racking my brain for movie
In the mean time…www.unnecessaryquotes.com
Ryan L.
Importance of knowing your gear
– Last Updated: Mar-25-11 4:28 AM EST –
Your post reinforces the importance on knowing your gear, and practicing rescues in the same gear you'll be using out on the water.
As others have pointed out, another option is peel the sides of the skirt up where the tension is less, then run your hands under the skirt around the coaming.
Quick-release
The ones I’ve seen have a quick release buckle. But then the buckle can also get wedged in something. Like the time my pack buckle got wedge in the ski lift chair…
Haven’t touched a comb…
… to my hair in over a decade. I think I’m allergic to combs.
I was taught…
… to hook both thumbs in the loop, have straight arms, and lean the torso forward, then up. If you pull back or curl, you’re pulling the edge of the skirt tighter against the coaming. Leaning forward with straight arms uses big core muscles instead of relatively weaker arms.
The more I think about it…
…the more it seems like a bad idea. If you haven’t paid enough attention to keep the grab loop free, you probably haven’t paid enough attention to make sure the backup pull is out of the cockpit, but not under a deck line. Seems like one more strap that could get caught and cause problems.
There are 4 other ways to get out:
use grab loop
use knees
lift side
push out of skirt
And can you find the release buckle…
in rolling seas, wearing 3mm neo gloves, while it is tightly jammed under you and into a deck fitting or other hang-up spot?
Been there, not fun.
BTW, the same thing can happen if you use a carabiner through your grab loop. Even attaching one of those ‘wiffle’ golf balls to the grab loop adds a snagging potential.
It’s not a problem
– Last Updated: Mar-25-11 10:25 AM EST –
I have such a tab on my little old Inazone, WW boat. I am not a great WW paddler, saved more by my roll and good balance than skills. Even in class 2 I have managed to go under and into lots of stuff. Suffice to say that I occasionally scare the willies out of more advanced paddlers. I haven't had to use my tab, but frankly for moving water the grab loop of the skirt is considerably more likely to catch something than that strap is. It is bigger and more of a... loop.
What is pictured above is very much a WW style tab, not a big honking loop. And I have used that tab to clear my grab loop when I messed up - it tends to lay flat enough that it is pretty rare to catch it under.
Also, perhaps you missed this, I have been in situations where the neo skirt stretched well enough that it would NOT pop off with knees. And in cold enough water, with gloves, the skirt-grab thing could be a shaky bet as well.
I commented on the OPer's blog that another alternative would be to sew a non-stretchy bit between the inside of the skirt and the grab loop, emulating what one skirt manufacturer does. That way the additional release capability stays with the skirt whatever boat is is on. But the pictured option is a long-standing WW thing, at least from Pyrahnna, and if it hasn't been a catch problem there it sure isn't going to be in long boats.
I agree with mark
Why drill a hole in your boat if there are other solutions? I think it’s a symptom as mark states.
Took a different meaning
I read Mark’s post to say that the tab suggested created undue safety risks just by being there and contributed no added reliability. My reply was to say that I had such a tab on one of my boats and had not found either to be true in actual use. I suspect that Mark hasn’t ever had a boat with that.
If the discussion is about whether there are alternatives to putting that capability on the boat itself, that’s something else. That’s why I mentioned it was an option for the spray skirt.
Thank you all for the discussion
Just some experiences with some of the comments
“use grab loop”-
I agree, but you’re still betting on it working every time. There is a chance of failure even if it is only a fractional chance. Reaching the grab loop and effectively releasing the deck can be more difficult for a shorter person with a keyhole cockpit.
“use knees”-
Not even close to a reliable alternative.
“lift side”-
Rough water, with gloves, makes this an unreliable alternative as well. BUT it’s still good to practice.
“push out of skirt”-
Also not a reliable alternative when the skirt is tucked into the drysuit and then cinched in place under the PFD.
Compounding all these variables is the panic factor. Practice will limit the possibility of panic however no one is immune under all circumstances.
“Have a buddy check it out.”
Agree, but I do paddle solo… frequently. I’m sure I’m
not the only one.
“I don’t want to drill holes in my boat.”-
There is a no drill method: ‘glass’ the under deck side in place with a fiberglass/epoxy or vinylester resin patch.
Don’t blame the spraydeck. The problem is the composite rim. There are alternative solutions, but they are much more time and money intensive… except:
Leave it alone and just paddle.
I’m not advocating that this is for everyone… just identifying a solution and trying to communicate it to the community and anyone that is interested.
Thanks for reading and Paddle safe!
from my blog, in case it was missed:
“This IS NOT a panacea for safely removing a spraydeck. Especially a mis-adjusted or improperly fitted skirt. It IS NOT a substitute for good judgment, practice with a coach and situational awareness. I consider it a back up to the existing grab loop on the spraydeck.”
Possibly…
… I’d be more convinced if I tried it.
At any rate everyone wins the more innovative thinking is put towards kayaking safety.