guide to making a rescue sling that was forwarded to me by another instructor about 7 or 8 years ago. I believe she found them during an online search.
Getting in the water and playing with different kayak rescue techniques is fun !!!
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