My wife and I watched this paddleboarder and two kayaks trying to launch yesterday. Kind of funny since they were all paddling so gently that the waves just kept pushing them back to shore. After about 30 tries the paddleboarder made it out and then surfed back in. The two kayakers never made it past the waves.
Good thing the yaks did’t make it out. They wouldn’t have been happy paddlers coming back in!
Reminds me of a time I went to play in the waves of a sand beach about 2hr from home. Started unloading my stuff and realized I had forgotten my spray skirt. I thought since I came all that way I’d give it a shot. The next 30 minutes I’m sure to have given onlookers a good laugh. One wave would dump enough water in the boat to make it unstable. Two were enough to make it unmanageable. I was able to roll back up after I broached and dumped, but with no skirt I might as well have wet exited.
Thoroughly unfulfilling. I’d love to say I’ve never forgotten my skirt again but that would be a lie.
Like Jack said, I loved punching out through waves but they punched me on the way back in.
aah we were all younger and beginners once. I hope they keep trying!
Were the paddlers wearing life jackets? Can’t tell from the photo.
Well, they were trying. Of course this proves once again the value of the “air brace” paddle stroke.
@JackL said:
Good thing the yaks did’t make it out. They wouldn’t have been happy paddlers coming back in!
Those waves really weren’t too serious although it might have been tricky to launch a canoe.
@Sparky961 said:
Reminds me of a time I went to play in the waves of a sand beach about 2hr from home. Started unloading my stuff and realized I had forgotten my spray skirt. I thought since I came all that way I’d give it a shot. The next 30 minutes I’m sure to have given onlookers a good laugh. One wave would dump enough water in the boat to make it unstable. Two were enough to make it unmanageable. I was able to roll back up after I broached and dumped, but with no skirt I might as well have wet exited.Thoroughly unfulfilling. I’d love to say I’ve never forgotten my skirt again but that would be a lie.
Sounds like you would have made for good entertainment too.
@string said:
Like Jack said, I loved punching out through waves but they punched me on the way back in.
Yes but they forgot the punch in punch out. Whenever they made it over a wave they just stopped paddling and waited to be hit by the next wave which of course pushed them back to shore.
@kayamedic said:
aah we were all younger and beginners once. I hope they keep trying!
Yes, I told my wife that in any case they were learning. The paddleboarder would occasionally drop to his knees after being hit by a wave and then he had a paddle that was three feet too long for knee paddling. Any of them could have just walked the boats out to waist deep water and then hop on beyond the waves.
@Rookie said:
Were the paddlers wearing life jackets? Can’t tell from the photo.
No PFD’s. And as always the conditions offered more danger than one might think. I’ve been swimming out there and I remember diving in from waist deep water and hitting the sand bottom unexpectedly. It gets shallower out towards the end of the swimming area which may be why the waves break there.
@Overstreet said:
Well, they were trying. Of course this proves once again the value of the “air brace” paddle stroke.
What is the “air brace” stroke? Did a search but really didn’t find anything.
Very happy that we have a number of sheltered easy access areas for our style of paddling. Picture looked like way more effort than we are inclined to do. If we were 30 years younger–maybe.
@Yooper16 said:
@Overstreet said:
Well, they were trying. Of course this proves once again the value of the “air brace” paddle stroke.What is the “air brace” stroke? Did a search but really didn’t find anything.
Very happy that we have a number of sheltered easy access areas for our style of paddling. Picture looked like way more effort than we are inclined to do. If we were 30 years younger–maybe.
Assuming you were not asking in jest, the air brace stroke is done as follows: when conditions arise that call for a strong brace to keep yourself upright, one instead holds the paddle ineffectually with both blades well above water level. True mastery of the air brace requires that one assumes a frightened “deer in the headlights” facial expression at the same time.
@Yooper16 said:
@Overstreet said:
Well, they were trying. Of course this proves once again the value of the “air brace” paddle stroke.What is the “air brace” stroke? Did a search but really didn’t find anything.
Very happy that we have a number of sheltered easy access areas for our style of paddling. Picture looked like way more effort than we are inclined to do. If we were 30 years younger–maybe.
I’m guessing that the air brace is when you push hard on the air with your paddle and then tip over.
I’ve always been a canoe person but recently looked at used kkkkkk (I can’t say it) on Craigslist for first time since Lake Michigan is so accessible plus there seem to be tons of those kkkkkk…other boats available at good prices.
An air brace can happen as you are punching through a wave and it is suddenly gone. Just before your face hits the water.
Happens in whitewater as well, when you try to brace into the highly aerated water in a hole, where the water is more air than liquid.
Air brace= Not leaning into the wave and putting your paddle on it while surfing , rather leaning down the wave… Leads to half a roll.
A friend did this in front of a Coast Guard boat.
Air brace is holding the paddle blades above the water like the two kayakers are doing…namely stopped paddling. (Sarcasim intended)
I guess I get it!
You will have to pardon my lack of understanding on things. Still having issues with “moldy” brain so am not really certain.