Helping others........safety skills

[Yakity - Yak - u.k.]

Hi all.

 

There have been a few posts on Anglers Net regarding Kayakers in trouble.

Just thought that we could all benefit from this article, should we be put in the position of having to rescue a fellow Kayaker on the sea.

Having this knowledge and know how, could save a life.

 

Woth a read, for those not familiar with rescue techniques from Kayaks.

 

 

http://www.sit-on-topkayaking.com/Articles...RescueSink.html

 

 

May be worth the owners of the Kayak forums now in the uk to add this feature to thier safety pages, it will be read and lost here.

A permanant reference would be good for all.

 

Bill.

Edited December 31, 2006 by Yakity - Yak - u.k.

[SeaDooDavid]

Hi all.

 

There have been a few posts on Anglers Net regarding Kayakers in trouble.

Just thought that we could all benefit from this article, should we be put in the position of having to rescue a fellow Kayaker on the sea.

Having this knowledge and know how, could save a life.

 

Woth a read, for those not familiar with rescue techniques from Kayaks.

http://www.sit-on-topkayaking.com/Articles...RescueSink.html

May be worth the owners of the Kayak forums now in the uk to add this feature to thier safety pages, it will be read and lost here.

A permanant reference would be good for all.

 

Bill.

 

Excellent advice as per usual from the AN safety meister

 

Don't know if any of you have ever tried this, I have and its not that easy!. My mate has a SIS and we practiced this on a lake and the local estuary!. Very valuable exercise as we actually used it when he tipped over a sand bar and then drifted into deeper water. There was a fair swell but got him back in thanks to our previous practice! I have seen the odd SIS yakker on my travels and feel confident I could help if need be!.

 

Nice one Bill (ps any pics of your new pimped up ride??)

 

SDD~~~~

[GB]

Excellent read Bill and valuable info as always. Thanks

[Yakity - Yak - u.k.]

Hi SDD.

 

No pics yet mate, still tinkering

Work has been manic, so havnt had much time.

As soon as she is ready ill post a couple up, if i can remember how

 

Cheers Dave.

 

Bill

[Yakity - Yak - u.k.]

Hi GB.

 

Glad you found it helpfull...... never know,might come in handy one day.

 

 

Cheers mate.

 

 

Bill.

[phooey]

Nice one.

 

Articles like that are little gems. Simple to understand yet basic 'should have' knowledge.

 

Thanks Yakity

[darnsarf]

NIce one Bill.

 

Just as an addition. You may find people out in non bulkhead kayaks, this makes it very difficult for the person in the water as all the weight goes down to their end.

 

The remedy is simple. Push the kayak up on to the rescue yak so they form a cross. Then simply move the capsized yak up and down using the rescue yak as the fulcrum. This allows the guy in the water to be much more help. He can raise and lower his end much easier as he is not having to lift as much weight. Once the yak is empty turn it over and lay it alongside the rescue yak and follow the instructions in the article.

 

There is also a "H" rescue that is very simple to do with 3 yaks. It is as the "T" but each rescue yak takes one end of the capsized yak, thus forming the "H". They lift each end until the yak is empty; turn it over and form a 3 yak raft with the empty yak in the middle bound together with interlocking paddles. (Those of you that have been on a course will know just how stable this platform is. Instructors normally make students run around the raft.)

 

Once the raft has formed the yakker in the water who at this time has been hanging onto the end of one of the other boats now moves to either the front or rear of his yak and climbs on board. Using the others for leverage as required.

 

The benefit of this technique is that it is less demanding of the guy in the water. He can rest while the others do the donkey work.

 

I strongly recommend when out in groups practicing forming rafts. They are useful in all sorts of emergency situations. They are also good for getting together and having a chat and a brew mid journey.

[Yakity - Yak - u.k.]

Hi Darnsarf.

 

Nice addition to the thread

 

Given the fact fact that most of the guys fish alone a lot of the time, we could also include the " Curl Rescue ".

One of the easiest to perform, and dosnt require a lot of strength to execute.

 

Paddle alongside the swamped Kayak / canone and get the person in the water to lean across the bows of your boat.

Then reaching across they can get hold of the cockpit coaming of their boat, using your kayak to rest thier elbows form a lever, and curling his arms to begin emptying his flooded boat.

May require a little sculling to stable both parties, and the guy in the water needs to try and keep his boat level while emptying.

 

We should also add if the Kayaker is near rocks or surf zone, would be wise to tow both to calmer safer water, if possible before attempting any rescue.

 

 

 

 

Bill.

[easyrog]

It's all good advise and, as usual, anything that increases safety at sea is a good idea.

 

It is worth noting that the BCU (British Canoe Union) are changing their 'Star' Certification in the near future so that the 1 Star incorporates 'Sit on-tops'. This course will therefore include rescues of various types as well as paddle strokes and safety gear.

It would be well worth doing the course as I remeber feeling that I knew the basics before the course but came away afterwards having learned quite a lot of new stuff. It is much better to learn correctly from the start and then you can build on good foundations.

Apart from that, me and my mates had a great laugh on the course...highly recommended.

 

Rog.

[Simon Everett]

Another worthwhile post Bill - good links you find. i don't know how you come aross all this stuff!

Another point worth mking is how to empty the kayak yourself..

 

With bulkheads as laid out in the article it is easy and the Skua does this and you can be back in the cockpit in no time - fastest we have done it is just under 30 seconds - me staying dry and a South African friend Lucian, doing the swimming bit!

 

With the kayak upside down, get the swimmer to sit astride the after deck so the kayak sticks up like a giant dick from between his legs - the water will drain out. While the kayak is in the air you simply spin it round in the air and lean forward. The kayak comes down, right way up and pretty dry (you can't get all the water out - but there will only be a cupful left). Swimmer now uses your kayak for support as they swivel round and drop into the cockpit. Done.

 

A kayak WITHOUT bulkheads needs to be clear of the water before you turn it over or you simply scoop more water into the cockpit as you turn it. AQuite a few sit inside polythene kayaks have no bulkheads - or air bags fitted!!! Dangerous to say the leasy.

 

Your sit on tops will also benefit from a couple of car inner tubes being stuffed inside the hull - squidgy enough to get well aft under the seat section and so not reducing storage for camping kit. The Dorado and Pelican, although sit-on-tops both have twin bulkheads fitted as standard - so does the Skua. The Duo has triple bulkheads. You cannot over design enough safety into a kayak!

Edited January 2, 2007 by Simon Everett