Paddle keepers

I was inspired by Uplandsandpiper's safety report, so I thought I'd share mine, even if it is about 1000x less dramatic. Maybe someone can learn from my mistake.

Sunday was a bad day for me all around, lots of gear headaches (trying out a lot of new stuff, just learning curve mostly), but the worst was this:

I launched to more wind than I had expected or than had been forecasted. I was in a bad mood by the time I got my yak in the water, but like always all of that faded away as soon as I was floating and paddling away from the ramp. I got out away from shore, started setting up to troll, got my lure in the water, grabbed for my paddle to start trolling...

In my haste to get in the water I'd consciously skipped the paddle keeper. I mean only idiots need those anyway, right? Well let me tell you, that was a pretty lonely feeling as I quickly surveyed my options. In the wind, I was easily 30 yards from my paddle at this point, and abandoning the kayak would do me no good. I ended up hand paddling, trying to use the wind to help, to the edge of a point where I could get out of the kayak and secure it. Luckily for me a powerboater retrieved my paddle for me as I was getting ready for a swim after it.

Needless to say I made a make-shift paddle keeper and kept fishing, but it was with a newfound respect for how fast that situation could evolve. If that had happened on bigger water, or the ocean, or there wasn't anyone around, it would have at least ruined my day, maybe lost my paddle, and made me go for a long swim in very cold water.

I was always told in the military...many miles ago..."If you don't want it, don't secure it"
In my MOS, that applied to weapons and anything on your ruck...

As I am not overly fond of IronMan triathlon swims in freezing water, I will say it applies here as well...

I'm glad you had that powerboater that came to help you out. One thing I've been impressed with is the courtesy and respect that the vast majority of PB folks show me out on the river.

Make sure you connect that paddle to something next time you go out .... and carry a rescue knife 

I'm glad you had that powerboater that came to help you out. One thing I've been impressed with is the courtesy and respect that the vast majority of PB folks show me out on the river.

Make sure you connect that paddle to something next time you go out .... and carry a rescue knife 

I always have my rescue knife!!! And that was the first time I haven't used a paddle keeper... and the last.

I was always told in the military...many miles ago..."If you don't want it, don't secure it"
In my MOS, that applied to weapons and anything on your ruck...

As I am not overly fond of IronMan triathlon swims in freezing water, I will say it applies here as well...

Yep. My indoctrination into strapping stuff down was when I flipped a canoe with my brother-in-law on the Clackamas one spring. I still miss that steelhead rod...

I use a paddle leash but I also carry one of these in my milk crate:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Kwik-Tek-Telescoping-Paddle/4925910

I've even used it successfully to maneuver my Tandem Island around a dock (but I'd hate to have to paddle a mile with it).

Here's a PNW guy who makes really nice leashes at a very reasonable price:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-ROD-LEASH-and-Kayak-Paddle-LEASH/524181507661724

I lost a $500 mirage turbo drive at Pacific City due to a homemade leash, my first and most expensive surf landing.