Self Rescue

[MetroMan]

How many people have practiced self rescue? I'm not gonna lie...I haven't...although I really want to. Its a necessary skill to know. Anybody wanna get together and give it a go sometime soon? Great for all kaykers, both experienced and new.

[Pinch]

I have it is easy

[MetroMan]

When I see it done, it does look easy. I guess its one of those things...I wont know myself until I try. With some of the training I had to do for scuba diving (rescue breathing for dive buddy), I kinda know what needs to be done. We'll see soon perhaps.

[Grilled]

i know Friday/Comeonfish did a self rescure seminar last year or 2 years ago at SPSP. some members from here were there and everyone had a cookout after.

[ictalurus]

We could do a practice drill somewhere quiet if you want. Jonas Green maybe, or somewhere else relatively central but quiet. It would be a good way to cool off in this heat. Upper body strength isn't my forte, and I've still done it relatively easily. Just don't climb in on the same side you have your paddle attached. I learned that one the hard way.

[mmanolis2001]

Or don't somehow wind up on your belly with your face in the seat and feet at the bow.

My tarpon is a breeze to get back into. I had to work harder to get it right in my longer trident. I put quite the show on for an hour at Breezy point last summer.

If you are in current make sure your legs are down current. Trying to climb back in the kayak with the current pushing your legs under the boat does not work well.

It also helps to kick with your feet and try to get you body parallel to the water before pulling yourself into the boat.

[Pinch]

I enjoy the water rodeo technique. Postistion yourself at either the bow or the stern. Push up on your yak to sink yourself letting the life vest do its job pushing you back to the surface. As you break the surface pull up/ push down on the stern as you jump on the yak like a cowboy.

[Redfish12]

I'm a nut about this actually... I take mine (haven't done it in the ultimate yet though but have done it penty in a one man canoe so I think it should be similar) to a lake and practice thoroughly before I take it out on the bay. I made my dad and my girlfriend do it too. I was even a little mean and would rock the boat or pull it away as they were trying to get it flipped back over. I wanted to simulate current. We practiced improvised sterring too, in case you don't have a paddle and are nearing an object- like a piling.

I think it's a good skill to have and it definitely makes you more comfortable out there. My trident is really easy for me to get back into, the revo is a bit cramped for me so putting my feet in is kinda weird but I'm getting used to it. Now I don't think twice about jumping in when it's so hot out.

If anyone wants to practice I can help, not the expert or anything, but don't mind sharing. For the guys that have trouble, you should make a step strap and keep it in your pfd. Just get a caribeaner and about a 2 - 3 ft piece of cord and tie a loop large enough for your foot in one end, beaner on the other. This will help give you that extra umphf you need to get back in.

One other thing, you should practice swimming with your paddle. It is most likely going to be in you rhand when you go over unless you have it leashed. I can show you what I mean sometime. Also, take some broomsticks or rods with our reels and tether them to your kayak so you get the full effect of getting tangled in your leashes. It's a lot less scary on purpose.

[Grilled]

when i first got into kayak fishing, i bought a tarpon 120, and took it to black hills on my mayden voyage. at first i thought to myself, what the hell did i get myself into, it was just a weird feeling being on top of a kayak. so, then my next trip was to spsp to fish the lighthouse. i was a bit more comfortable but still a little awkward being in the bay with current an chop. so, i decided to do a little bit of self rescue. i started rocking the kayak back and forth to get a feel for it and to see how stable it was and splash. rocked a little too hard and flipped. well, at that point i had nothing strapped. all my rods, tackle boxes, weights were in the water. luckily i was in the shallow so i was able to recover most of my things except for a box with weights and some lures in it. lesson learned. now, everytime i go out everything has a leash.

so for those who launch from spsp, you can always practice getting back on the yak in the shallow before hitting up the bridge. right now its second nature to me, a lot of times when its really hot ill jump off the yak into the water to cool off and get right back on. last year, i was fishing the bridge and a storm snuck up on me. instead of being smart and heading back to shore i decided to ride it out and continue fishing. there were a couple times where waves almost flipped me over, not sure how i stayed on but i did. so its always good to be comfortable getting off and back on especially when fishing the bay.

[Pinch]

i jumped out in between the spans a week or so ago at the BB. Love the looks from the boaters.

[surfdog]

i know Friday/Comeonfish did a self rescure seminar last year or 2 years ago at SPSP. some members from here were there and everyone had a cookout after.

still have videos of that one LOL but its no joke Joe, dameslfish and i help a lot of guys that had no clue how to get in there kayaks from the water. you and SJ were there also atlantaking and 1obxnut. more like 3 years ago. been trying to get another one going JGP or breezy point which is larger with more amneities. i rember one guy saying after 5 tries saying "im dead" but we finally got him back on.