I think I’ve seen that in a different color boat. The waves look bigger in person don’t they?
Yes look much bigger when your in them. Plus the camera is up high making them look a little smaller on video. But I go upside down at least a few times especially when i get back surfed. But going upside down is something I do just to cool off. Another time I was behind a break wall playing with new camera and drifted out from behind break wall to be hit on my side by a 4 footer. Over I went as I wasn’t holding my paddle. Had to let go of tethered camera to roll up.
I am not a surf expert by any means, but I noted one thing in your video: You stopped paddling when you got hit by the wave.
I know that it is a natural reflex to stop paddling and instead lift the paddle when the wave hits. I have the same tendency myself. But I have been told by more experienced paddlers that this is actually the moment when you should paddle as hard as you can as it will help you get over the wave and slide down the backside instead of being caught and back surfed.
I am not a surf expert by any means, but I noted one thing in your video: You stopped paddling when you got hit by the wave.
I know that it is a natural reflex to stop paddling and instead lift the paddle when the wave hits. I have the same tendency myself. But I have been told by more experienced paddlers that this is actually the moment when you should paddle as hard as you can as it will help you get over the wave and slide down the backside instead of being caught and back surfed.
Yup. Time the power stroke to finish just as you meet the breaking wave and/or foam pile. The blade on the pushing side should be in position at the end of the stroke to “spear” through wave and one’s body should be leaning forward to minimize head/chest exposure to wave impact.
As already mentioned, if you ain’t flipping and rolling in the break zone, you might as well be “flatwater” paddling.
I have flipped in calm water, white water, dog exiting the paddlecraft and even my daughter with a terrible sense of balance. It happens to us all and anyone who has not flipped is that guy who never gets his boat wet except in a swimming pool.
I have capsized unintentionally many times that fall into a couple categories
I wasn’t paying attention when I should have been or was looking behind me (a suprisingly easy way to flip). This has led to my 2 worst swims from about 1/4 mile off shore in cold water (was wearing a drysuit, but still is an unpleasant swim). I’ve learned my lesson on this point
chasing waves. if you chase the first wake of a boat, sooner or later you will capsize. Still worth it
Paddling an elite surfski when you’re not elite. I swam 15 of 20 times last winter taking a step straight to a 17" ski. When a good deal came along, i traded it out for a 19" ski which is rock solid.
Paddling a race canoe in high wind through a seawall’d section of the race course leading to triple directional waves. There was 1 spot with a retaining wall against lake Calhoun where the waves would reflect and the waves of the boat pack would combine for tri-directional waves leading to extreme unpredictability in stability.
My general thought is that if Im not capsizing unintentionally at least a few times a year I’m not having enough fun. now days, 96% of capsizes are intentional to cool off. The other 4% are probably bad positioning by me
@RikJohnson said:
I have flipped in calm water, white water, dog exiting the paddlecraft and even my daughter with a terrible sense of balance. It happens to us all and anyone who has not flipped is that guy who never gets his boat wet except in a swimming pool.
Or it could be someone who uses good judgement, works diligently on handling the boat in rough conditions and maybe just has a great boat that makes the whole thing so easy. Or so it seems to me when it comes to accidental capsizing.
Just finished running a class III rapid in a 17’ sea lion. Below the rapids, everyone pulled out before a large rock, though I was too busy to see this. As I approached the rock, I realized I wasn’t going to make the turn, so I leaned, pulled and steered the boat behind the rock only to catch an eddy that suddenly turned my bow upstream, finishing the turn. I tried to paddle in, but the current again grabbed the boat, turned it back toward the river at the same time that my stern grabbed an eddy (in the opposite direction) in front of the rock(s) behind me. I found myself recirculating betwee these two eddies and the long boat did not allow for an escape. Eventually, I capsized.
I also capsized in rather severe clapotis just ouside Bodega Bay while traversing from the bay to the ocean near the rockwall there. It didn’t look awful, but once in it, it becase a constant series of leans, braces, and corrective strokes to compensate for the confused water. Once I returned to the boat, I quickly figured out how to deal with it, but that initial contact with the clapotis was pretty unexpected.
I’ve capsized surfing too many times to count, but, again, there are some memorable ones. One day, for some reason, my braces were not working as well as expected. They’d hold for a while and then I’d capsize into the wave. I was doing a really poor job of keeping my butt atop the boat and allowed it to slip too far past it’s tipping point. Turns out, because my back was bothering me a bit, I wasn’t pressing my hip toward the wave in my lean. Once I made the correction, I not only solved the problem, but it turned out to be good therapy for my back. I did not have any pain after the surf session.
It depends on how you define “accidentally”. If you mean “because you screwed up or weren’t paying attention”, I’ve done that a few times. If you mean “unintended” capsizes caused by conditions, it’s too many to count, as I enjoy playing in waves, rock gardens and surf, and also when learning new skills. When you’re pushing your limits, capsizes happen. What’s important is what happens _after _you capsize. Being able to roll right back up is crucial to safety in rough and/or dangerous conditions.
In my earlier kayak years I fell out of my kayak either launching or landing twice, maybe thrice - perhaps not a true capsize e.g. not upside down, no wet exit. Since then I’ve had one inadvertent capsize, which steeled my resolve to get a decent roll. While practicing my roll, I’ve capsized regularly of course - including those with no pre-capsize setup. There’s more work to do, as always, on my rolls.
That said, I don’t try for surfing, rock gardening etc. In my later 70’s, drinking coffee supplies my adrenaline rush.
Those are two things I love to combine! In fact, just about my favorite “activity” whilst paddling is to enjoy a nice effortful paddle, long enough that I feel well-exercised, my muscles tired, salt residue in my hair, my skin feeling warm from maybe a little too much sun (I do try to cover up though), and then get within half an hour or so of the ramp, with the sun inching down to the horizon and things cooling off, and then just sit in a silent salt marsh sipping coffee watching the snails move along the spartina stems with the tide. If a gentle late day drizzle begins, all the better. Hope I’m still doing that when I’m in my 70’s!
@rsevenic said:
In my earlier kayak years I fell out of my kayak either launching or landing twice, maybe thrice - perhaps not a true capsize e.g. not upside down, no wet exit. Since then I’ve had one inadvertent capsize, which steeled my resolve to get a decent roll. While practicing my roll, I’ve capsized regularly of course - including those with no pre-capsize setup. There’s more work to do, as always, on my rolls.
That said, I don’t try for surfing, rock gardening etc. In my later 70’s, drinking coffee supplies my adrenaline rush.
After reading some of the replies did the OP mean capsize and went for a swim? I mean just because you go over shouldn’t mean you went swimming at least for me that is. If that’s what OP meant then never for me. Been knocked over many times but never came out of boat.
I was just curious about accidental capsizing while kayaking normally. I didn’t mean “and go for a swim.” And I didn’t really mean capsizing while practicing turns and braces and pushing it to the edge and thereby deliberately putting yourself at risk for capsizing. I was mostly wondering how often people have found that their boat and skills were not up to what the sea had to offer. In any case, I’ve enjoyed all of the responses.
@dc9mm said:
After reading some of the replies did the OP mean capsize and went for a swim? I mean just because you go over shouldn’t mean you went swimming at least for me that is. If that’s what OP meant then never for me. Been knocked over many times but never came out of boat.
@Monkeyhead said:
I was just curious about accidental capsizing while kayaking normally. I didn’t mean “and go for a swim.” And I didn’t really mean capsizing while practicing turns and braces and pushing it to the edge
Where is “the edge” though? It’s going to be different for everyone, and much more extreme for someone who’s skills have already been improved through progressively pushing that envelope.
With my recent return from BOFSKS, I’m happy to report my second “combat” roll ever. It pleases me because it means that I was pushing my own limits during a game of sea kayak “keep away”. Most others had high-rocker play boats and could easily out-maneuver me in the Assateague (Hindsight: I should have been using my Sirocco that day). But I tried my best nonetheless, and did a respectable job of edging and spinning the boat to collect the ball. I did have a speed advantage when there was some distance to cover. There were a few close calls where I barely saved it with a low brace, but only one where I actually went over. When I did, it was no big deal. I’ve rolled so many places and times now that it was quite natural just to roll right back up.
Absolutely. My interest was in knowing about capsizes that weren’t the result of pushing it to your personal individual edge, but in capsizes that occurred when you weren’t OK with capsizing and when you weren’t voluntarily engaging in activities or practices that knowingly you put you at risk of capsizing. What kind of boat were you using that gave you a speed advantage? Was it only a speed advantage to the other highly-rocketed boats, or do you have a zippy kayak?
@Monkeyhead said:
I was just curious about accidental capsizing while kayaking normally. I didn’t mean “and go for a swim.” And I didn’t really mean capsizing while practicing turns and braces and pushing it to the edge
Where is “the edge” though? It’s going to be different for everyone, and much more extreme for someone who’s skills have already been improved through progressively pushing that envelope.
With my recent return from BOFSKS, I’m happy to report my second “combat” roll ever. It pleases me because it means that I was pushing my own limits during a game of sea kayak “keep away”. Most others had high-rocker play boats and could easily out-maneuver me in the Assateague (Hindsight: I should have been using my Sirocco that day). But I tried my best nonetheless, and did a respectable job of edging and spinning the boat to collect the ball. I did have a speed advantage when there was some distance to cover. There were a few close calls where I barely saved it with a low brace, but only one where I actually went over. When I did, it was no big deal. I’ve rolled so many places and times now that it was quite natural just to roll right back up.
The advantage was just having a touring boat with a long water line, vs. the “banana” shaped boats most others had. I was paddling my Impex Assateague, while others were in Delphins and maybe a Sisu. It was also an apparent advantage when we were having timed races ferrying across the current. All in good fun, of course. Overall I would have been better off in a more responsive boat for that session.
So I’m left with a bit of confusion then. If we’re ruling out pushing to the edge why would you capsize? I suppose like others have mentioned, there’s “falling” out of your boat getting in and out occasionally. I’ve always entertained the idea of tipping while paying more attention to scenery, but so far that’s never happened. For me, unintentional/surprise capsizes have always been pushing limits of my skills and/or the conditions I’m in.
Because the conditions are beyond one’s skill level. Maybe you take an air stroke. Without re-reading the whole thread, I feel like there were several examples of capsizes in which people just got caught off guard and/or found themselves in tougher than expected conditions.
@Sparky961 said:
The advantage was just having a touring boat with a long water line, vs. the “banana” shaped boats most others had. I was paddling my Impex Assateague, while others were in Delphins and maybe a Sisu. It was also an apparent advantage when we were having timed races ferrying across the current. All in good fun, of course. Overall I would have been better off in a more responsive boat for that session.
So I’m left with a bit of confusion then. If we’re ruling out pushing to the edge why would you capsize? I suppose like others have mentioned, there’s “falling” out of your boat getting in and out occasionally. I’ve always entertained the idea of tipping while paying more attention to scenery, but so far that’s never happened. For me, unintentional/surprise capsizes have always been pushing limits of my skills and/or the conditions I’m in.
I think you nailed it when the op wrote “I guess the frequency of this is in large part a function of how willing one is to go out in challenging conditions” and of course what may be considered challenging for one person may not be challenging for another. Plenty of boat designs to keep things interesting as well.
Times I’ve been caught off guard include taking out where there was a submerged tree, looking back up stream at other paddlers, and entering or exiting the boat from or onto higher ground/dock.
Three swims at the same spot in three different years - maybe it’s no longer accidental if you know it going to happen - like going into a hole with the paddle on the upstream side. I do it all the time…
Well done Erik. There is no way I could kneel and paddle for more than five minutes - I would never be able to walk after that. Looks like a lot of fun though.