Paddle float self rescue video for large SOTs

Excellent video, including numerous ways to upright your beast of a fishing machine! Never thought that the touring boat methods of self rescue with a paddle float could be used for SOTs (or was necessary). Good to know. Perimeter deck lines are a good idea too, but be careful of entanglement. You can easily lose a finger in rough water if they’re too tight or loose and you’re not careful. You’ll have to find a place on your boat behind the seat where you can secure a paddle to use as an outrigger with the paddle float. That will probably take some modification and PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE!!

https://www.railblaza.com/blog/how-to-avoid-kayak-capsize-and-what-to-do-if-you-do-capsize/

This product looks like it could do the trick. It can be used to flip your boat as well:

I carried a paddle float for almost 10 years, it gave me a bit of a feeling of safety.  It's really easy to re-enter with a paddle float.  But I can self rescue in all of my boats (especially the AI  ) It's another piece of cheap insurance for when conditions are more than you can handle, or you are out of steam already.  A rope ladder is also a good idea, but I always carry my Scotty Throw rope, and can fashion one in a jiffy if needed.

I still have a paddle float floating around from my Necky days. I might start carrying it along. I don't see this video as being particularly helpful. The technique I learned from CCK was to swing your leg over the floated paddle to help get on the kayak. There was no strong connection of paddle to kayak to make it an effective outrigger. So using the floated end to get your body up and over the side without tipping the kayak back over was the thing. That and swinging your body weight to be more in line with the boat rather than to the side of the kayak.
When I took new people out, I made them do a wet exit (gotta know how to grab the spray skirt and yank forward when upside down on a fiberglass touring yak) and self rescue as part of it. I called it "getting intimate with the Bay."  But admittedly I have not practiced with the Outback. I need to do that at least once.

I liked this description and px, showing you how to upright a very wide boat with your body weight.

I saw another video of a huge guy getting in from the bow once he easily flipped his boat over. It was the only way he could do it because he was so big. He went in slightly to one side of the bow. This lower volume portion of the boat was pushed down in the water, but that created a ramp for him to be able to slide himself up as he grabbed areas to pull from.

I got my “Rescue Step” in the mail. It’s a good safety device that serves multiple purposes (using it as a tow rope and for portaging too). I’ll carry it every time I’m in a sit on top incase I come across someone that can’t flip their boat over or are too weak or hypothermic to get back in their boat. I’ll also carry a paddle float.

Thanks for the info Max!

i think if there were two kayaks it would be so easy.  you can toe hook the rescue kayak and "plank"your self out and slide back in.

Yeah, those loose bungies would never work in rough water. I have a different system set up on each of my touring boats, since the rigging is always different. Sometimes I have to replace the bungies with thicker bungee material, and put it on very tight. I was taught to hold the paddle shaft onto the coaming to stabilize the paddle, but that was almost 35 years ago and is really hard to do! I’ll try modifying my SOT to have a slip knot system of some sort, or clip. Then I’ll practice!

i think if there were two kayaks it would be so easy.  you can toe hook the rescue kayak and "plank"your self out and slide back in.

If you have a buddy, they should pull up along side your yak on the opposite side and help the swimmer re-board by supporting their kayak to stabilize it with one hand and use your other to help pull them across both kayaks while they kick hard as they can.  Once across the kayaks they can rest for a min before trying to right themselves, catch their breath and laugh a little.

If a person cannot immediately re-enter their kayak, they better have enough insulation on under their dry suit. Without it, they will get too weak too quickly.