Today was self rescue practice day.

My kayak is a 2019 Hobie Compass. 

I successfully climbed back aboard.  But two important “lessons-learned”. I really need a better hand grip on the far side of the boat as I pull myself up.  Good handholds on a Compass are scarce!  I think a couple of t-handles on paracord will make the move easier.  Right now I used a rock climbers fingertip hold on the tiny accessory rail.  I got tired after subsequent attempts. I had to bob there to rest once.   Second lesson.  My PFD rides up on me somewhat. I need to cinch it down tight, or buy another one.  The PFD really helps kayak entry. I don’t think I can’t do it without the momentum the vest gives me. I come up, push myself into the water and kick/pull as the vest bibs me back up.

I’ll keep practicing and refreshing my skills.   I’ll flip the kayak too.  Maybe in a friends swimming pool. I think I have the strategy for that. The mirage drive hole is a great handhold.

Thanks for the “safety first” section. It motivated me to drop off the side of my kayak today.  No fishing.

Kudos to you. So much better to learn those lessons when you don't need them so that you're ready for the times that you do.

I don't know why that didn't cross my mind to practice in a pool. Good call!

Well done.

Nice.

I've found on my Hobie Adventure/Revo 16, flipping it rightside-up is more challenging than it seems like it should be. I can never seem to get a good grip on the Hobie "yakgina".

I really need to practice myself. Thanks for the extra motivation.

my friend and coworker JUST showed me a picture of his backyard.  he has a pool!!

i shamelessly asked.  he agreed to let me flip and unflip and cliimb aboard in the safety of his pool!!  it will be nice to be able to really work the problem and explore for hand grips and such.

yakgina!!  i am stealing that!!  hahhahahhaha..

sounds like good times. If you happen to somehow scuttle the yak to the bottom of the pool, please take some pics as that would be kinda neat to see 

I practiced in a pool when I got my first kayak and it worked great. For me it is easier to flip my kayak from underneath by grabbing both side handles and pulling the far handle to me while pushing the near handle up and away. Much easier for me than reaching over a wide kayak. Of course. what works best for you depends on your kayak, arm length, etc. etc.

WTG on practicing self rescue.
There are so many individual details to figure out, the time spent can save your life!

WTG on practicing self rescue.
There are so many individual details to figure out, the time spent can save your life!

Indeed, since we haven’t been able to dive for Abalone, and conveniently hunt/shoot fish, I have not spent the usual amount of time de-boarding/boarding. I need to do that, thanks for the reminder.

Also consider when you rig your kayak to have a clear deck. I understand we as anglers tend to want to have everything close (fishfinder, rod holders, etc), but it makes it more challenging to climb aboard when a lot of those are in the way. Nice job on the self rescue practice.

while practicing in a pool is great, nothing quite simulates the salt water in your mouth, maybe going up your nose, the cold of the ocean water hitting you all at once, even in a practice it can get the heart pumping enough to remind you that when this happens in real life, you could panic, and you need to not panic.

the only tip I have is to make sure you kick your legs out to the surface of the water, it makes re-entry to the kayak or even reaching over to flip it waaaay easier than trying to jump up out of the water.

good job on doing some self rescue, I practiced in pilliar point harbor and it was a great place to do it.

Why aren't most PFD's designed with a crotch strap?   

I took time and worked with my PFD. I got it fitting much better. Yesterday fishing I was amazed. About half the people out on the water didn’t have a life vest on.

Mine needed to be cinched tighter. Still not uncomfortable, but it didn’t disappear; I felt it’s presence.

Learning as I go.