Advice on rolling a fully loaded kayak

loose loads
I haven’t been in bouncy stuff in awhile but I sure wouldn’t want 10lbs of bags drifting fore/aft/left/right in the ends of a kayak. Internal bungies with hooks are helpful.

self righting kayak kind of
After reviewsing everyone’s posts looks like rolls are definitely doable, takes some time to adjust to different timing, comfort with coming up from any place underwater by sculling always a good thing, and securing the load towards centerline and towards cockpit is ideal.



Hey, if most of heavy stuff is down low and held there, the darn boat might almot bob back up all by itself kind of like your ol’ rubber ducky in the tub. Well almost anyhow.



Has anyone ever fixed weights to the bottom of a kayak for folks who could not or would not roll? Hmmmm. Yeah not too practical. OK

Actually…
yeah, kinda like this “knock down” dummies that won’t stay down because of the low heavy ballast at center of a rounded base.



If you look at Hutchinson’s book: Seakayaking (or was that Eskimo Rolling?) he has a sketch of glassed in ballasting jars behind the seat to hold lead or something to that effect.



sing

Weights can be a problem
During a bracing class this summer one of the other students capsized.



The instructor knew me and since I was closer, he asked if I would do an assisted rescue to get the guy back in his boat.



I struggled trying to drag his boat over my cockpit to drain it. I have never had this much difficulty lifing a boat.



After I finally managed to drain about 1/2 the water and get the paddler back in his boat to pump the rest, he told me that he had added 50 lb of ballast to the boat. 25lb in the bow and 25 in the stern.



Definitely would have been much harder to perform this rescue in conditions that would normally cause a capsize.

Good time for an electric pump maybe
I guess this is why some folks who do allot of open crossings expeditions may opt for electric pump and external switch. I wonder if a wet reentry and roll with a foam float is possible before emptying any water. Maybe one of the experienced folks here could weigh in, pun intended

Rolling full
Rolling up with a boat full of water can be pretty easy – it’s staying upright that’s hard.

Keep it Simple
whatever you do,keep it real simple.

A loaded kayak experience
Actually, I think that ballast can be a hindrance unless you have an offside roll. Several years ago I was rolling my loaded kayak on a trip near the beach before landing to cool off before surfing in. Did two half rolls on the right with absolute ease, went to do a 360 and got a surprise. I was stuck on my offside. At that time my offside roll was more abysmal than now and I ended up swimming in.



Since then I’ve worked harder on my offside roll (it’s still ugly though) and learned to scull myself around to the onside if needed.

it can be a surprise
how slow it is to roll a loaded kayak, but otherwise it’s easy. I think in some regards it’s E A S I E R. You have less freeboard and therefore less kayak. If you are worried about it, try flooding your kayak in the pool or warm water and then roll it.

Can you say…
sea sock?

didn’t think of that
that would be the ticket.

Only humor…
I’m bored today while burning up vacation time, and was trying to inject some humor. They won’t let us take time off in December and I’m too low on the totem pole to get the Thanksgiving week. Meanwhile, have been going over my load list for Isle Royale this coming May. Nothing like taking a loaded Coaster around the island, and a sea sock is part of my basic gear.



For those who may not know what a sea sock is:



http://www.pygmyboats.com/mall/Safety.asp




only 45 more shopping days
to get a Mariner

End of an era…
If they made a lower volume Coaster, I would sell the Mystic and get her one. Between you and me, I’m tired of fishing out mud and pebbles from the skeg box. One time we forgot to check the skeg while starting out, and when the wind kicked up she went off in another direction. It was comical… Anyway, turns out she had tried to deploy the skeg but only succeeded in popping off the epoxied cable brackets.



Already replaced her hatches once.

I Can’t Imagine…
someone won’t make a deal and take over the designs/plugs…



sing

I’ll try it
I will try it, how to load, different methods, first in warm, then more difficult conditions, finally how to wet exit empty reenter, bail. I think with my small volume kayak, I can find a way to place the gear that makes this easier.



Great posts.

A Flooded Kayak Doesn’t Act
like a well loaded (meaning things DON’T roll around inside) does. If you want to do windowshade rolling tricks, a flooded kayak is the way to go. :slight_smile:



sing

skeg box
I’m going to try out the stuff used in sailing dinghy centerboard boxes for the skeg box on my Chatham 18,looks like stiff 3/16" white carpet (except the fibers are straight/stiff)in 1 1/4" strips with adhesive backing. I’m thinking that would keep stuff out and smooth out any rattles.

I think it gives the
general idea though, don’t you?

Halfway
Flooded cockpit simulates the added displacement only. The water inside is free to move - so you roll around it. It can also slosh and tip you back over.



Gear would (hopefully) be secured, and must be rolled with the kayak. After that (if loaded well) it ballasts you upright.



Different feel and timing, no?