Rather than sticking a leg into the cockpit, try getting a leg scissors grip around the boat somewhere behind the cockpit. This holds the boat very firmly while you think, inflate the paddle float, whistle a happy tume, whatever.

Thanks for the tips. I have been reading and rereading my book to get an idea of the basic moves. I think I'll skip the nose plug as when I flip I doubt I'll have one on my nose. I raced offshore boats for years and we would have to practice escapes in a cage. They had a aluminum cage with a hole similar to the escape hatch on the boat which is not big. They put you in the cage and buckled you up like the race boat with a six point harness. Then they blindfolded me and submerged it. When a boat goes under or flips it is dark as you can imagine when you are in the cockpit.

So they flip and roll you in the pool to disorient you and then stop. You then unbuckle and try your escape. When a boat goes under or flips the water rushes in the cockpit and if you release harness before it is calm you can be driven under the deck where you are likely not to escape from. So the thing is to not panic. They had a thing called B.R.A.C.E. but I forgot what each letter meant. B was brace and E was escape may be R was release. It may come back if I thing of it.

Many people panicked and came up chocking. My friend was a diver and he was ribbing me. He was one of the panicked ones. The first time I did it I said I have 4 divers spinning me in a pool in a cage the chances of me drowning is about Zero. They made us do it quite often to be more relaxed if it happen in a race.

Most cannot believe I am in a kayak now after doing 150 mph on the water. It is still a challenge with water and a boat and your body is still involved. The honey thought I was nuts because I was outside tonight staring at the new to me 2008 Solstice in the dark. I know the few times I was out in the boat I (and may be you) start to get a bond with the boat like a body part. I was always sad when we sold a race boat for faster, bigger or lighter boat. We sold one boat and it went to Sweden and it was in one race and it burned to the waterline and sunk. That could have been a big loss for me and my partner in the boat. I bonded with it because of all the things I went through with the boat. We won the World Championship in Key West in 1987 in this boat.


I have been over and out once at 90-100 mph and under once in Lake Pontchartrain LA. We were going about 110 and went under about 6-8 feet for 150 feet. The rescue chopper happen to be right over us so when we disappeared from view in a white and hot pink boat they knew we had to be at least 6' under as the lake is quite muddy and dark. Cockpit hatches blew in on me side and it was 10 fire hydrants pouring in. It all happens in slow motion as you look back seeing the water roll up the deck as you go under. Boat was half sunk and I thought the bow had split there was so much water in it. When the boat broke the surface I popped out fast the other guy was stunned for a minute. I released when I saw daylight again.I know the kayak will be the same as it gets me through rough water and tough times.


That is my bit of trivia. So I hope when I go under I don't panic in the kayak. I usually take situations fairly calm as that is you only friend in a tough spot.


If I get the basic escape and re-entry down for the winter I'll be pleased
Rant is over I apologize if you got this far.

Dog, you have quite an interesting history there. You are going to do well in sea kayaking, as you have both knowledge of and respect for the sea. And you'll certainly bond tightly with your boat(s). There is nothing like sea kayaking. When I'm paddling past some marina where boaters are endlessly tinkering with their craft on a beautiful day, I think--You people are farting around with these huge, expensive craft when you could be out on the water, experiencing the marine environment up close like you never have before. But they're not, which leaves the water more open for people like me.

sure you won't be wearing them, but once you start doing dedicated roll lessons, and practice, you'll see the beauty of them ') Some people can learn without them, because they relax and blow out air gently as they submerge. But for most people learning to roll, there are so many things to focus on that the noseplugs take one thing out of the equation and help them relax under water.

one thing you got going for you is that you paddle in salt water. In fresh water (I'm in the Great Lakes area) taking water up the nose is a pretty sure bet to get a bad sinus infection. I clear out my nostrils w. a 50/50 mix of rubbing alcohol and white vinegar, so far so good.

Strange Magic, I only wish my legs were long enough to wrap around like that! Being 5'3" has its challenges...

Seriously a good leg hook into the cockpit is quick, easy and allows me to float on my back a bit whilst I get organized.

I think we are both onto a good thing, tho - don't let go of the boat, and use a leg so that you have both hands free.

what happens in the Lakes? I raced up there and Grand Haven MI was near the roughest race I was ever in. It was weird to yank the boat and not rinse and wash it. There were also races in Port Huron.

Lucky a kayak is easy to pull and rinse well in short order here. Guess when I travel it will wait till I return if there is no water.

what happens on the big Lakes? well, anything can happen, and w. very little notice. The Great Lakes are big enough to make any kind of weather anywhere they want, whenever they want, but smaller than the ocean so a)the onset is more quicker and b) ships can't outrun in as they sometimes can in the oceans.

My VHF is always with me on every Lake paddle I take, and I'm not the only one in the group w. one.

Lake Superior had 17 foot seas overnight in mid August and can do twice that in the winter, easily. Lake Michigan, on the Michigan coast, kicks up some beautiful swells and surf (as does Lake Superior) but I prefer Lake Michigan's on the MI coast as the beaches are sandy and the water is warmer.

That said, the Great Lakes are filled w. many lifetimes of paddling. Incredible beauty and as remote as you care to be, or with all the conveniences of b&bs, wine tours, etc. Plenty of great camping, modern for RVs, campers, tents or primitive
for tents only.



Grand Haven is a beautiful spot. South Haven is gonna be the site for the first annual Surf Jam two weekends from now- kayaks of all sorts, SUPS & surfboards are all welcome. Contact Keith Wikle at gokayaknow.com His event got a mention in the latest e-newsletter by PaddlingLife.


Fresh water is great, much easier on the boats and the gear. But boats are not as buoyant as they are in saltwater.

I do rinse my boats, not due to dirt, scum, etc. but to limit the transmission of certain aquatic organisms from one body of water to another. Also cuz I love my kayaks '-)

Katabatic I meant what happens in regards to the nose plugs on the lakes. I am well aware with what can happen on the Great Lakes. I have read and seen many freighters on the bottom. I still have to admit when we when out to race and all we saw was 7-8' waves with white caps I tuned to my partner and said this is a lake? The Edmund Fitzgerald I guess is the most famous one.

In Grand Haven when I raced there in 87 we hit a wave and shot up so high we came near the helicopter about 25' They were filming the race. Then the air from the chopper goes under the Skater catamaran and blows us nose upward more. To my surprise it was the front page of the paper in Grand Haven the next morning. The photo looked fake. They were not allow to follow the boats as low any more.

People up in MI were always very friendly and helpful. Unlike many not all in NY. I was used to talking to the opposite sex in NY and they were so stuck up. It was if you talked to some one in NY they thought it was a proposal or you were a stalker. People outside of NY are so much friendlier for the most part.

Boats were faster in salt water do to buoyancy we would lose 3 mph as I remember.

My lesson today the instructor had a bilge pump that was what I remember as a kid the old standard gray plastic pump. It has no flotation but a bigger outlet and it pumped more water than my Seattle Sport by far and it was the same size.