Your boat has just flipped

Recent events seem to indicate that this is an appropriate subject.

And while this may seem rather critical, my intent is not to point fingers. Instead it is to have the reader objectively assess theiir own abilities, and if needed, get training and practice.

Personally, I'm in between option 1 and 2. Recent practice was in flatwater, though I've practiced in the past in the ocean. I think it's time for another practice session in the salt. In both my SIK and SOT boats.

Regards,
Scott

Heh Scott,

May I suggest that #1 should be
Oops, laugh, no problem, smoothly right the boat, perform self rescue and flop back into boat, gather up leashed gear and resume fishing.

Randy and I have been there and done that.

And, now that I am starting to dive I am getting LOTS of practice getting back into my boat.  It's cool.

Diving out of the yak does automatically make one extremely familiar and comfortable with getting back on.  It's the relatively new and daunting thought of other equipment failure type scenarios that are getting my mind working...  I know I will be devoting more time to assuring that I'm being safe out there.   

The scenario that occurred to me was a swamped hull i.e. hull is full of water due to mfr. defect.
I practiced self rescue, however: not this particular scenario. coming to a swamped vessel is way different than one that is floating according to mfr. specs.  We we're past the breakers with an outgoing current.Self rescue wasn't an  option and since the other kayak was a tandem hailing for help was our only option. Or I guess I could have asked the other tandem and it's passengers to join us in the water. By the end of our drift we we're approx. 1 1/2 miles from shore. Who among us can swim that distance against the current with a friend in tow? Or even through the current with a friend in tow? Knowing my limitations is reality. Not knowing is deadly.
This is a poll that should be posted and thanks Scott for posting it. I for one have been in more situation than most where life and death lies at such a choice. Please take this topic with some honest appraisal,open mindedness and attitude to help and not make light of this type of situation. I like the position of the student and sometimes it takes being humbled to reach that status..
Show me a teacher who no longer is teachable and I'll show you a fool. Not a phrase I made up but it stuck when I heard it years ago. Thanks Frankfishing

Yeah.  This is a rare opportunity to discuss swamped hulls.  Randy and I have each had it happen one time each.  We were both able to recognize it as you did Frank but had a few minutes to get ourselves back to the shore. 

Mine was due to simply inattentiveness and not closing my hatch properly.......   It is why I returned to carrying my pump and have it accessible.

Randy's was due to a broken rod holder letting lots more water into the hull than you would have ever guessed. 

So, here are two more things folks can hopefully learn from.  Mayb4 folks who don't understand the problem of a flooded hull will add that to the things they do during a beach day?....

I don't quite fit in any of the narrow choices in your poll. Let's see, I have never practiced per se, but:

1) I have windsurfed in he ocean many times and even got caught in a rip tide once with no wind. I just waited it out and found that it circled back in toward the breakers. On the third pass I finally dumped the sail because I found it was too much drag and paddled to the surf and cruised to shore.

2) I've surfed my kayak and dumped it many times in the surf.

3) I've fell over taking off my dive fins, but everything was strapped down, so no big deal.

4) I've kayaked out on a nice day and had the wind rise and tide change and needed to negotiate large surf to get in.

5) I tried surfing when I was a kid and got hit in the jaw by the board when a wave hit it.

These experiences have taught me a lot of useful stuff"
 - never let something get between you and a wave, or you could be bashed
- hold on to your yak if you dump, the wind can push it away faster than you can swim
  and if you hold the rear in surf you will be in more control of not being hit with it in the surf
- don't panic in a rip tide, figure out what it is doing and make a plan.
- wait for calm periods before you open your hatch and get your stuff taken care of quickly and
   close the hatch.
- Dress a little warmer than you need to when out on the ocean, so you have a larger window
  of self rescue if you get dumped, before hypothermia gets you.
- getting in a kayak can be challanging, even more so in rough conditions, some models more than
  others.

Bottom line, experience is the  best teacher, but practice is a good thing to do to gain experience and keep your wits about you. Also, pay attention to tides and the weather, learn how to anticipate them and use them.

Hopefully by 'boat' you mean kayak.
If things get REALLY bad remember all the stuff on your kayak is replaceable. All you need is your yak and paddle to get you to safety. I know PFD, radio etc are great to have and I deem the a necessity as well. But for the sake of argument if there is anything on your kayak preventing you from making it back safely DUMP IT!
If the swell is bad and your yak flips and you have rods attached with a leash and this makes it impossible for you to right your yak, you are running low on energy..DUMP 'EM!
If it is too rough to get back on, sit down, and start paddling you can always lay flat, face down and paddle to get to a spot that is not as bad. Then you can sit up and get under way.
Lower center of gravity is key.
This happened to me when I was ab diving a little too close to wash rocks. The swell came up big time and I couldn't get on sit up and start paddling without getting dumped. I was able to lay flat and paddle out of the 'danger zone' then sit up and get going as normal.
These are great discussions as we can all learn from the experience of others.

Scott,
Note that most of the fishers here secure their paddle on the boat to fish. Convenient, but if they flip they can be be separated from the kayak and paddle pretty quickly. If there is any appreciable wind they have a good chance of not catching the kayak. I think we should stress that simple safety factor a bit more: one of the cardinal rules in sea kyakaing is never let go of the boat or paddle on a wet exit--EVER. Keep the paddle in your lap and tether it with a leash to the kayak. I admit to putting mine down but only to get into a hatch or in lakes. In the ocean--it is in my lap for a quick grab.

Cool.  I keep my paddle on my lap when I fish not because I am too lazy to hook it into its holder...........