PIF Splash - lessons learned

So, after a great day on the water, I was headed back in and went to dip the Salmon to keep it cool. Couldn't find it!  Couldn't find the leash holding the clip !! I had already called in to say I had a Salmon for the wife's east coast relatives who were coming for dinner. Was pissed and in too much of a hurry to find it and I leaned over too far. Splash!
I was having trouble getting back in. Righted the yak three times but it kept tipping. First on scene, just like two weeks ago, was a PBer who hung out and talked to me while I made my attempts.  Someone said the PBer was a friend of theirs, Please extend my thanks.  Then Pat - Sin Coast and Alien and a Kuya on an AI with one outrigger came to my aid  The AI stablized my yak while I got back on board.  There was a lot of water in the yak. I was having trouble balancing.  Pat had a pump which he loaned me.  I was  able to get enough water out to make it steerable. Pat and Alien hung with me  until we got close to shore.

I sometimes use a rod hold on a long double extender arm. Somehow it ripped off during the spill. The 1 1/2" hole let a lot of water in. That was why it kept tipping. Except for some dampness around my chest the drysuit did it's job. However the air in it went to the top and in turn my feet sank. I got a really good deal on the dry suit because it was an XXL. One size too big for me. Normally not a problem and the suit is very comfortable. Still, the extra volume means more air ballooning to the top. It's not like in a wetsuit where your feet float more easily. The ballooning made it harder to get my feet to the surface to ease entry. Therefore I'd kick to bring my feet up and leverage the yak more while doing so. The yak, being full of water, would tip again as I leveraged it. I had absolutely no idea that I had a hole in the yak or that my efforts were letting more water in. This compounded the difficulty getting back onboard.

Deepest thanks to Pat, Alien, and the brother on the AI, whose name I didn't catch. Truest brothers OTW.

Lessons learned.
1) Avoid long extensions on flush mount adapters that can leverage and pop off  the adapter.
2) Use kayak specific pop rivets. This was my first mod on my first kayak when I bought it three plus years ago. I used the standard silver pop rivets  and they just don't hold as well as the kayak specific ones.
3) Even If you have already practiced self rescue in board shorts or a wetsuit, practice again when you upgrade to a drysuit. 
4) Be aware that if you buy the Drysuit in a larger size that the extra volume will add to the balloon characteristics when you go for a swim.
5)  Have a pump among your safety gear. I definitely think a pump has to be mounted somewhere on the exterior. Trying to reach a pump inside a yak full of water - IE: opening a hatch and constantly changing your balance points to reach the pump is not a good idea. Opening up a yak with a little water or a slow leak may be OK , but I had lots of water in there.

I had a little excitement two weeks ago and again at PIF. Hopefully my next expedition will boring except for a big stringer of fish. Also, hopefully this will make me a better and wiser kayaker. I lost some gear and a couple rod/reels, but I have plenty of those. The only sad part is that one rod was the custom spiral eye wrap, PIF 2011 marked special, that Marv / Shiken made and I won at last years event. Awesome rod 

PS: The Salmon was still attached 

Good tips LRM! Glad to hear that it worked out with no real loss or injury.

PS: The Salmon was still attached 

^ i was hoping for this!

i learned that a hand pump is going to be in my very near future. thanks for posting your experience Kirk......and when you told me this happened later that day, i was happy that your Salmon was still attached and the (east coast) family plans were still on!

^ i was hoping for this!

X2!!! That would have scared me to think I might have lost some pink! Glad it all worked out. jim

pics after the spill.
glad you save the pink meat







let head to shore for more drinks and food...

Kirk - You came out OK and that's what is important.  Looks like you're getting a pump soon. I suggest a carrying a throw rope that's designed for kayaking and a blunt tip knife attached your PFD.  If you remember Capitola your kayak was tied to the boat dock and you had to get it a better spot because of the big swells rolling in.  I used my Wenoka knife to cut it free.

Just glad you're OK dude!
We were the last ones out there still. It was getting choppy. And we were drinking too much. The round flush-mounted Scotty base ripped out, leaving a huge hole on the deck. I'm sure there's a few lessons to be learned from this. I know I learned a bunch.
Kirk you were calm & collected during the ordeal--I really think that helped make the situation better.

That's the second time I've had to use my bilge pump in the last 3 trips...after not using it once in 3yrs (scroll down the Safety First page for the last report--or read the article on KFM http://www.kayakfishingmagazine.net/articles/102-current-issue-featured-articles-on-kayak-fishing/1491-pumpkuhl.html). Spooky timing.   
It was Alien's old fishing buddy in the Robalo that helped net your floating gear. And that was BabyManBen on the AI. But I'm pretty sure we all would've done the same for a brother in need. Because we're like a big family. We bros. (-: 

One thing that I'm going to do as a result--is install a backing plate on the flush-mount Scotty base that I use a rod extender with.

Kirk,
Did you 'burp' the suit before you started the day or afterwards when you went into the drink?
Kayak specific rivets, or better yet a nut, washer and bolt are the way to go. depending on how hard the mount is to reach, I use either cutting board backing or 1''x1/4'' aluminum strip.
Sometimes the aluminum works better when there's a curve in the hull where you are trying to mount.
Glad you're OK and props to the brother that came to your aid.
We bros.

BMB - Thanks !!!!!
Pat - Backing plate sounds like a good idea. As we know some spots are hard to reach to install a plate like that. I'll definitely give it a try.
Tote- No I didn't "burp" it.  The ballooning aspect wasn't something I was aware of or had heard on our site. Will definitely do that next trip, but wonder about the effectiveness as these suits are advertised as water proof but " breathable".

To burp your suit, stick your finger in the neck and pull it out a little bit as if to let some fresh air in.
Now squat as low as you can go with the neck pulled out.
Once you've reached the lowest position, try to put your chest against your knees to squeeze out as much air as possible.
Once you've done that remove your finger from the neck gasket then stand up.
Quite a bit of air, but not all, should be removed from your suit.

Glad to hear all ended well.

5)  Have a pump among your safety gear. I definitely think a pump has to be mounted somewhere on the exterior.

Bought one today on the way home from work.

Great job helping a brother out.  We Bros.  I like that.   

Great job sharing this, Kirk - we can all learn from it.

Great news that your pink was actually still there! 

Kirk glad you are OK but most importantly that you saved face with the family and provided fresh salmon 

We bros. (-: 

technically according the grammar police  should it not be "we be bros?" 

Thanks for sharing your mishap Kirk. Glad to hear the fish was secured to be shared with the east coast relatives.

Jedmo

Glad you are ok Kirk. Also happy that there were a few guys around to help out.

I still think that the bilge pumps should have an extended hose connected to it.
This would make it more versatile if you were in compromised position.

Thanks for the tip on the drysuit.