Re: Paddle Float Recovery

Posted by Randy Knauff on Jun 2, 2005

Having taught and practiced rescues/recoveries in both regular double cockpit and large open single cockpit doubles in the ocean, I've found several things that seem to work best. If you dump with two paddlers, get on opposite sides of the kayak, one holds on to the side of the cockpit while the other climbs back in. Keep your weights away from each other to balance the kayak. Then the one in the boat leans strongly away from the other person as they climb in. The one already in the boat can scull and/or use the paddle float to help balance the boat while the second climbs in. If you practice it, both paddlers can some up on opposite sides simultaneously, one holds still while the other enters, then he balances while the second enters. If only one person is paddling the boat, because the kayaks are wide, sometimes you can just climb back up/on, stay at 90degrees across until ready to quickly turn and drop your butt down into the seat. If one person wants to use the paddle float reentry, I have a bungee cord or quick strap on each side of the cockpit to wrap around the paddle shaft for steadying the paddle. You can also have a stuff sack tied there and just shove the paddle blade in and pull the cord to hold the paddle in place. With double kayaks it is very important to have adequate flotation and displacement bags or foam. The more space you can take up the better. Big bailers/buckets work faster than hand pumps. Finish off with a pump. I have a Guzzler foot pump mounted on a board and can pump my boats out with one foot while using both hands to bail and or paddle and brace.

For my large open cocpit kayaks, I also sewed a good tight spray skirt with PVC pipe bent into an oval in the center of the skirt that fits regular spray skirts. Keeps lots of wave and spray out of the boat.

If you have kids or someone not strong enough to climb back in by themselves, you can reach over the upside kayak, grasp their PFD and as you lay back and pull, it rights the kayak and pulls them right into the boat at the same time.

One of the few small boats to cross the Atlantic Ocean is the big cockpit double Klepper. Rigged correctly and with good skills, you have a go most anywhere boat. Get good training and practice, practice, practice. Randy

In Response to: Paddle Float Recovery by Ivan Roulson on Jun 2, 2005

Replies:

• Re: Paddle Float Recovery by Brett on Jun 3, 2005
  • Re: Paddle Float Recovery by Ivan Roulson on Jun 3, 2005
    • Re: Paddle Float Recovery by LeeG on Jun 3, 2005