I’ve helped someone back into a surfksi in big conditions. The part that was difficult was getting lined up without crashing into the other paddler or their boat and making things worse.
Also, not all surfski’s are fragile; that’s a misconception.
They are made of the same material as any other kayaks.
I have a plastic, a kevlar weave, fiberglass and carbon. Only the lightest start to veer towards the delicate.
You don’t have to be an expert or God like to know 55°F water can kill you after paddling for 30 plus years. Coming from up north he should know better. He broke nearly every safety norm I can think of. He’s lucky he’s not with God.
Group of paddlers on FB which has 3500 + members and most are clueless which is ok we all learned. Many don’t want to hear anything about cold water risk at all the have a laundry list of excuses. Myself and few others 5-7 try to tell them. This year I give up. The few experienced paddlers can carry on with safety there.
Bob’s lucky he’s not another Long Island sound story.
Hasn’t this live horse been beat enough?
“Sea Kayaker’s Deep Trouble: True Stories and Their Lessons” from Sea Kayaker Magazine - an eye opening read for me when I was a beginner and well worth reading again.
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If it was it wouldn’t continue multiple times a year, year after year. Back to FOBS?
“insanely stupid bravado” is pretty self aware, applaud the individual for having the courage to share his experience and allow us to learn from it
He got more than he bargained for but thankfully survived. If some of us “came clean” we might have some similar tales to share.
The river, lake, ocean doesn’t care how many medals we’ve won, or if you’re an “expert”, or even the owner of a major outdoor clothing brand. It’s simple. Screw up and you can die. Calm water can change very quickly and if you underestimate the water temp things go downhill quickly.
Verlen Kruger told me and a bunch of others something like that once when recounting an error in judgement which led to him being rescued off the Oregon or Washington coast.
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Nice perspective tdaniel. I was out with my brother Rock fishing on the Upper Chesapeake where I kayak. We wrapped up because it was getting too rough. I thought, I could get my kayak and come back.
I have great respect for Verlen but don’t hear much about him. Is there enough of a story here to be interesting or educational?
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North Face owner worth millions and millions done because he skipped a drysuit.
Bent my own rules 63.5°F no drysuit. I went really in a big fat canal 100 yards wide and a Bay where deep water is 100 feet from bulkhead the rest you can walk even at high tide. Houses line the shore calm. Dragging my hand I said imagine my whole body in there for even 30 minutes. Wetsuit for few more degree drop with conservative conditions. I haven’t worn it in years. Then drysuit time.
Verlen wasn’t really an open water paddler. The chapter in the book “The Ultimate Canoe Challenge” is titled “Not Really Canoe Country” (page 147 in my copy).
Steve Landick and Verlen were caught in a storm well off shore just south of Cape Blanco, Oregon. According to the story, Verlen flipped off of the top of a big wave & the boat was gone in a second. Landick managed to get him onto his stern (but not on the back deck), switch to a double blade paddle, and set off an EPIRB. Maybe an hour and a half or so until a Coast Guard chopper arrived. Verlen was hypothermic (core temp 91) when he made it to the hospital inCoos Bay. July 21, 1982
what impressed me as much as his accomplishments is that he owned his mistake and shared it in a very public way so that others could learn from it
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Agree. I find it terribly helpful when people are willing to do this. His errors in judgement were ones that many could make.
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Wow really glad he is okay. As someone who often paddles alone it is sobering to read about someone with that much experience having a close call like that. Super nice boat, by the way.
I doubt he had experience in those conditions, and his boat was new to him also. For all the years on the water he made a multitude of mistakes. Maybe instead of experienced the term should be able & smart kayaker.
Many trades people have experience but many still are horrible in their trade.
Similar large downwind conditions occurred on several of the big lakes during this year’s 90 miler, he was there but don’t know how he managed them.
Was he in the same hull?
You only need one wave to take you out. I raced offshore boats for years you go over millions I guess then one can bite you badly.
If I was him, a VHF would be my first thing to change if in that position.
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Not a good idea to “get lazy” on small/medium lakes and rivers! Rivers around here take “lazy” people regularly.
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No he was not according to his story, i was speaking only for the conditions as described
19" x 19’+ surf ski is a whole new ball game.
Yes I was mentioning conditions only as I stated which is what you mentioned. If you meant conditions in that particular boat perhaps mentioning it as such would be helpful