fast re-entry

Posted by LeeG on Jul 29, 2006

consider a solid paddle float, no reason to be wiggling your legs around inflating a bag if you are potential bait.

I talked to a fellow who teaches in Alaska and he advocated getting your body right up on the aft deck before inflating the float for very cold water but that assumes the capability to do so, most folks need the float for that purpose. Sounds like alligators and cold water provide a similar stimulus.

I led a group of college student around Wye Island for an orientation trip. LOTS of jelly fish. One girl dumped out and FLEW onto the back deck in a half second without any floats. She was motivated,,light and fit helps.

A fast assisted rescue is an eye opener,,,as is the time it takes to turn around and get to someone who can't self-rescue quickly.

The following is kind of related. One of the ways to ensure you don't go over is improving skill with the blade so those "oops" maneuvers don't take you over accidentally. You know,,blade slices wrong with a hard effort and "oops"..or you're leaning to get something and as you're on the edge you go to brace and the blade slices,,oops. Practice braces and draw strokes all around you,,not just directly to either side at 3 and 9 oclock positions. Do a draw stroke at 5oclock and ten oclock, do a sculling brace at two oclock and eight oclock. Do sculling draws with as vertical a paddle shaft as you can and do them for 10',,combine an in-water draw stroke with a sculling draw stroke. After awhile combine a forward stroke with a draw stroke. This stuff will exhaust a few small muscles when the technique is efficient and when your technique gets better you'll have a more relaxed grip and develop a more intuitive style so if there's an "oops" moment it's no big deal.

In Response to: Safety issues by Jim L on Jul 29, 2006

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