Its not fear of going in the drink
but respect for the fact that anytime one goes on the water it could happen. Dressing for conditions is the topic and that means being prepared for immersion.
If it can float, it can flip
Granted, the more practice and skill you have, the bigger water you can handle in any given situation. But even experienced people make mistakes in easy, calm water and overturn their boats. It happens. The idea is to be prepared with proper equipment, skills, clothing and knowledge for when it does.
- Big D
It also depends on the water
Weather conditions can also change, presenting new challenges before you can get the craft off the water.
Exactly.
I haven’t flipped since the first weekend I got my kayak. But I’m prepared for if it happens. When fishing, concentration often shifts quickly to what’s pulling at the other end of the line, and mistakes can be made. Especially in current. I got sucked into a strainer a year ago because I got turned around and ran into it backward while pulling in a large smallie. Took me five minutes to carefully paddle out of it, but the current could have flipped me w/ one wrong move. I wasn’t exactly pushing the envelope, just didn’t see it coming as I was distracted for a brief second or two.
I’ll bet one of the most common thoughts of most of those drowning/succumbing to hypothermia was the thought that they wouldn’t flip before they got on the water . . . .
YoS
You identified the big difference
between just paddling and adding the dimension of fishing. We as fishermen get into situations not encountered in paddling alone. Being prepared for worst case scenarios adds a dimension of safety.
Throw in snags, vertical poles getting
stuck on tree branches and a whole host of possible anchor issues and there’s about a *5-10x higher likelihood of a kayak/canoe fisherman getting flipped than a simple paddler . . . .
YoS
- no research was performed, nor were any kayakers or canoeists injured in the guessing of this figure.
;~)
In a couple of weeks, I’ll being doing
this, what do you think the odds of a flip are:
http://texaskayakfisherman.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=89537
That does it
I’m moving to Texas.
That’s a great bunch of guys too.
Safety is their first concern. They’d welcome you, maybe even put you on to a bull red or even a bull shark.
I’ll agree with that.
I had vacation plans to Texas’ gulf coast one time and posted it on there, told them I was a regular at KFS (which I was at the time) and that’s all it took. I had three offers for free guide service and equipment loans so I could fly rather than drive 1,500 miles with my yak on the roof. Plans fell through, but those guys sure were friendly beyond reason. Almost enough to make me nervous. My wife thought it was awful wierd, folks offering to rig me out with $1,500 worth of paddle gear and tackle and never having met me. I thought so too, but that wouldn’t have prevented me from doing it. Besides, I get it now. These forums are a real community. Wierd but true. I liken it to the guys you only see at the barber shop, but you see them every other week for twenty years and they wind up having a long-lasting influence on you.
My boats are sit insides and canoes
One of the guys I’ve paddled with once and provided a lot of information when he was looking for his first kayak is providing me his Cobra Fish n Dive and equipment, though I’ve got the rods and reels…catfish stuff, but its the same, big reels and saltwater rods. Just asked me if I wanted to do it out of the blue. My friend does his fishing out of a Malibu Mini-X, got the FnD for friends.
Similar out here
I’ve got two canoes and three kayaks on my rack. There’ve been days when most of those boats were getting used by friends. I look for the chance to help folks out and get them interested in paddling and fishing.
Folks have been very good to me, and now that I’ve got a few things I want to share back. That’s how the community grows. River people are cool.
- Big D
One canoe and one kayak appear
to be on permanent loan to my oldest son. Wait a while for your kids to grow up.
Tandem thoughts.
When I paddle our tandem canoe, my safety concerns are usually for the ability or lack thereof of my partner. That should be every paddlers priority. You know what your limits are but it is always best underestimate that of your paddling buddy. One mistake/accident will stay with the survivor forever.
Tom
Best thing about living in Texas
Water temps are now 74. Worst thing, in three weeks they’ll be 90 at the surface.
Bought one for my eldest
It’s too small for me, so it’s only for her and my wife. But my wife prefers a larger boat than she needs, so it’s pretty much my eldest daughter’s boat. It’s not a kid’s toy kayak, though. It’s a real-deal WW inflatable that because she’s large for her age fits her pretty well. Unless she tops out at over 210# (which is possible considering that growth charts estimate her adult height at 6’8"), she’ll be good for ten years if the boat holds together that long. It’s an Innova Sunny that I bought off of Craig’s List in excellent condition at a very good price. The guy who sold it to me said his daughter used to use it in Hawaii, and she loved it. So it’s got good daughter mojo.
- Big D