Tying yourself to your yak?

[Simon Everett]

Varp's OK - just a bit touchy and perhaps his take on PFDs in the shallow areas he fishes isn't the same as ours. I actually just go along with what people in other countries do - but I choose to wear a "keep me afloat" regardless of what i am doing. Quite a few boats I go to test are brand new - so have absolutely NO gear aboard whatever - not even a piece of rope! So I take my own lifejacket - proper lifejacket with lifting harness and becket. The lot. If the guys who sell the things choose nto to wear one I don't say anything unless they are going to appear in pictures, in which I insist as we must be seen to be behaving ourselves.....

 

If you see what the adventure racers and surf racers do it would boggle your minds. The accepted practise is to tuck your PFD into the deck rigging of the surfski - this is when racing in 10 - 20 foot rollers I add! I wouldn't be seen dead where they go, but that is what they do - maybe it is natural selection at work (where have those little faces gone? I want a grinner!)

 

Good news Varp's daughter is coming to the UK - I for one will take her for a drink........! I have seen a picture!!

 

I agree with sentiments over here - wear a PFD. We have cold water, fast tides and deep water to fish (by deep I mean out of your depth). Where Varp is I would think baging your head is well down the list of dangers - red backs, blue ring octopus, stonefish, salty crocks (OK not in Adelaide) but you get the idea. So I can understand him being a bit sensitive about being made to wear a PFD in 3 feet of water amongst the mangroves. However - I thinjk he has over reacted - what was said was hardly deserving of a diatribe like the last one! Remember 2003 in Sydney I say! Rememeber Old Trafford - and Headingly!

 

I hope he comes back - it is too silly an arguement to fall out over.

[Martin Hurst]

Ah a nice piece of Henry Kissinger type prose!!

 

A few cut and pastes from my water safety talks to schools

 

Drowning victims rarely call or signal for help because they can’t keep their head or arms above the water.

Adults 25 to 49 years continue to account for the largest absolute number of water-related deaths. Men account for 8 out every 10 drowning victims

The majority of drowning victims can swim (69%). So while learning to swim is important, further water survival and lifesaving skills are needed to be "Water Smart"

Two thirds of drowning victims did not intend to get wet. This includes boating and non-aquatic activities - quite an eye opener that one!!

Drowning can take as little as ten seconds and will occur in just inches of water

Many people are unaware that only road crashes and falls are bigger killers most years

 

Being safe in the water does not mean that you can't have fun and be comfortable but thinking about some very basic messages such as wearing a PFD at all trimes saves lives. After all, one of the good things about ejoying kayaking is that you can come back again the next day and do it all again!

 

"There's none so blind as they that won't see" mr Swift

 

The difference between a stupid man and a wise one is the stupid man's inability to calculate the consequences of the action. - Brian Penton (journalist)

 

And so endeth another lecture from the safety natzi time to put a full stop to this nonsense

 

Ps

 

Edited April 16, 2007 by Martin Hurst

[nifty]

For f££ks sake, why am spending a fortune on petrol every weekend going fishing and missing all the entertainment right here at home

[OKreally]

Ah a nice piece of Henry Kissinger type prose!!

 

A few cut and pastes from my water safety talks to schools

 

Drowning victims rarely call or signal for help because they can’t keep their head or arms above the water.

Adults 25 to 49 years continue to account for the largest absolute number of water-related deaths. Men account for 8 out every 10 drowning victims

The majority of drowning victims can swim (69%). So while learning to swim is important, further water survival and lifesaving skills are needed to be "Water Smart"

Two thirds of drowning victims did not intend to get wet. This includes boating and non-aquatic activities - quite an eye opener that one!!

Drowning can take as little as ten seconds and will occur in just inches of water

Many people are unaware that only road crashes and falls are bigger killers most years

 

Being safe in the water does not mean that you can't have fun and be comfortable but thinking about some very basic messages such as wearing a PFD at all trimes saves lives. After all, one of the good things about ejoying kayaking is that you can come back again the next day and do it all again!

 

And so endeth another lecture from the safety natzi time to put a full stop to this nonsense

 

Ps

 

[/quote

 

Excellent post & pertinent stats - The final pic will determine whether Australia has a sense of humour!

 

Regards

 

Andrew

[Simon Everett]

Bet he comes back with a picture of the cricket from the last tour........they were lucky that time.

[Mark Crame]

Well, more input.

 

I don't use a yak leash and was under the impression it was an encumberance and safety hazard. I can see that it could be an advantage, but also that a tangle would be possible - or a bump on the head. I use a paddle leash when it's rough, tied to the yak. I don't see the point of swimming with a paddle. PFD's. Well, at first I didn't bother - I swim in rivers and the sea etc and can't see me having a problem where I might need one. Only once have I been out when it's rough enough that a spill might have happened. BUT. I wear my PFD all the time nbow as a matter of course. A few reasons - it's good practice in front of my kids, same as waiting for the green man when crossing an empty road etc; warmth; storage (I have a PFD with plenty of pockets for handy stuff); and, of course, just in case. It helps in that my PFD is very comfortable and I don't actually notice that it's on. I don't carry flares, or VHF, but don't go out in conditions/areas where I might need them so I feel that's justified.

 

And I've been out on the sea almost every day of the last fortnight.

 

Bear in mind that in South Africa or Australia PFD's can cause your legs to come off. Sharks love bobbing silhouettes - refer to the sinking of the USS Indianapolis amongst others.

[jonnyboy]

everyone knows that our 50N PFD's will NOT keep you afloat, dont they

 

dont they?

 

Its just supposed to make swimming easier. i wouldnt rely on mine to save my life

 

That said i dont go afloat without it

[Martin Hurst]

Keeps me afloat in my pool no problem Doesnt make swimming easier however

[prokaryote]

I thought the paddle leash idea was to attach your paddle to your kayak not you to your paddle? The idea is that if you fall out 1) if you can hold on the paddle you still have contact with the kayak, and 2) if you do let go of the paddle then it will act as a sea anchor and trail behind the yak, slowing its progress and giving you something to grab for. If you attach the leash to the middle of the paddle shaft (I use a wrap around velcro strap for this) then this should work fine and it certainly does stop the boat getting away in surf. The leash should be as short as possible to minimise entanglement risk. I incorporated a quick release plastic buckle close to the paddle shaft attachment on mine for good measure. Having said all of that I only use it with my pyranha surfjet SOT in busy surf to prevent the yak from taking out unsuspecting body boarders if I can't roll back up and have to bail out.

Cheers,

Gary

[snakey1]

Just as a side note me and a mate got stopped the other week by the aberdovey coastguard in their RIB, they asked if we were carrying VHF radios and flares(we were). they said that as the number of kayak anglers was on the increase they were doing random safety checks to make sure they had all the right safety gear. they asked how the fishing was and then went on their way. They were polite and pleasent at all times and it was good to know they were out and about even on a sunny calm day however i have a feeling if we'd been out there without radios, flares and PFDs our reception might not have been so pleasent(and deservedly so in IMO).

my only wish was that had stayed around a little longer and checked on the eejits on the jetskis who came within about 10-20 yards of us as they flew past on way to somewhere beyond the horizon.

Edited April 18, 2007 by snakey1