What not to do and what not to do when Surf launching and landing & ?

I'm seeing a lot of enthusiastic kayak fisherman with low post counts who are ramping up for Rock Cod and Salmon season on the big blue.   When I first started I went to a seminar Bushy put on. Not everyone can do that. Not everyone can or will take surf and self-rescue classes before going to sea.  Not everyone will be fortunate enough to quickly hook up with some great mentors, the way I was lucky enough to do. I'm sure there are similar threads on NCKA but they seem to be buried where a new members won't find them. So, I'm starting this for easy viewing

What has made NCKA such a great organization is the naturally supportive atmosphere that members exhibit.  We help each other unload, with difficult beach hauls, launching and landing, netting big fish, righting flipped kayaks and helping cartop your kayak when you are exhausted after a long day OTW. These are the things others have done for me. In NCKA waters, we face more challenges and risks than our warm water cousins. The people who are there for you are the ones you want to go out with on the next trip. So, newer members, if you want to get that invite that is not publicly posted. The one to the hot bite, these are things you should take into consideration.

This post is not about teaching newbs manners. It is about the OG giving some tips that can help others go out and come back safely. Tips and short stories on what experience has taught you and sharing what others have done wrong so that our newer brothers and sisters hopefully don't make the same mistakes.  Sharing the spirit that makes NCKA a great community.

To start,

1. Launching: Many of you have been told to have patience when surf launching. To watch the sets come in and then wait for a lull before going out. This is true. What you don't do is wait 10 - 15 feet off the water's edge, for that lull, and then think you are going to haul your heavy ass boat across the sand, into the water, sit down, stabilize and paddle out to deeper water before the big breakers come. Seen it. Ain't likely to be successful. 
At least be at the waters edge with the nose in the water. Personally, I am already floating the boat, calf deep. Keeping nose straight out.  Letting the bow break the small shore washer waves and then pushing forward and hopping in.  Paddling like crazy until well clear of the final, furthest, breakers. This ain't no stroll through the garden. Seen people get a good launch and then take it easy once they are in. Helped some of them rescue their gear from the surf.

2. Launching: Do not go in just deep enough to float the boat and then sit down. Your added weight will effectively ground the boat. If this happens, hop out and stabilize the bow into the next wave. Do not just sit there and think a wave is going to magically come along and float you out to sea. Yeah, this can be hilarious.  Especially when captured on video. Seen it happen. More than once. Didn't end well.

3. Launching and landing:  NEVER have your paddle leashed when launching or landing. You can become entangled and trapped against the boat. Your movements become limited. You cannot move well enough to control the boat when the next wave comes. This is very hard on your knees, not to mention your other body parts when you are trapped between a toppling boat and the sand / rocks.

Next ?

4. ........

5.  ........

Dont do a mass launching, 3 or 4 group is more than plenty for the confusion factor to come into effect!!

Landing:

1. learn high and low brace.
Generally: brace left if you break left, and brace right if you break right.

If you Hobie it in, br prepared to buy drive replacement parts and a rudder pin. 

just practice with an empty boat for the day !

Paddle hard like a MO FO, like your life depends on it; both on entry and exit.
When you hit the beach, or at least are ready to get off your kayak, DON'T DICK AROUND! Get off and get your ass and kayak to the beach ASAP!
If something falls of the kayak, forget about it until you and your kayak are safely ashore.
I've seen WAY too many people dilly dally in the surf zone only to get whacked by the next wave when they could have avoided it completely if they were't DICKIN' AROUND.

OOOHHH YA !!!!!!!! NEVER.......NEVER get between your boat and the beach....... the wave and your kayak will tell you if you do..... funny to watch but the other guy said it hurt like hell.

It is really pretty simple and can be broken down into four steps.

1. Wear a gopro and be sure it is turned on.
2. Make sure a friend is filming you from shore so we can see another angle.
3. Go for it.
4. Share the results.

It is really pretty simple and can be broken down into four steps.

1. Wear a gopro and be sure it is turned on.
2. Make sure a friend is filming you from shore so we can see another angle.
3. Go for it.
4. Share the results.

This!

Or spend the money and take an intro to kayaking/surf zone class. And no, you will not learn how to do it from watching youtube.

And no, you will not learn how to do it from watching youtube.

That is so not true. If you watch this you are pretty much golden:

Commit like you mean it.  No half measures. 

Why did they launch from that corner???

Why did they launch from that corner???

I was thinking the same thing...

When they panned the camera to the left, I was like WTF???  They picked the worst part of the entire beach, with that weird little eddy action going on.


Dude was getting rejected by the ocean, repeatedly

Always make sure your paddle is ready to go and not strapped in the holder. Nothing like realizing as the wave approaches that you can’t get to your paddle in time.     

that video is so painful to watch

that video is so painful to watch

The kayak and waves told his knees and shins that he was on the wrong side, maybe they should have launched him first.