Newbie here, been getting out on water as much as possible this fall. Been surfing the net for as much education as I can get also. Found a video for re-entry into kayak where woman used paddle float, laid on her back in the water along side kayak with arms stretched across paddle then lifted far leg up and over and corkscrewed herself back into kayak. Now that I want to share this video with my girlfriends, I can’t find it. Can anyone help?
search for…
paddle float heel hook
heel hook
Thanks, found it. That’s the terminology I needed. Kathi Morrison’s technique is just a bit different in that she lays on her back rather than facing boat and lifting leg in.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMghCzD-85o
self rescue
Better yet, go practice some wet exits and re-entries. Then try them in rough water.
We Made Up Our Own
I don’t know if it works for a woman’s physiology but ours was reliable and simpler. You start from the same position as the Youtube lady but then you:
stay on your back.
put both feet in the boat.
grab the far coaming with your left hand.
grab the paddle shaft out near the float with your right.
pull with your left/ push down with your right and hoist your butt in the seat.
No corkscrew motion.
(But then you learn to roll and you don’t have to fool with any of that stuff.)
Yep
I do the heel-hook the same way, face-up the whole time. I think the corkscrew motion just complicates it.
Cowboy scramble
Google it. No paddle float required. Just good to have more than one tool in the bag.
Heel hook/paddle float
I have tried this one, was very surprised how easy it was. Nailed it on the first try.
I don’t think it would work for most women to put both feet in the cockpit at one time because of leg length - it would turn into a high strength butt lift rather than the very low stress entry from the heel hook. You get a lot of mechanical advantage with that corkscrew motion.
w/ or w/out paddlefloat, I agree
– Last Updated: Nov-20-13 9:59 AM EST –
Might help to practice the move with one. But practicing this, edging your kayak, standing up in your kayak, etc., in increasingly challenging conditions and it becomes easy in flatwater. I use it all the time when I want to dump and take a swim to cool off or stretch.
heel hook self rescue
The heel hook self rescue is now taught all over the world. The Sea Kayaker Magazine featured an article written by Christine Tabor Buris and illustrated the heel hook about 2 years ago. Based on that article I went out and tried it myself. Yes, it does work and does not put any strain on your limbs - and it does not need any upper body strength. Google Heel Hook Self rescue and my 22 second video shows how easy it is to perform in the water. I am not strong, athletic, young or thin. This will get you going until you further hone and add other self rescue techniques. I went on to acquire my ACA 3 star credentials and a solid combat roll. Good luck.
Heel hook recovery
I sure agree with other posters that you want to develop a variety of recovery techniques, but if you’re just starting out, the “heel hook” that I learned from Kathi Morrison (and posted on my blog at http://www.norcalyak.com/2011/08/kayakers-voyage-of-self-rescue.html )is hard to beat. I’m in my 60s, was suffering from a bad shoulder at the time, and easily got back into my yak on the first try. When done as an assisted recovery with someone who knows the technique well, you can literally get back in the boat in seconds. Check it out.
I agree
A cowboy scramble isn’t the easiest thing to do. On my kayak its easy as it has a real flat rear deck making getting your chest up on it easier than some more rounded kayaks. Plus if its so rough of conditions to get flipped its quite hard to have the balance in big waves to not tip back over again (done that).Sure I have seen tons of people doing a cowboy scramble online BUT very few in really tough conditions. Only one I have seen is on the DVD I have by Gordon Brown. He does one in like 8 foot swells.
Better off learning to do a modified roll were you attach the paddle float to your paddle and re-enter and roll up with paddle float attached. You cant miss and don’t have to no how to do a regular roll to do it. Its rather easy in my opinion. I like to practice under real world conditions were most practice in calm conditions that aren’t realistic in conditions were you might actually have to use it. A roll comes to mind. Great in a pool but try it in 5 footers is another story. Not saying this to anyone in particular just a general observation.
leg over, SeakayakingCarolina
This one? about the 5th one down on the page-- http://www.seakayakcarolina.com/videos.html
What do you know - PNet Posted Vid
– Last Updated: Jan-04-14 12:01 PM EST –
http://youtu.be/j-zpJQeiaNc
I got to try the face-up version described in this thread (no corkscrew).
I broke my GP doing
the face up heel hook on flat water. Funny thing I had used the same paddle and different boat in 2’ swells a couple months before, no problem.
was mad about all that
in the beginning, then realized that in flat water you never capsize and in rough water all the movements/time needed is just too much hassle and time spent on perfection of re-entry with paddle float is better spend on rolling and re-entry-and-roll… If you boat allows cowboy scramble, train that to a decent level, if not very useful, just try to nail re-entry-and-roll.
I had great laughs trying paddle float re-entry last summer in really crappy conditions. Either you’d end up with a boatfull of water or capsize trying to get the paddle/float or both… Re-entering, rolling and then having a buddy hold you as you pump out was the easiest. Pumping by yourself is tricker but managable.