Prior to yesterday, I would and have stated that my shorter sea kayak was actually better for surfing wind waves. That probably is still the case on waves up to about three feet, but now I have to say that my NC Expedition gets the nod for the bigger stuff.

I was out in conditions that I normally probably would avoid, but it was a nice enough day and I wanted to paddle in spite of the wind and waves. Don't ask me how strong the wind was--I don't know, but it was strong enough to alternately blow the water flat and then build some real beauties. Anyway, I worked my way into a patch that must have had just the right height, steepness and spacing. And the wind was directly in line with the direction the waves were heading; that is not always the case on the Columbia River.

The waves seemed to come in sets of big ones with some flatter patches and then another set of big ones. I waited until a wave lifted the stern enough to almost submerge the bow and then gave a quick couple of power strokes to stay on the face of the wave. I knew the boat would take off, but I wasn't ready for what actually happened. The boat just lunged forward sliced into the back of wave after wave and gained power from each succeeding wave. The ride didn't slow until we got to one of the flatter spots and just as quickly a new set of waves arrived and off we went again.

The really great part was that I hardly had to do anything. There was absolutely no hint of a broach and the bow never once tried to dive through the waves instead of over the tops.

I'm sure that it didn't hurt having the waves and wind just right, but I've never had such an easy and fast downwind run. I probably won't be purposely looking for these conditions in the future, but it is comforting to know that the boat is ready and willing if it comes along. I'm not saying the the Sirocco wouldn't have handled it too, but I'm glad I was in the Expedition.

Oh yeah and not one drop of water got to the cockpit. I shouldn't admit this, but I didn't have my skirt on.

Magooch, I just don't get it. What conceivable reason could you have for not wearing a sprayskirt?? Were you wearing the PFD, by any chance? This is just plain bad news.

That's the power of developing good habits--if one ALWAYS wears one's PFD and sprayskirt, and ALWAYS wears a wetsuit or drysuit for cold-water paddling, and ALWAYS brings a spare paddle, etc., then you don't have to "decide" about these things before you launch--it's already pre-decided. I don't want to read about your "accident" on the Columbia on some kayak safety website.

Thanks for your concern Magic, but the Columbia is not cold water right now. Yes, I always wear my PFD when I'm in one of my sea kayaks. I seldom wear it when I'm in one of the recreational kayaks, but I do have it along. I do sometimes carry a spare paddle along in the sea kayaks, but never in a rec. boat.

I'm certainly not advocating any of my practices and maybe I should do all of the things you suggest, but I'm hardly the lone ranger here. Of all the local kayakers that I see, maybe one out of ten wears a skirt at this time of year and maybe a few more in the winter time.

We're not talking about the ocean here; it's the Columbia river. The water is quite warm right now and although I don't regularly go swimming in it, I am a very good swimmer. And I'm not talking about paddling in a tippy canoe. The NC Expedition is the most stable kayak I've ever paddled and the builders aren't exagerating when they say it is very hard to tip one over.

All of that said, I know by any kayaking standards I'm not following proper guidelines. Shame on me. I do wear my helmet when riding my motorcycle and bicycles, so maybe there is hope.

I'm delighted that you're not advocating any of your practices, and, yes, you should do all the things I suggest. It's clear that 9 out of 10 Columbia River local paddlers, if your count is correct, are strictly ignorant newbies and shouldn't be anybody's models for educated sea kayaking behavior. Sad stuff! Maybe you should join a decent local sea kayaking club or association, and see what serious paddlers are wearing and doing and thinking.

Magic, my intention was not to impugn other kayakers on the Columbia, or anywhere else. It was just an observation and it wasn't meant to reflect any degree of accuracy. It isn't my aim to be an example for anyone, but it's not due to being a newbie, nor ignorance. It's just me doing what I enjoy and doing it the way I prefer. And no I won't be joining any clubs, or associations. They probably wouldn't let me in in any case unless they need a bad example. I'm very aware of what serious paddlers are wearing and doing--not so much what they are thinking.

I wonder how pc those kayakers are who launch off of 400 foot waterfalls with all of their safety gear. How safety conscious are those sea kayakers who fool around in some of the most ungodly dangerous tidal rips and places that I could name, but won't. I can't help feeling like a piker by comparison. Anyhow, how do you rationalize canoers. Are all canoers uneducated newbies? I can't remember the last time I saw a canoer wearing a spray skirt. I can't even remember the first time. Lots of people canoe on local rivers, including the Columbia. Maybe that is foolishness by serious kayaker standards, but it is what it is. I guess we all have risk levels we are willing to accept.

Magooch, you make these statements and then you back away from them the moment someone challenges you. You seek shelter in the crowd of "9 out of 10" local paddlers not wearing sprayskirts in summer and only a few more wearing them in winter, but then say that it's "just an observation" and reflects no degree of accuracy. You say you're not a newbie or ignorant of good sea kayak practice; your behavior is just you being some sort of free spirit, then that you're not trying to be an example, but are probably a bad example. Sad stuff indeed.

Lots of people drive their cars without the benefit of seatbelts, and text as they drive. They're free spirits too. Are you one of them?

I enjoy reading posts from both of you, and I do not want to take sides, but....

While if a paddler always wears a PFD, always usesg a spray skirt, and always takes a spare paddle he or she is prepared for almost any condition that is likely to be encounteted at any time of the year on any body of water, I think that Magooch is basically saying that the amount of safety equipment that he carries is dependent on his educated expectation of conditions in a particular body of water. For, example, during the summer on the inland lakes and slow rivers that I paddle in Illinois, NO ONE (0%)wears a spray skirt and no one carries a spare paddle. By the way, these numbers include folks in two paddling clubs of which I am a member. Why? They paddle only when the water is alm and warm, and even if a sudden storm would develop about the worst thing that could happen is that after a capsize the paddler and kayak and paddle would be blown to a nearby shore. Inconvenient? Yes, Lethal to the paddler? Probably not.

On the other hand, I participated in classes and tours at two sea kayak symposiums on Lake Superior serveral weeks ago where everyone, including me, wore PFDs and spray skits all the time on the water and most of us carried spare paddles. In addtition, the coaches (instructors) carried VHF radios, strobes and other safety gear - partly because they were responsible to the safety of class memeber and partly to set an example.

An ironic twist was that our classes were held in protected harbors where the water temp was bout 65 degree F and non-paddlers were swimming along the beach, yet full drysuits and spray skirts were pretty standard equipment among these "serious" sea kayakers (myself included). However, during the very same day, some of us were demoing standup paddleboards (SUPs) wearing only swimsuits or short and t-shirts. No drysuits, no spare paddles, obvously no spray skirts.

Any time I would venture out beyond a protected harbor on the Great Lakes or an ocean, even if local water temps were warm and the seas calm at the time I launched, I would take my PFD, spray skirt, spare paddle, cell phone and VHF radio, and many other safety gear items. Conditions can change quickly and I could be blown out to sea and need to call for help. The same saftey gear, with the exception of always wearing the PFD, just is not needed for paddles on smaller inland lakes and slower rivers. Sometimes the "serious" sea kayakers on this and other forums are just a little too serious. I am in my mid-sixties (I believe Magooch is also); we did not get to this age by taking foolish risks. We use good judgement based on water conditions and our experience.

Originally, my comment about not having my spray skirt on was to emphasize that one aspect of my boat's perfomance. That of course was lost in the safety lesson. My point was not to make any statement about safety and that was why it was in a sheepish vein.

My aim is not to in any way influence anyone to not use all the recommended safety practices and gear. What I do is my own business and it is done with what I believe is prudent for me.

I get the impression that Magic does most of his paddling in the ocean and naturally looks at kayaking from that point of view. I'm not here to defend my actions, nor to argue with anyone; there are plenty of forums around for that. Maybe I am a free spirit (whatever that is), but what I can tell about myself is that I am 67 years old, still extremely fit and active and for that I am so thankful. I will take Magic's concerns seriously, but I probably will still make decisions that won't comport with his level of prudency.

Interesting replies. I am familiar with the Columbia from Umatilla to the sea; it is serious open water that no educated kayaker would consider paddling without a sprayskirt and PFD. Warm Illinois ponds and streams, millponds, puddles, are another matter. If it's inner-tube water, then skip the sprayskirt. But we're interacting on a sea kayaking message board, right? Open water? Wind? Waves? My point about good habits, again, is that one arrives at the launch site with the gear one ought to have, and then launches with it, without the tiresome nonsense of "deciding" whether to bring the compass, the chart, the spare paddle, or to wear the sprayskirt, the PFD, the wet- or drysuit in cold water. Be the mariner that a sea kayaker ought to consider him/herself to be, and go out properly equipped.

I'm 70 myself, and got to be that age by being serious about how I conduct myself on the water.

I just have a couple of questions to clear things up a bit. How does wearing a spray skirt prevent a capsize? Is it considered bad form to swim without a pfd except in swimming pools? Just asking and don't in any way take that to mean that I don't have and use both.

I think one can be a serious kayaker and still use some discretion in when and where to use which gear. I don't think kayaking has to be a rigidly disciplined sport all of the time. To me it's all about fun and enjoying myself on the water.

Magooch asks, "Is it considered bad form to swim without a pfd except in swimming pools?" My answer would be "no", if you are able to swim at the time. I always wear some type of pfd when I am on the water and I would recommend this practice to others. I am not a strong swimmer - I depend on a pfd to stay afloat and to remain calm when capsized in deep water. Howver, even a strong swimmer could become incapacitated because of a stroke, shoulder dislocation, tiredness, etc.

For the past five years I have worn an inflatable pfd when paddling inland lakes and slow rivers in the high temperatures and high humidity of IL summers. I do not wear my heavy and hot sea kayaking pfd under those conditions. Inflatable pfds have about twice the floatation of traditional pfds. The inflatable allows me to stay cool while retaining my margin of safety - it is no more restrictive or hot than a pair of trouser susenders, but inflates instantly when needed.

I wore my inflatable pfd during boat demos at the two recent sea kayak symposiums that I attended where air and water temperatures were warm (I did not use the inflatable for classes or tours). Several of the overheated participants commented that my inflatable pfd looked cool, but that they had never seen one before.

In the end, I agree wholeheartedly with Magooch that, "To me it's [kayaking] all about fun and enjoying myself on the water." I do not enjoy wearing my heavy, hot and 'serious' sea kayaking pfd in really hot weather, but I do still want the safety and assurance of having supplementary flotation available should I capsize and be unable to swim. The inflatable pdf works well for me.

Magooch asks how wearing a sprayskirt can prevent a capsize. (I know his tongue is firmly in his cheek, and he knows the answer, but I'll play along for a while. You do really know the answer, right Magooch?) The way it works is when a sea kayaker encounters a BIG WAVE that breaks over the paddler. This could be a rogue wave, or really big chop on the quarter, or while punching through surf, or maybe even a big boat wake. The spray skirt then keeps gallons of water from suddenly flooding the cockpit and then sloshing around in there, destabilizing the kayak and causing a capsize. The spray skirt also keeps water out of the boat while executing a roll. But everybody knows this stuff.

Regarding the wearing of a PFD, I wear mine because I am a serious mariner/kayaker, and have read and absorbed all the data about the enormous percentage of small-boat accidents (capsizes) that result in the death of non-PFD-wearing boaters. I have developed the PFD "habit". There are about a million places in the water-safety/kayaking literature where one can find out about these things.