I wanted to make one but I am confused as to the best rope to use. I read different things like floating and not floating. If it floats is it a PITA to get your foot in it? I guess 3/8" is good? One place said put a section of hose in the loop to get your foot in easier? Thanks for the tips!

When I see this http://www.ehow.com/video_2357604_paddle-float-sea-kayak-rescue.html it seems like a joke. The guy is in knee deep water standing half the time. Then he is getting into a huge cockpit opening. Then the water is no rougher than bath water. I have found one re-entery that is in rough water on video. Really sad as most times people will be lost when watching a video like this when it really happens and it is not in bathtub conditions.

another one to the other extreme f being fumbles he never secures the paddle float

http://gokayaknow.com/index.php/kayaking...or-rough-water/


did read this http://www.seakayakermag.com/1997/feb97/foster1.htm

Almost all cases where sea kayakers get into serious--sometimes fatal--trouble involve people going out into conditions where they shouldn't. As I've posted before, if you have superb boat-handling skills and a never-fail roll, then you can go out into The Race or into storms or 30-knot winds, and most of the time you'll be just fine. But I'm not one of those people, so I listen to my inner voice of caution and paddle within those limits that have worked for me for a quarter-century. And I enjoy my kayaking more than just about anything else I do!

One cannot rely on paddle floats or cowboy re-entries to save your bacon when you're out there on a really bad day. It's best to never find out how bad things can get on the water, by using native caution, sea-knowledge and common sense to avoid behavior that everyone else will find to have been really stupid when they write up the accident report.

This is not a criticism of anybody in particular--it's just an observation based on decades of reading reports about What Went Wrong.

Strange Magic is right. Rescue stirrups and outdated methods like paddle float rescues are impractical in conditions that cause people to capsize.

Learn better, faster rescue methods - self and assisted - and combine w. your judgement and common sense. Show decent caution and respect for the water, and paddle w. better paddlers than you (e.g. learning opportunities).

I'll see what they teach me in my self rescue class Sun. I have seen people die just about every year at the power boat offshore World Championships in Key West. Usually 1-3 died each yea in a 3 o late years 2 race series. I am well aware that things can go bad on the water.

That said I do enjoy the rough water. I was out yesterday and it was rough but if I dumped I was close to shore. I always liked the rough water boat races which were slower than fast calm race. I went out yesterday and used a bunch of energy heading into 25+ mph wind. Was in bed early yesterday and this morning it rained so I could not work, I sat on the couch and woke up 2 hrs later @ 11:00am

I like to be on the edge but I do like to be prepared as much as possible.

thanks all!

The warm water season is ideal for paddlers to begin to find out about rough water in a relatively safe way. Find water with a friendly shoreline nearby that is downwind so that if things go wrong, you'll be driven up onto it. No, or weak, tidal currents; no boat traffic (usually weekdays are best). Summer afternoons with a powerful sea breeze that can get up to 20 knots plus are ideal for this experiential learning, as are the conditions that Dog described, while the water is still relatively warm.

I don't have much time left without a suit maybe two weeks. Plenty of places here to go with shorelines close enough to swim to in short order. In the summer boat traffic is busy. There are some areas at high tide that are shallow flats where I could get out and stand with comfort.

If I go a few 3 miles I am in the ocean on the south shore of Long Island. I was going in the inlet on my SOT kayak in July & Aug. and sometimes to the beach near by.

Soon the clocks go back and it is dark early so that will leave me with weekends only. If there is no construction work for my business I may be out during the daytime this winter.

Funny when the water was 76* here a short while ago it was like a bath. Now it is about 67-66 I'll have to check the boat gauge to see it is a big difference. I can see by survival times in the water a few degrees is a big deal to the body.

thanks!

very smart observation about water temp changes. A lot of people underestimate it. Also it's not just capsizing... a paddler can get hypothermic even if they never leave the cockpit... a good rain, waves and a stiff breeze can lower body temps as well.

I read water takes your body heat 10X faster than the air. So it isn't long till your done.

Correct, and moving water (rivers) take it 20x as fast.

The other thing is, due to the gasp reflex and other signs of cold weather shock, you can have real deterioration of your response time, coordination and judgment long before hypothermia sets in.

I've been hypothermic twice, once long ago on the icy Pine River in May, again on Lake Superior in August along Pictured Rocks. Made me more aware of how I react to cold water and to take better precautions in what I wear, eat, drink etc.

Instructor ask me if I ever was hypothermia. I said no. She ask if I ever shivered.

Bought the strap type and the water temp is holding at 65* Weather getting colder here this week so it should drop soon.

An extra tool in the tool kit can't hurt.

But

we all should know other rescues well enough that the rescue sling or strap is a last resort. People who use it only occasionally in particular should not develop false confidence in it.

Guides and instructors do use the strap, mainly for people who, for reasons of fitness level, are overweight and/or lack upper body strength. Due to the nature of their service they need to be prepared to assist those types of clients, and they have more opportunity to practice using it.

Your right I want to try and pull myself up on the back deck this weekend. Slings can get lost or forgotten. If I have a boat and it is there I want to be able to get back in myself with my two arms and legs if I still have a boat.