From: Julio MacWilliams <cisco.com!juliom@imagelan.com>
Message-Id: <199609091802.LAA00868@harrier.cisco.com>
Subject: Re: ease of reentry
To: baidarka@imagelan.com
Date: Mon, 9 Sep 1996 11:02:17 -0700 (PDT)
In-Reply-To: <199609071211.IAA23667@shell.flinet.com> from "Theodore Gallo" at Sep 7, 96 08:07:53 am
I call a sit-on-top kayak a low-profile canoe, because that is what
it really is. If you want to roll, lean on waves, and carry gear,
then get a real kayak.
In a real kayak (or closed-deck if you insist) you can roll up,
do a wet exit, or stay upside down until you run out of air.
On a sea canoe, (sit-on-top in you still insist), you can not do
anything but a wet exit.
I do not want to hear: "but sit-on-tops have seat belts that keep
you attached to the kayak". This has more than doubled the fatality
rate of sea paddle sports, at least in California.
To wrap this thing up: If you want to kayak, then get a kayak, and
TAKE A COURSE. Many people do not thing they need instruction because
they do not know what kayaking is really about, and cinically think
that it is an easy thing.
APOLOGY: to all kayakers on this list. A beginner's question like
the one below should have been posted on the rec.boats.paddle
newsgroup, as well as my reply.
I just had to reply to this one, it made me remember some painful events.
- Julio
>
> The magazine Sea Kayaker has had a number of articles concerning the
> reentry of a kayak should you be ejected for some reason. The
> techniques seem to be rather difficult to master. In the most recent
> issue ( 10-96) an open top kayak by Ocean Kayak was reviewed. The
> kayak has a length of 16'10 3/4" and a beam of 20 1/4" The kayak was
> paddled in day trip conditions. During one test, winds of 25 mph and
> seas of 3 to 4 feet and breaking, dumped the paddler. His comment was
> "it was easy enough to get back on board". Is a sit on top design more
> user friendly and perhaps safer than a more traditional kayak design.
>