Don’t forget the pump too.
After you are back in the cockpit you have to pump it out.
I think the one thing that is missing from the pictures is the fact that you should keep the paddle float out in the water on the paddle with a little pressue from your elbow on that side while you pump the cockpit out.
Your boat will be unstable until you have most of the water out.
I like to practice it at leat one day a season.
Cheers,
JackL
getting back in
A number of years back I had a bad crash on a bike and my shoulder was in bad shape for two years. During this time I used paddling for re-hab but learned(painfully) never to raise my arm over my chin let alone over my head. My bombproof roll was now gone.Due to my size and the deep cockpit of the boats I paddled my roll never missed as long as I really extended and reached up for the set. So I stopped rolling altogether and used paddle floats and stirrups and re-enter and roll techniques and got pretty good at all of them. Now that my shoulder is fixed I am back to rolling but still practice the other routes to get back into the boat as backups. Sorry but whoever says a paddlefloat is dangerous or useless is simply wrong. Get lessons and learn what method works for you the quickest and easiet. Last advice-if you can’t roll and havent practiced other re-enters please don’t go out over deep water solo.
getting back in
I have Xydeco rec kayak by Dagger. It’s small, light and inexpensive. I don’t do much paddling, as there are no clubs in this area. Seems strange since MN claims this is where the lakes begin. I’m still looking tho. ANd I only go when the lakes are FLAT–too much wind and I don’t feel comfortable enuf with my abilities. I’m not young anymore (50) but in fairly decent shape. From reading all the replies, there is alot that I don’t know. Sure wish I could find some sort of class here. I may end up driving 100 miles to Minneapolis to do that. I know I can find something there. Thanks to everyone for all the replies! I’ll just keep plugging away.
air mattress
I’ve thought of doing something like this. I have a mattress that is rubber coated foam that I’ve thought about rolling and strapping to the decking. Thinking that I could use it to lay out in the lake in then use it to help me get back in. hmmmm…another good idea! p.s. who care what you look like!
Sarcasm and irony are subtle tools
They were joking about paddle floats.
guided self discovery is the best
yes finding what really works is better than any advice.
and, that said, have you yourself tried your own techniques in winds over 25 k and waves over 4 feet? For most people without allot of upper body strength, with middle age bulge, with high rear decks, float re-entry can be a disaster. Like all techniques, best to do them in the worst situation.
And, even so, you are back in the same conditions, so find the ways that take the least energy, like rolling, bracing, etc.
Lessons…
heck, there are a lot of outfitters around here who provide lessons. Frankly, I never took any from them. As I tend to like to fudge around a bit on my own. At the start, I got a couple of kayaking books with good references for self rescue and worked on that on a warm lake. After meeting some other paddlers, I worked on assisted rescues.
Just make sure you have floation bags installed in your boat to displace the amount of water going in to preclude a self rescue. NRS sells floatation bags that will fit your boat.
sing
Not laughing
Be careful what and where you put things. I know someone who went to a pool session where another person had him put Mylar balloons in the cockpit because the boat lacked bulkheads or float bags. When the guy tried to wet exit, the loose balloons floated to the cockpit and wedged him in.
Good thing that episode didn’t panic him away from continuing to paddle and learn from better instructors.
Self-teaching has its limits
For the wet exit, there is a psychological hurdle to get over: fear of upside-down entrapment (with a skirt). I think this one is best done under the watchful eye of someone else who knows the technique–not necessarily a certified instructor. It is reassuring to know that someone is there if you’re not sure how you will react to being upside down in a sprayskirted kayak.
Once you’ve done the first one with a teacher watching and then done one by yourself (alone), practice will be easy to face.
The wet exit itself is easy, aside from the psychological thing. It’s the re-entry that will take some practice to do quickly. You can practice the re-entry without having to wet exit for every re-entry. When I practice this, I do the wet exit and PF re-entry combo a couple of times (one on each side). After those first two, I just paddle the boat to shore, get out the usual way, then swim the boat back to deeper water to do the next re-entry. The boat takes on less water this way (less pumping), and I spend my time/effort on the part that requires more coordination.
Also, the books I’ve seen all show the paddler lunging across the cockpit, in front of the paddle shaft. I found it MUCH easier to lunge across the rear deck instead, in back of the paddle shaft. This also gives the legs better placement for slipping into the cockpit. Try it both ways and use what works best for you.
I snorkel from my sit inside boats
I snorkel from my boats in the atlantic and use a paddle float re-entry or assistance from another skilled paddler. Sea conditons are typically favorable though.
Consider your wanting to swim from your a kayak a great opportunity to practice your self rescue.
Learn from book, web page or skilled teacher but do learn as soon as possible.
Brian
SoFlo
Learn this BEFORE you need it.
I’m happy you thought about learning this, especially before you need in in tough conditions.
This is a skill you should learn and practice.
Folks will tell you to do a “paddle float re-entry”. Worth learning, but difficult to do in serious seas.
I’d recommend practicing “re-enter and rolls”. Even if you don’t have a roll, doing a re-enter and roll with a paddle float is still easier than a normal paddle float re-entry.
Oh, now I’m going to get flamed for this
Wade
Different question
– Last Updated: Jul-01-06 8:01 PM EST –
Kwalsh is taking about swimming around and getting back in, presumably not in rough water. Rolling does not apply.
It is also a good idea to have a diver flag so that people will not tow your boat away while you are swimming.
where in MN are you?
I’m a 50+ new paddler living in Winona and also in search of others to learn from and/or paddle with.
willmar, mn
I’m in Willmar MN. and so far I’ve yet to find anything around here. I went Kayaking with my sister on Lake Calhoun this 4th of July. We asked the girl there (at the rental place) if she knew of any place that offered lessons. Nope. I’m going to ask at Galyans or REI if they know of any. My sister is looking to buy one now so we are going to look around when I’m on vacation later this month.
swimming around
Yes, we are talking very calm lake for swimming while kayaking. From what I’m hearing-I’ve much to learn! I’m very caucious when kayaking alone, and am going to take it out maybe chest deep water and practice, practice practice before actually going it in deep water.
Pick up a book
On “beginning kayaking”
There are dozens of them out there.
I’ll bet half the people or more on this forum have never taken classes, and learned by reading, and asking questions.
Cheers,
JackL
Paddle float recommendations?
My wife and I are also beginners and are planning to start teaching ourselves recoveries. We will eventually sign up for a class, but we live in Germany and while we speak some, we probably don’t speak enough to attend a German course yet.
We have a Robson Waikiki (hers) and a Robson Maui Expedition (mine).
In teaching ourselves to re-enter using paddle floats, anyone have recommendations on some good ones to buy? I’ve looked all over the internet, but not knowing enough about it, I don’t know which would be the right ones. If it makes a difference, I’m about 250 lbs and she’s around 130.
It’s easy … I do it all the time
I love snorkeling
I do not use a paddle float or any other device, except swim fins.
First of all, I own a Loon 160T. It is a very stable boat and perfect for snorkeling. I suppose other wider rec boats would do as well.
I often go snorkeling from my kayak, and have found it to be quite easy to re-enter from the side without a paddle float. I simply grab the edge of the cockpit, give a couple quick kicks in the water while pulling myself up across the cockpit. Virtually, the only water that gets into the boat is the water on me.
I have done this with and without fins. It works both ways, although easier wearing fins.
Please note that I first PRACTICED this over and over again in shallower water, [wearing my PFD of course]. So, I KNOW I can re-enter any time I need to. Regardless if you use a paddle float or not, I strongly suggest that you practice re-entry until you are comfortable with it.
By the way, the earlier post regarding a whistle was a GREAT idea.
Happy Kayaking!
Get an instructor
Novice paddlers almost always do not know what to be really concerned about, fearing things that are not big and relaxing about things that should be taken seriously.
This is one that should NOT be self taught. There are many considerations that you will NOT understand yourselves that can prove FATAL.
Please consider I am not talking down to you both. As an instructor of 25 years I have seen beginners die because they self taught in these ways.
Evan
Thanks Evan
I appreciate the advice, and as I said, we will attend training classes when able.
But…We’re not stupid either…we know our limitations, and we stay within those limitations. We only paddle flatwater, always together (never more than 50 yards from each other actually), and always within 100 yards of shore, and we wear PFD’s.
I understand your concern about self-taught re-entry but don’t you think that if we at least taught ourselves the basics of it in shallow water near shore we would be a little better off than no clue at all? Again, we will most definitely attend classes, but that may not be for a couple months - first because of the language problem and second because all of the classes we have found so far are whitewater classes…and are 100+ miles away.