Trading in the Stealth

for da Kraken for crabbing...she's sitting in a garage jonzin' for some salt...

Launched at muir today for 3 keepers.  Love it for surf launching and landing but for crabbing she's a wiggly one...I think I need the Cadillac back.  Garden seat, 29.5 width, "crab puller" as John mentioned.  35 extra pounds unloaded, oooo, might pay a price there but with my wheeleez all is well.  I've launched that beast through the surf as well so we'll see.  Crabby spots aren't always surf launches anyhoo...

Today I prayed that any crisis wasn't too loaded but I still had one.  The rope in one trap snagged on my rudder.  I turned 180 to attempt to jar it off with my paddle and it was futile.  Ok, self talk time...do I have to get in the water and release it, my buddy Marc does it for line that gets tied up...I can do this.  I've never practiced reentry in the stealth in the open ocean.  It seemed calm enough "ish" and I found the courage to leap off.  Line released. 

Here we go...grab this somewhat light beast and leap up while pulling the yak under me...fail, almost flipped the kayak over.  Tired, forgot my sandwich and vitamins and I'm running on caffeine alone...

Round two, kick...pull up...same...almost turtled and rested...hmmm....boat sees me and I wave but they don't repond...no panic...

Round three...I thought about going from the stern like a surfboard but ended up on the opposite side by my shark shield and touched the buzz...I cannot remember if I turned it off but I may have, kinda the wrong time to do it but that thing lights up the water around it. 

Something worked, must have been the way the current worked plus answered prayer. From the other side, the current was drifting me along and as I tried to seal hop aboard I couldn't fight the current expecting the yak to go under me but when I tried from the other side, my seal kick had some momentum with the current and I got across and balanced without flipping.  Freakin' phew to da max.

Was a lil' nauseous from all the swell activity but managed to press on.  The amount of strength needed for crabbing has no respect for reentry if you fly off your yak.  Im grateful for the training yet it coulda gone sideways at any given time.  Inspired to get in shape and not do stupid things.

Side note...the best horseradish I've found for cocktail sauce is Atomic at Smart n Final...

Thanks for the report and sharing your experience with us Eddie.

Thanks for the report and sharing your experience with us Eddie.

You're welcome, super tempted to crab with you tomorrow but I gotta grab da Kraken.  I hope you slay...

Hi Eddie

Glad you are okay, and you didn't panic. 
I wish I were there with you to give you a hand.

Paul

wow, that's a rough one - glad it all worked out

Yikes that sounds pretty scary. A good reminder to practice reentry under realistic conditions. Glad it turned out OK and thanks for sharing.

Hey Eddie,

Glad to hear it worked out for you. I had to jump in to clear a snag at the back of the kayak at HMB the last time I was there so I know the feeling.

You might want to have a small piece of rope with a loop attached to your seat rigging to put your foot in, or a paddle float. The float might be the better option because it stabilizes the kayak, the loop would probably roll the kayak.

Thanks for the encouragement. The ladder or float option as well.  Physics wise, though I am not this guy, leads me to understand that the kayak wanted to flip because I was trying to enter from the side that the current was flowing.  As I pulled the kayak under me and attempted to kick up I was fighting the current on the kickup and the current was also lifting the opposite side.  The reason the other side was successful was because I had momentum with my back to the current and I could force the kayak under me by my weight.  The toughest part was also getting a good leap over and up with the bulk of the pfd…

Might want to move this to safety section.

For me, besides not wanting to stealth crab, the takeaway is to know which way the current is going and use it to assist for entry.  Kicking up while pulling kayak under .

Scary situation; very happy it worked out! Did the boat that saw you in the water just ignore the situation? Crazy! Enjoy the crab.

Eeek, glad that turned out OK Eddie! 

Scary situation; very happy it worked out! Did the boat that saw you in the water just ignore the situation? Crazy! Enjoy the crab.

No, the operator thought he saw something off when I talked to him later as he was hunting for his buoys but I did not make my need insistently great.  He also was not that near...I guess ultimately he did...

Eeek, glad that turned out OK Eddie!

Thanks, what I also learned was the need for electrolytes or even forced hydration.  Without the sandwich for sustenance it was no bueno.  I got up of the couch last night after our show and my inner thighs locked up in pure cramp almost crying pain fashion.  Scared to move one way or the other with fear of triggering a leg lockdown.  Calisthenics may become my quick friend as well.  Hope you're well...

Edddie I’m glad it all worked out in the end! Way to keep your head on straight and find a solution.

Hi Eddie,
Glad you are OK..... makes me think that I need to practice self rescue more often.... last time I did took three two as well.....after doing every time the first time every time I tried..... The pfd was the culprit as it kept snagging the scotty to track adapter that was not in use..... after that cleaned house on my entry side.... now all is good but think I will have to try again soon.... need to know it is all good every time.
Glad you did not panic which is the key..... panic is the problem in many cases.

My last visit to Bo (by myself) landing was rough (just as the one you helped me on) flipped, yard sale, and tangled in my overly large salmon (wishfull thinking)net with my yak on top of me holding in three feet of water..... did not panic just worked myself free and rolled the boat off me.... embarrassed and collected all that was not stowed and got out of there thinking.... wow that was rough...glad I did not panic.   Decided there an then that I needed to take the surf class which was a great decision and turned out to be a great class.

Hope to fish with you soon and glad it worked out.

Troy

Hi Eddie,
Glad you are OK..... makes me think that I need to practice self rescue more often.... last time I did took three two as well.....after doing every time the first time every time I tried..... The pfd was the culprit as it kept snagging the scotty to track adapter that was not in use..... after that cleaned house on my entry side.... now all is good but think I will have to try again soon.... need to know it is all good every time.
Glad you did not panic which is the key..... panic is the problem in many cases.

My last visit to Bo (by myself) landing was rough (just as the one you helped me on) flipped, yard sale, and tangled in my overly large salmon (wishfull thinking)net with my yak on top of me holding in three feet of water..... did not panic just worked myself free and rolled the boat off me.... embarrassed and collected all that was not stowed and got out of there thinking.... wow that was rough...glad I did not panic.   Decided there an then that I needed to take the surf class which was a great decision and turned out to be a great class.

Hope to fish with you soon and glad it worked out.

Troy

Yeah Troy, never ending lessons but important ones at that...hope we fish soon as well, I gotta see ya' hang ten on that Old Town...