Not relevant unless someone plans to join, but this spring as before Maine Island Trail Association is doing a presentation of sea kayaking preparations.
Maryland has no permit or registration requirements for non-motorized boats, nor does Delaware, DC, or Virginia. In fact the only state that I have been to that has a (confusing) set of registration requirements is Pennsylvania. Maryland has attempted to impose a registration fee for non-motorized boats a couple of times that I know of, until it was pointed out that the boater registration fees that they were considering would cost more to administer than they would bring in.
As far as ACA, while they do a great deal of good, they are he ones that initiated the 120° Rule (Formerly 100°) and the USCG used the temperature rule that ACA initiated. It’s slowly beginning to change, but it can still be found lurking in various corners of ACA’s somewhat disorganized website last I looked. Once an organization develops a set of rules, it’s like turning an oil tanker for them to change. They’ve never responded to any policy questions that I have asked. As long as ACA is giving away grant money, they should consider providing safety signs at public launch sites specific to the local area. I thing signage is a great idea.
I’ve never had much luck in pointing out the dangers of cold water. Most just say, “I don’t plan on tipping over”. All I can reply is, “No one ever does”. There are multiple deaths every year in the Chesapeake area, especially in the Spring. I’ve had more luck in at least getting people to think if I come across people paddling in big open water not wearing a PFD and having no sign of a paddlefloat. I start by asking them if they have ever thought of what they would do if they capsized. Most have never thought of it or assumed they could just climb back in the boat.
As an officer in our Club, I’ve been able to get the USCG “If Found” stickers in bulk. I always carry some and give them out to anyone that wants one at launch sites. So far I have given out over 800 in the last few years.
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Re, the upside down paddle: I have a Werner low angle paddle which is miserable for high angle stroke right side up, and quite a bit better upside down. Obviously I am doing something wrong, but the boat moves better that way
This is a Great thread. Lots of constructive thinking. I see two types of “learner groups” that need educating in my locale. The terms are mine, not meant to be pejorative:
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Occasional, hobbyists: the people who rent a kayak or have one that they got at the bog box store for the few times they want to go on the water for whatever reason. These folks aren’t reading safety literature, or taking lessons or even paddling with others. May not have a PFD or any other safety gear. The only way you reach them is with a sign in their face at the launch site, maybe a short article about boating safety in the local newspaper.
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Serious enthusiasts, life-long paddlers: these folks tend to belong to a club, paddle with others, have taken some form of lesson. I don’t think this is the target audience for intervention. They’re squared away Provided, they got good instruction and/or are with a peer group that has good safety behaviors.
Being in a club does not insure good behaviors. I’ve belonged to cycling and paddling clubs where safety was not built into the program. I remember one event where there was drinking > last event for me. So membership in a club doesn’t always help; maybe everyone is at the same level of mediocre!
Lessons. Can’t compel people to take them. We can’t compel firearm safety courses how could we do this? Permits > there’s not enough LEO to check every kayak and canoe in NY.
I keep coming back to public information. Signs. Local publications. Maybe some organization has a cogent safety presser that can be forwarded to the editors of your local paper right around Easter, a “it’s getting warmer and you might want to head out for a paddle, but here’s few things to think about” article.
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As long as canoe and kayak liveries introduce most new paddlers to the sport, there is little we can do.
If we harp too loudly it will just piss people off and safety will be a worse problem.
I admit that living in Florida has not made me the most knowledgeable person in cold water paddling. The heaviest piece of paddling clothes I own is a shorty wetsuit to keep my core warm during winter downwinders. It is all I need and many that do them wear less.
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Which feature makes the paddle a low angle paddle? I guess maybe your high angle stroke might be more efficient, or more powerful than your low angle stroke.
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Werner’s “low angle” paddles have a longer narrower blade and are more asymmetrical than their “high angle” paddles. When paddling aggressively with this type of blade I find the blade tends to twist ( the larger upper half of the face lags behind the smaller lower half) and I lift a lot of water with the paddle at the end of the stroke.At low speed I can counteract this tendency of the paddle by releasing pressure on the power face completely before slicing the blade up out of the water. Flipping the paddle upside down causes a twist in the opposite direction, which slices the paddle cleanly out of the water at the end of the stroke. I could probably learn to do this with the paddle right side up, but I have not found any reason I should. And the high angle stroke is certainly more powerful, I only really use the Euro paddle for high angle, If I want something more relaxed I use the GP. Sorry for the thread hijack, but there is at least one person out there who uses a paddle upside down and is interested in kayaking safety.
Around here (southern New England), water temps follow a similar pattern - above 65 from about mid-May to mid-September. Here is the temperature chart for one of my local rivers.
Not a sea kayaker, but I imagine it would be similar for the ocean with the highs not as high and the lows not as low.
I do paddle year round, but I’m pretty careful in real cold water - PFD (always), drysuit with appropriate insulation, trip within skill level, group for support. The best natural-flow whitewater paddling around here is in March and April, so either you paddle in cold water or you miss some fun rivers. I took a swim two weeks ago when the water was in the mid-30s and even in my drysuit with two layers of insulation (polypro long john’s and a fleece liner) that water was COLD. I was out of the water in a matter of minutes, but I can see how you would have problems with a longer immersion.
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True that!
Some rental boats on a local river in MA last summer.
Having said that, these paddlers (and this livery) were doing what was required. The law in MA is that PFD’s are required to be worn by:
- youth less than 12 years of age
- personal watercraft users (jet skis)
- waterskiers
- canoeists/kayakers from September 15 - May 15
The picture was taken in August, so cold water was not an issue, and a PFD was not required to be worn. At least the PFD is on the boat - better than nothing.
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I do think you need to differentiate between a “real” paddling club (with trip guidelines, safety standards, experienced leaders and training), and what are essentially “meet-up groups” that call themselves clubs. Some people don’t like the structure, but paddling clubs around here are actually pretty good about introducing new paddlers to the sport in a safe and responsible way. Personally, I avoid meet-up group trips unless there are people on the trip that I know from somewhere else.
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Finding the right bunch does require judgement. It did when I was a more serious road bicyclist a couple of decades or so ago. There was one local club which had good habits in terms of safety, another which I would not touch with a ten foot pole.
I have found meet up groups in paddling to be a mixed bag - putting it kindly in a couple of cases. Like someone else said, I look for groups where there is someone whose habits I already know.
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Thanks to everyone for posting.
This post is so good as the links provided are a must watch video for every person new to paddling and excellent refresher for those that have seen it before. I think I will edit the links into the opening post along with some other info as in the future people finding the thread will start there.
I like the direction the thread has taken where it is clear the information is out there the real question is much like where I started the thread, How do you get the information to those that are clueless? The USCG video even points out what I have been seeing here and had a feeling was happening around where I live. The combination of the pandemic and people seeking out something to do and get out of the house and yet not be around a lot of people, combined where you can buy a 6pack of beer and a kayak for under 250 bucks has in part driven the fatality rate up higher than it has ever been.
I see a few others have posted similar to my original idea of point of launch information being helpful. It would really be a chance for a quick chance of very minimal education and the factors mentioned in the video could be addressed. PFD, Water temp, Water speed and Alcohol.
Your USGS chart looks very much like mine here in PA. My guess is give or take a week most of the northern rivers follow pretty close at least East of the Mississippi. Mountain runoff in the west might keep the water colder longer. I don’t really know.
Your input on how cold it can be even with proper cold water gear, a boat set up for reentry and others with you that also know what they are doing to assist is important for others to read. Just change any one of those factors a little and it becomes quite a different situation.
I agree the rivers can and should be enjoyed when they are at their best and the water is cold. The difference being a lot more dollars in equipment and a lot higher skill level of the paddlers.
As to the idea of paddling in groups. There seems to me to be some degree of improved safety in not being alone even if the person you are with is not your favorite type of person to paddle with. I understand the idea of the reason we paddle are to enjoy the sport and being out in nature and all that. But in the case of two people showing up at the same launch at the same time and agreeing to go together given they had somewhat similar abilities would seem to be a good idea at face value.
I haven’t seen much data on safety given solo vs. two or more. For open water crossing I would almost think it would be a must to have more than one boat.
Around here for the last 10 years the sit inside rec-kayak has been what the majority of people were running and everything from Wal-Mart to OT models so from $150-700 some with some floatation others with none. Over the last couple years sit on top rec-kayaks have been showing up more and more and kind of in the same price range.
I’m just wondering if the SOTs are actually a bit safer especially in the cheaper end of the market. Reason being from what I can see and I haven’t paddled a SOT but for the most part they don’t offer the same protection of getting wet as the sit insides. So in cold water without immersion dress you might figure out quicker the water is too cold and decide against a cold water paddle. The second factor is a rec-kayak sit inside is not the easiest to wet enter from deep water where the SOT looks like it would be easier to flop onto and it will self drain. I can picture someone going off in colder water and being back on in a minute or two as long as they stay with the boat. Sit inside Rec-kayaks can maybe give a false sense of security?
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I may just see about getting some of the (if found stickers) and do the same.
It is kind of a nice way to open a conversation with someone you don’t know and could lead to a safety conversation. I have found if you give someone something then it is a bit easier to talk to them or even offer them more information to look at later.
I’m a diver. Began kayaking as a means of transportation to and from my dive sites. Ocean Kayak Scupper Pro SOT has been my go to kayak and I’ve been paddling it in the ocean since 1994. ALWAYS dressed for immersion because immersion was the point. Water temperatures between 53 and 65 degrees F.
During the Covid lock-down I built a Pygmy Ronan. WAY different animal. I took an introductory kayak course and learned how to perform a wet exit and several methods (both assisted and solo) of re- entering and getting the water out. While I have plenty of experience with my SOT, I’ve much more to learn before I am a competent paddler in my Ronan.
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What I was referring to is the trend for states (here in the US) to stop requiring a conceal carry permit in order to legally carry a concealed firearm. Getting the permit requires some class time and a minimum proficiency.
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In New Hampshire, getting a carry permit only required a clean criminal record and $10. Many states that require (or used to require) a class only focused on basic firearm safety, and not on the judicious use of the firearm, and those classes weren’t usually required for purchasing and owning a firearm, just carrying one concealed. In some states, a person could carry openly without a carry license (NH was one of them). States switching to permitless carry just took the state bureaucracy out of the process and had little to no effect on firearm safety in general. If the issuing authorities in these states didn’t abuse their power by repeatedly refusing to issue carry permits to qualified individuals and state legislatures didn’t treat carry permit applicants as simply another source of revenue, it wouldn’t have ever been an issue.
I think all the fees and registrations are BS since administration and enforcement cost more than the relatively small fee. And those fees often don’t cover all users. We see this with the local bike path fees where I live. Every adult riding a bike has to buy a $28 annual ticket (or $5 daily) to use the bike paths. In 5 years I came across one checkpoint. Imagine 3-4 Sheriff deputies standing there all Saturday ($100 per hour at minimum per person). Plus the fact that we have shootings and other things going on that will be neglected. There is a large portion of riders ignorantly not paying. And on nice days 99% of the bike path users are skaters, walkers, and whatever who all don’t have to pay the fee. And there is no enforcement of the real danger - 1000W throttle operated ebikes that allow a total noob to go with 30 mph.
As for safety education, first be a role model and be as safely fitted as necessary. I often talk to other paddlers and if they seem nice and are noobs, I casually bring up the fact that I wear PFD, but don’t see many using one and that this is dangerous. But that is after I already have a friendly rapport with them. I recently sold my IK and made sure to tell the buyer to use a PFD (without making paddling sound like a crazy dangerous sport).
Training classes etc. are nice, but don’t cover the Darwin Award applicants. Someone who signs up for a class, already knows they lack skills and that it can be dangerous, they just don’t know how dangerous exactly.
Where I live 99% of people don’t wear PFD and I’m not even sure many have one. Most boats are Walmart types and paddlers are warm-Sunday paddlers. We have a large crowd of ice-fishers who still go on the ice when it is 50°F and sunny. Obviously they often need rescue… I imagine those being the same people paddling without wetsuit and Darwin will get them eventually.
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