[CKF Info] 5/4/2008 Lessons Learned In The Pond Practice Today

[P Martin]

Hi Rafael,

We do include paddlefloat rescues in our practice sessions.   Yesterday we spent quite a bit of time working on paddlefloat reentries.  And most of us do carry paddle floats with us.

Unfortunately some people are not strong enough to pull themselves up onto their boats by themselves, so a paddle float rescue will not work for them.  Also paddle float rescues take much longer to do than assisted rescues.  In rough waters I prefer techniques which get the paddler back in their boat as quickly as possible.  Getting a person back in their boat quickly is also important when dealing with cold water and the threat of hypothermia.

I like the underwater reentry and roll in rough waters because it reduces the risk of boats getting tossed into each other.  Once a paddler has learned how to roll, the paddle float is generally not needed and just adds time to the process.

Yet, if you are paddling solo, a paddle float might be your last line of defense.   Paddlefloats can also be used to stabilize a boat if someone gets sea sick or incapacitated.

All the best,

Patrick Martin
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Rafael en prodigy 
  To: 'P Martin' ; ckf at paddlewise.net 
  Sent: Monday, May 05, 2008 8:21 AM
  Subject: RE: [CKF Info] 5/4/2008 Lessons Learned In The Pond Practice Today


  Hi Patrick,

   

  There were two incidents of going over reported by you guys in Ca this weekend. It is so good that nothing bad happened.

  Good mention is made about the advantages of practice and how fortunately and easily things got resolved.

   

  I was wondering, though, that in these and other reports no mention is made of a paddlefloat, and the possibility of a paddlefloat rescue or paddlefloat reentry and roll.

  My question is:  in the regular rescue practices that you all make, do you include the paddlefloat as a rescue tool in any of its forms?

   

  And I mention it because it is very useful to me, and even in the case of weakness that I found myself in at The Sea of Cortes Crossing, after my second capsize and failed roll I was back on my boat before assistance arrived. With the pf I can paddle slowly but can move and stay balanced while I empty the boat. This is possible because my pf has bag only on one side.

   

  So I am an advocate of the paddlefloat as a contingency resource.

   

  Best Regards,

   

  Rafael

  Mexico.

   



  No virus found in this outgoing message.
  Checked by AVG.
  Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.23.8/1415 - Release Date: 05/05/2008 6:01

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://list.ckf.org/pipermail/info/attachments/20080505/eb691549/attachment.htm