Bean Hollow 10/19/06- Two big fish C & R

Id much rather see a white shark than have a bascket ride. I had a bascket ride off of a high-rise in Atlanta, I almost forgot about it, a gws you remember always, I would think.

Z Thanks that means alot to me. Frank

Other than the sharks though, what do you all think of the inflatable raft idea?   My zodiac lived most of it's life as part of the ditch kit for a sailboat...  A small raft could easilly fit in a hatch and would make a significant survivability improvement, especially for trips farther offshore in remote areas. 

OTOH, most of our boats are more capable than a tandem with two people on it.  My drifter has a 450-500lb weight capacity (same as malibu 2!), so I could awkwardly carry a passenger in a pinch.  The prowler 15 is 50lbs less (guess I get the lap dance...) but should still be serviceable.  Perhaps we should have a rule that for each party that goes out there should be at least one boat that can carry 2 in a pinch.

One freediving trip last spring I was in 45 degree water, I'd have doubts about folk being able to take that without a wetsuit for the 45 minutes it takes for a helicopter to arrive, so this should re-itterate the thermal protection requirements for our sport.

I would not get out of my kayak and into an inflateable. I just don't have the experience to trust an inflateable to inflate.

I would just like my kayak to have enough failsafe flotation in it that I know I could paddle a few miles into shore if I had to and that I could be mostly out of the water to avoid hypothermia (not that being out of the water is any guarantee, but it's a lot better than being in the water).

I don't like the bilge pump thing as a catch-all, either you paddle or pump, not both. if the water's coming in fast, you are hosed.

flotation is the answer, sounds like guitarzan addressed the issue pretty well, I am feeling okay with my combination of expandable foam under the seat and tank well and the long lengths of thick noodle down the rails. I did buy a bow flotation bag and could also stuff my pfd up there. I still think a surf leash on the leg is a good idea for paddling way out there.

J

J,

Surf leash is an interesting idea.  We all already leash much if not all of our equipment to the boat.  Why not ourselves?

When I was learning to sail and as a rule.  In any capsize situation or emergency.  Number 1 is save the people and make them safe.  Number 2 is save the equipment and keep it and Number 3 is righting the boat, saving your ass, getting out of the water, GWS etc.

jmairey you left out waterwings!

anybody tried stuffing their wetsuit with poolnoodles?

maybe somebody already said this but...density of salt water is about 64 lbm/ft3, so if you want to float say 300 lbm stuff (big dude + 50 lb kayak) you would need to displace 300/64 = ~5 ft3 of water.  if you can get 5 ft3 of foam crap in your boat and the rest is water, it should float with you on it.

that's a lot of foam though. 



 

"anybody tried stuffing their wetsuit with poolnoodles?"

Yeah. And it really goes over big with the ladies!

J,

Surf leash is an interesting idea.  We all already leash much if not all of our equipment to the boat.  Why not ourselves?

When I was learning to sail and as a rule.  In any capsize situation or emergency.  Number 1 is save the people and make them safe.  Number 2 is save the equipment and keep it and Number 3 is righting the boat, saving your ass, getting out of the water, GWS etc.

some folks dont use paddle leashes for the same reason. in a spill you can get tangled in it. i use a paddle leash though. i had a friend almost drown by a paddle leash and a sinking yak.

In dicey conditions, don't smart sailors always wear a safety harness?

I, too have been known to take the surf leash from my 10'1" and use it for extended offshore trips, like deepwater salmon fishing off Moss.  Just that extra bit of safetyfactor.  When I first startetd kayak fishing I wore the leash always, as I got more comfortable, I became more slective as to its use.

Of course, I remove the leach and stow it before landing, just like removing my paddle leash.

Allen

I have a paddle leash and a rod leash, so if I capsize I'll 99% of the time be holding one or the other and therefore remain connected to the kayak.  Kayaks generally flip when you fall out and upside down there's a milk crate and several leashed things hanging down presenting drag.  That acts like a drift anchor.

On a higher level I don't worry about that much because I always fish with company.  The empty kayak will not drift faster than your buddy can paddle after it.

[quote author=JohnGuineaPig link=topic=5965.msg50218#msg50218 date=1161956579]

J,

Surf leash is an interesting idea.  We all already leash much if not all of our equipment to the boat.  Why not ourselves?

When I was learning to sail and as a rule.  In any capsize situation or emergency.  Number 1 is save the people and make them safe.  Number 2 is save the equipment and keep it and Number 3 is righting the boat, saving your ass, getting out of the water, GWS etc.

some folks dont use paddle leashes for the same reason. in a spill you can get tangled in it. i use a paddle leash though. i had a friend almost drown by a paddle leash and a sinking yak.

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I kept a 15" bowie knife strapped to my leg.  Just in case Mr. White decides to show up or if I get into a tangle.  Keep all my ropes & leashes on one side of the yak.  Keep the other clear so you can hop in that way.  One time had to cut my buddy leashe to his pole because he fell in at HMB and was tangle with his paddle leashe and the rod leashe.

Ken kickfish

During this episode the leash became an intricate part of the self rescue. With the leash I was able to bring the Kayak back to me/Phil. Our companions were no where near us when we first dumped so it was on us to stay afloat. Phil too was provided with a leash which was also attached making easier for both of us to stay with the Kayak. In a Tandem situation I was grateful for these little impressed upon instruction due to the energy factor. Much less energy wasted pulling back the Kayak then having to swim after it in a fast moving current.
When CC got there we had already drifted 1 1/2 mi from shore. I could only imagine what it would have been like without the submerged but buoyant Kayak still with us. Things could have gone seriously wrong even with our PFD's on.
This type of prep is IMO imperative when I enter north coast waters.

After reading all this , my radio is on the way and both mary and i will try to get as much training and practice as we can ! You just never know what can go wrong. Glad your all still with us !

After reading all this , my radio is on the way and both mary and i will try to get as much training and practice as we can !

Excellent decisions Young Jedi

As for harnessing one self the the layak, I knwo a solo expedition paddler (Chris Duff) who circumnavigated New Zealand and Ireland, who leashed himself to the kayak, but you can imagine that losing his kayak on those trips would vey likely have been his end. I should add he is an ex-Navy diver and so pretty comfortable with risk and the sea. He also rigged an easy-to-locate quck release for the harness lest he become entangled and drown.

I have not felt the need to leash myself to the kayak, I just keep that paddle in my lap and it leashed to the boat. Since everything else is lashed to the boat that completes the circle.