what do u guys carry for safety equipment?

Okay, so I must confess that I've been a little bit cavalier about safety stuff. Because I do a good bit of swim training, my bail out plan has always been just that...anything less than two miles, if worse comes to worse, I'll just have a miserable swim. But that whole idea is based on the assumption that I am not injured or incapacitated, and that conditions are manageable...which is dopey thinking.

So I'm coming around to thinking more clearly about this, and realizing that I need to do a bit better, particularly if I take friends out. So I'm off to West Marine to shop for a radio, and maybe a strobe and an air horn.

Thanks folks, for helping me see the light!


 

This has been a great topic b/c it has helped keep safety on our minds.

It is the cold that will get even good swimmers, right?  How long can a healthy person stay alive in the NorCal ocean?  Even with a full wetsuit (which very few of us wear), I don't think it is a long enough to keep you alive overnight.

West Marine, for me, is my last minute goto place. I find items there, VERY expensive. You'd do much better shopping the internet, craigslist or e-bay.

True - but, IMO, if you get a FREE West Marine membership it would pay-off in the end (that's if you plan on shopping there more often in the future)

And I like the fact that I can return electronics if and when it fails on you -    I returned my first VHF (and a FF) and got a refund with no hassel at all - I just exchanged it for a better unit.

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/DisplayPageView?storeId=10001&langId=-1&catalogId=10001&page=WestAdvantageReg&sect=services

Kevin:

In response to your question, I think there are just too many variables to pin it down accurately. How thick a wetsuit? What's the water temp? How much body fat? Swimming actively or floating and hoping? So the answer will be anecdotal (fancy word for bullshit)

I've been a support paddler for an open water swimming race from Capitola to Santa Cruz, which is about six miles. Most swimmers take about three to four hours to finish, and they don't wear wetsuits. This is during the summer when the water is at it's warmest, perhaps 60 degrees. Many of these swimmers emerge slightly hypothermic, stumbling, confused, with muscles stiffening and poor coordination. And this is under optimal circumstances: trained swimmer, well fed and hydrated, comfortable in the water and working hard. So most of us kayak anglers would probably fare much worse. I'm guessing survival time would be measured in hours, on the order of three to six.

Add the wetsuit into the equation and things look better. But I know from experience that I get pretty cold after about ninety minutes of surfing in a 3/2 full suit. And I think wearing a much thicker suit or a dry suit while paddling just isn't really realistic. Lots of shorty suits and farmer johns and spring suits out there. So I'm thinking and guessing that a wetsuit would extend your survival time out there, but not to the point where you would expect to last the night.

So I picked up a little handheld VF50 marine radio from West Marine today, on sale for 129.00, with a little dry bag to keep it out of trouble. It's designed to be submersible, but let's keep it dry, right?

Also picked up a little air horn and a small light for just a few bucks.

So I'm that much safer now, and thanks to all for letting a little sunlight in.

Regards,

TallPaul

Any recommendations on a decent dive knife?  I'm guessing it needs to be able to cut a tangled anchor line quickly...does that require saw teeth on one side or something else special?
 
Thanks

Something I always make sure I always leave behind with my better half is an itinuary letting her where i'm planning on going, and what time I expect to be back at the latest.  I will sometimes even mark my travel plans for that day on a chart from where I plan to launch to all the different stops along the way.  I usually have a fully charged cell phone along with any other safety gear already mentioned in a water tite floatable box.  Always plenty fresh water.

Uncle Ji... that is a great point.  I too always let my wife know where I'm going and when I'll be back and I call her as soon as I'm off the water.  Especially important if you venture out on your own frequently.

Erik

Anyone remember this?




"2 scary moments on the same day"
---------------------------------

"First incident:
Hi, I am a newbie to kayakfishing. I have a Caper and I fished from it a few times in a lake and in S.F. bay. Yesterday was my first time to try open water. I launched at Pillar Point Harbor (Half Moom Bay) in the morning. I paddled north as soon as I left the harbor. After about 15 min. I stopped and decided to start fishing. While I was setting up my rig, my boat was turned by the breeze and faced toward south, and all the sudden a large whale surfaced about few hundred feet right in front. I was scared by the suddenness of its appearance and its size and the noise it made when it surfaced. I dropped down my rod and paddled with all my might to get myself away from its course. Then I didn't see it surface again; my reaction might have scared him off too. Second incident ( I share this with you hoping that we all can learn from it ):

After that I decided to go with the breeze and started paddling toward south. I was about a mile and half from the harbor when the wind all the sudden started to pick up. I decided to paddle back. The wind was very strong and the water turned very choppy. After about 35 min. of hard paddling I was still about half a mile to the entrance of the harbor. I was tired and I felt that my boat was not responding to my paddling. It was going very slow and like I was dragging something behind. I checked and I didn't find anything, I thought the slow speed was due to my tireness and the strong wind. After a few minutes I felt that the boat was very unstable and could be tipped over at any time. I was scare. I tried to balance carefully and kept on paddling. I was about 1/4 to 1/3 mile off the entrance when my kayak finally capsized. I turned the boat up and tried to climb back and the boat flipped again. I tried again and it flipped again. It was only then I realized my boat was filled with lots of water inside. That explained why the boat was going so slow earlier. I saw a sail boat about 1/4 mile away and tried to get its attention by holding up my paddle and by hitting the water. It didn't see me. Later on I saw another boat speeding toward the entrance and I screamed out of my lung and it didn't hear me either( I forgot to remove the whistle that was attached to my bass fishing PFD and put it on my ocean PFD) . My flare was in the front hatch and I was afraid to open it which may cause more water to get in. I prayed for God's help. I decided to swim with the boat (pushing the boat from behind)and hopefully someone could spot me. When I got tired I swam to the front and held the bow and swam back stroke with my legs. After about 10 min. I found myself not progressing much toward the entrance because of the wind. I decided to take the risk of opening the front hatch, and I found that the boat was about at least 70% filled with water. I thought to myself that all I need is something to bail out the water and if it doesn't work then I would use the flare. I managed to put the sea anchor down so that the wind would not blow me too far away while I was bailing out the water. I  used my cap to bail and later on I tried to use a plastic bag. Finally I got  lost of the water out and I closed the front hatch and ready to climb back up. It was then a rescue boat and a rescue jet ski showed up. They pulled me out of the water. They also put my kayak in the boat. Then I started to shake involuntarily. They took out my PFD and wrapped me with a blanket. They asked me a few simple questions just to check to see I am okay. I was shaking greatly while I was trying to answer their questions. A harbormaster held me tight and kept me warm. They rushed me back to the harbor and a paramedic was already there waiting. After a few examinations, I was glad to find my vital signs were okay and that I didn't need to go to a hospital. A boater saw me and reported to the harbormasters and they came just in time to rescue me. Thank God for giving me life so that I can tell you these things. Through this experience,I've learnt that life is quite fragile and things can happen very fast in the water without warning (at least I didn't get it when it came). I found that my big A-shape front hatch was not secure enough. The straps of the hatch was little loose and I have always thought that the water could not get in even if they are loose because of the design -- water coiuld always drain to the side and out to the scudder holes. I was wrong. Water was coming in slowly from the front without my notice while I was focusing in paddling hard against the wind. I also learn that I should secure a flare on the top of my kayak where I can reach easily. I need to bring something to scoop water with. I better have a mirror and a whistle to get other boater's attention and I should carry a VHF radio with me. I am also glad that I was wearing a wet suit otherwise I probably would not make it.
I hope my sharing could be of some values to you and that you would not repeat the same mistakes I made.

Good Fishing and God bless

Al"

Most dive knifes will have a serrated edge to them and that is the primary "cutter".  If they have a normal edge, it is usually more dull.  Know which side the cutting edge is on and position the knife in its sheath accordingly so that when you draw the knife it is already ready to go.  Make sure you attach the knife to your vest somewhere that is easy and intuitive to reach.

Most will have a blunt tip.  And some have a little safety hooked fishing line cutter.  The whole point of all of this is to make the knife still useable but to keep yourself from cutting yourself in "tense" situation.

There are "paddling knifes" more suitable than true dive knives.  Here's the one I use, the Gerber River Shorty ... http://www.rei.com/product/47521899.htm?.  Note that it is a "short" knife.  I do have a larger one for diving that I tried mounting on my vest, but the handle gets in the way and is too cumbersome.

-Allen

here's what I use - it's secured on my PFD.

http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=47783916&parent_category_rn=0&vcat=REI_SEARCH

Gotta wash it with fresh water and treat with WD40 right away after a trip to the ocean - it will rust!

got some good info off this thread.ill be making a run to west marine soon

I got a pair of 'mako' dive knives off ebay for $24 a couple months back, I strap it to my calf just like I do for diving.  It's important to always have your dive knife in the same place, so when you're tangled underwater with 20 seconds until blackout, you don't have to waste O2 thinking about where the knife is.  The edge is good, but the sheath is kinda clunky and it's catch mechanism can be compromised by sand.  Since I spearfish a pointy sharp tip is important for pithing fish.


There's a leatherman in my vest, but it's not a quick access item.

My local REI didn't have the Kershaw in stock to compare against the Gerber River Shorty that they did have in stock...so the Shorty came home with me this weekend.  Looks like it should attach easily to my PFD...

Thanks for the quick answers.

about my flag, as Erik stated, was just a bright orange flag that i got from a bike shop, about $5.  it was the only thing that wasn't tethered to the kayak and it's the only thing i lost when i dumped at muir beach.  i should have another one mounted for the coming season.

pierre

Sportmart sells the bike flags for under $5.00.

I'll be getting one tomorrow - if anyone else needs one - let me know, I can pick-up a few extra ones.

Good tip Pierre  

Great list of essentials...you've made me consider the lack of my equipment and my old boy scout days of "Be Prepared" Any of you have a worthy brand,style or model of VHF radio? I am thinking I ought to get one. How about a favorite dive knife that could fasten somehow to my PDF?