Paddle Pirate
Thanks, that needed to be said. You’re right on the mark.
Jsaults
Apparently, I mis-read them the same way. 
waterdoc
Good post. I have used a rescue strap and found it to be the quickest and easiest (but not the only) way to get back into my kayak. As you alluded to re: women, my upper body strength is really poor, always has been even when the rest of me was in fine shape. But I do have strong legs so the rescue strap is a good option for me.
Too bad there are apparently some who would deny that option to others that if they could.
Much of this just comes down to using some common sense about where and in what conditions we paddle.
Do you speak from personal experience?
Keep working on it…
… I think you managed to tag useless comments to almost all of my posts this week!
I’m only posting my own opinions. Some get that, some don’t. You can do whatever you want (including ignoring that people offering info contrary to or different from your experience may still have something to offer).
If you can’t get into you kayak without a ladder and still feel safe to paddle - fine. Personally, I’d work on more options.
Now to answer you question, experience with what? I was asking a rhetorical question. Grow a friggin’ sense of humor already.
This link worked
unlike the ‘other one’.
Greyak has some good points. but until I’m happy with some rolls, I’m taking along some extra equipment.
It’s an old Boy Scout thing - – -Be Prepared
The "other link"
needs to be cut & pasted in its entirety…some message boards extend long links over more than one line, which truncates the hyperlink. If you just cut and paste, you’re good to go.
Tinyurl.com helps
Commercially bought AND needed
sorry for this immense post.
I’ve got a commercially bought stirrup from KOP in ontario (no website, but mine came from an outfitter near Algonquin).
Bought it as a “just in case emergency backup”. It’s little more than sturdy webbing strap with a loop on one end, and a semi-stiff- tube-encased loop/stirrup on the other end. Comes with nylon bag and instructions.
I’m a bit overweight, but reasonably fit. I’d rate myself as slowly nearing intermediate paddling ability, but with no roll skills. I can paddle float self rescue in most conditions (that I have been lucky or un-lucky enough to find myself in or practice during).
Last year while paddling in cool water, a storm blew up fast off of Georgian Bay and caught me coming home after a tiring early morning paddle. I had a thin farmer john on, paddling jacket, gloves, pfd, etc. All the necessary equipment, although I was probably dressed a bit light for immersion.
The wind came up fast and the waves were larger and choppier than I had felt comfortable attempting before. I soon caught a bad wave and dumped. The wind threatened to blow my yak away, but luckily I had a paddle leash. (crutch? do real men always hang on?
Don’t really know whether it was the waves, the cold water, the lack of breakfast and fatigue, but by the time I got my paddle float inflated and on while struggling to hold the kayak (hands were getting cold even with gloves) I was waterlogged, cold and too fatigued to get myself back in after a dozen attempts (each one tiring me more).
I finally remembered the stirrup (which I had mainly practiced in calm water). It took a while to get it rigged semi-correctly, but it worked. Cold hands and tired arms and shoulders are no match for a motivated leg push, I practically sent myself over the other side.
The funny part is that by the time I was back in and pumping out the wind had died by half, and the sun had come back out.
I don’t really know if my life was in danger, I could see land, and was being blown towards shore, (eventually), the water was not super cold, etc.
But I did have a couple moments of near-panic, when I realized that my preparations, and the sudden changing conditions were not really in sync anymore, and that the water was colder than I’d anticipated.
And that is where this debate about skills vs. experience seems to fall apart. What did I do wrong? I was a little underdressed for conditions I could have faced (and ended up having to) but not by an amount to be called stupidity! I had practiced self rescues in a variety of conditions that I thought I’d encounter. (remember I’m still relatively new at this) I don’t go out if it looks too hairy out, I practice recoveries, I equip myself as appropriately as possible for the conditions.
Sh*t happens, and it’s nice to have some backup skills and equipment “just in case”.
I don’t agree with the “crutch” argument, but I agree that with the growing popularity of the sport that “good enough” will probably become the rule rather than the exception for the majority of weekend warriors (of which I am one). I try to do better, but I realize that most newer paddlers are going to try the water regardless. I don’t think it’s unreasonable for winter campers to have more than one way to start a fire in the woods. Learning the proper woodcraft should be one of the goals to strive for, but in emergencies, I won’t condemn someone for remembering they have a bic lighter in the bottom of their pack.
The other issue is practice vs. reality.
Honestly, how many of you practice your rolls and/or re-entries
AFTER a long tiring paddle, when you are cold and hungry, in conditions you don’t really want to paddle in anyway? Do you know exactly how much clothing you need to wear and the exact water temp? What if you are almost injured, wrist is already sore? Shoulder is ready to pop? Most people want OFF the cold water, and out of the waves that they know they may not be qualified for, avoid the injury, etc. YET THESE ARE THE VERY CONDITIONS THAT CAUSE CAPSIZES! I don’t blame anyone for not always practicing in these situations, I think most of us hope/assume that enough calm, or semi-rough practice sessions will eventually lead to the skills we need to attempt the nastier conditions. But you never know, and I’ll take any help I can get on my journey. Especially a leg up.
I don’t paddle a yak, but I’m interested
in self-rescue, and I can’t roll. I recently had a chance to try self-rescue in a pool with my solo and tandem canoes. I wasn’t too successful with either. Complicating matters would be that chances are for the tandem canoe, I’d be tripping with my wife so the canoe would be loaded. I can right the canoe using the raft trick of a rope being pulled over the overturned canoe. Once bailing out the canoe (a slow process since it’s 18 ft and has lots of volume) I can haul myself into it when my wife holds the other side to counter my weight. I then can pull her into the canoe. Not too bad except for the problem of the time it takes bailing out the canoe.
The solo canoe presents a different problem. I have air bags consequently the canoe hardly fills up with water so bailing is not a problem; however, I can’t reenter the canoe. I can’t even reenter it in shallow water when I’m standing on the bottom of the pool. I simply can’t get enough momentum to launch myself far enough onto the canoe so the canoe doesn’t turn over. The problem has nothing to do with my fitness level, since while at sixty-one I’m not training for the Olympics and could lose a few pounds (in fact I do go to the Y several times a week getting myself for the summer), but I simply don’t have the correct technique. It’s questionable that I could ever get it even with extensive practice?
Yes, I know all about not going far from shore etc., but life is not just black and white and some times you find yourself doing things you shouldn’t, or in a situation you can’t control, e.g., you dump close to shore by cliffs. When you’re tripping in a remote area you don’t want to abandon your gear. Yes, I also know I shouldn’t be paddling without another boat, but I’d never paddle if I depended on getting other paddlers to go on a trip.
Giving the problem some thought because I don’t want to stop paddling and tripping, it seemed like the sea yakkers that can’t roll because they can’t master the roll, or because they are loaded down like a container ship, must have the problem figured out or they wouldn’t be paddling on open water.
The paddle float seems like a winner; however, the canoe has a lot more free-board so I’m thinking that the canoe would lean to far unless the float was large. Are there any floats that might work for a canoe out there? I was also thinking that perhaps I could rig the paddle under the canoe to compensate for the extra free-board?
Would a bilge pump work faster than just a bleach bottle? I’m thinking also I’ll have to figure out a way to carry a floatation bag on my tandem even when loaded with gear.
Any thoughts on the subject would be appreciated.
avoid kevlar paddle floats
warning… some humor attempted…
– Last Updated: Mar-22-07 6:22 AM EST –
Well I'm not sure I'm "worthy" to be on the water..perhaps I am though, as I'm over 50 and physically fit..at least on the good days that oldsters sometimes have.
I was in calm water giving a friend an introductry kayak lesson trying to explain the difference between edging and leaning.
He did capsize accidently while I spoke to him and managed his wet exit ok but was kind of panicky swimming in the water.
Young and fit in his 20's...
He looked like he would be ok... so I hit him repeatedly on the head till he drowned.
I had deemed him unworthy to be on the water for tipping over in such benign calm waters in the 1st place...served him right.
Opps...actually since the water wasn't that deep I suggested he try to touch bottom..that worked well... and he stood up and walked to shore.
Where I berated him some more as I'm not sure his slogging to shore was done in proper style with all due finesse and aplomb.
Now that I have had time to reflect on it.. next time, in deeper water, I'll bring a rope sling.
Figure I'll just use that to strangle anyone who might need some help getting into their boat..after all just the fact they may need help just shows how unworthy they are to be on the water with me.... as I know how to roll....well except for the fact I dislocated my shoulder while patting myself on the back for my general wonderfulness....
Rescue Strap
I agree with doubledipper. There is no better, cheeper, and reliable way. Use a standard tie down stap and adjust it to what ever size you need or a friend may need, with just a simple adjustment.
No cheaper, better way?
Tie down straps with the cam buckles sink if dropped. So…if you drop it–and it’s your last resort–you’re toast.
I posted this a while ago, but it sort of got buried. Here’s a rig that costs under $5.00 to make, is small, quick-release, and floats.
http://www.phpaddlers.com/blogroll/mark-pecot/rethinking-rescue-stirrups/
stirrups
kayak41north,
i made the stirrup you posted just for fun and to try something new and it seems to work quite well. Do you ever have problems with the quick release holding under pressure (mine seems to come out fairly easy). The only adjustment i made was using a 12ft line instead of 9ft. I prefer the little extra length. Thanks for the post though.
happy paddling
Thanks, jabberwock… I was going to
ask about the effect of cold on re-entry attempts.
Injuries and medical upset…
Even the famous Brian Nystrom wrote an article about how cold water hit his head and he was unable to roll or stay under water for even a second. There goes the roll or reenty and roll and all those wonderful skills.
The point is: seasickness can happen to anyone as well as the vertigo associated with cold water in the ears. A surprise sickness on the water and nausia over nothing. A dislocated shoulder or arm can render anyone useless and sometimes happens to paddlers. And don’t forget simple exhaustion.
The paddler who thinks HE is invincible is a fool.
Quick release releasing…
– Last Updated: Mar-22-07 5:32 PM EST –
I've never had a problem with the quick release pulling through under pressure. You may want to try a smaller bowline...
Also, keep the bowline and ball bit more or less directly opposite from part you step into. (This is quite natural for a person using this rig to rescue someone else, but for someone getting in on their own, it means the connection is on the opposite side of the boat). This ensures that the pressure on the line pulls the bowline and ball away from each other, which locks them together.