Staying with your kayak

Found NWKA last month and I've enjoyed reading about the fishing exploits of everyone here.  I've been kayak fishing since '02 in lakes and small rivers and the stories of ocean fishing have my interest.  One question I have: do you tether yourself to the kayak in the ocean like surfers do with their boards?  Seems like recovery would be much harder if your kayak is pulled far away due to current/wave action and staying attached in some manner would be prudent.  Then again maybe too risky to be entangled in line?  How do you retain ownership of a swamped kayak in ocean waves?

I think we discussed the topic briefly here and there.

I decided i would rather be away from my kayak in certain situations like the kayak going over the falls on a wave and you can swim out of it or if the landlord comes to collect some rent and is chewing on your kayak or ending up being tethered to the yak by your neck.

I don't know anyone that does tether themselves to their yak either.

Most of us use Sit On Top Kayaks that are watertight and self bailing. Don't have to worry about "swamping" , unless you leave the hatches open, just gotta be able to remount the yak or swim it to shore if in waves. Or like surfing swim to shore and wait for your ride to come back to shore, hopeful;lly intact...

On my T13 I attach my bow line to my paddle leash and if I were to get dumped overboard in rough or windy waters, I'm hoping that the paddle will act like a sea anchor holding the yak from blowing to far from me. 

Now that I have the Hobie Revo, I haven't devised a solution yet beingst that my paddle is securely bungee-ed down to the side of the yak.   

Welcome to NWKA!

We have had this discussion before and I have seriously considered tethering myself to my yak in certain conditions. 

I'd never tether myself in a river or during an ocean beach launch, nor in rough seas nor high wind.  In these cases being tethered and dragged would be more dangerous than being free floating. 

In the end I came to the conclusion that the only time I would consider tethering myself is in relatively benign conditions.  In relatively benign conditions I wouldn't need to be tethered to my yak.

The best thing you can do to survive separation from your ride is proper dress and safety equipment.  I'm sure my dry suit will keep me alive long enough to swim a mile or two to shore, or keep me alive long enough to hit the distress button on my hand held VHF and wait for the helicopter.

our sister site in NorCal has a similar thread running. it's chock full of good ideas ;  http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,27568.0.html

Thanks for the information and greeting.  I'll read thru the NorCal thread, interesting stuff about ditching your ride or not, and ditch bags.  I do carry a pump, wear the PFD at all times and since I have a SIT, both front & back have bulkheads to minimize flooding.  I'm interested in ocean fishing but surf launch and recovery are probably not good with a SIT so maybe Depoe Bay someday.

Thanks for the information and greeting.  I'll read thru the NorCal thread, interesting stuff about ditching your ride or not, and ditch bags.  I do carry a pump, wear the PFD at all times and since I have a SIT, both front & back have bulkheads to minimize flooding.  I'm interested in ocean fishing but surf launch and recovery are probably not good with a SIT so maybe Depoe Bay someday.

ok my suggestion then is taht you start talking to member Nanook via pm.  not to take anything away from the rest of our very experienced crew here, but he also does instruction for a living.   

Thanks for the information and greeting.  I'll read thru the NorCal thread, interesting stuff about ditching your ride or not, and ditch bags.  I do carry a pump, wear the PFD at all times and since I have a SIT, both front & back have bulkheads to minimize flooding.  I'm interested in ocean fishing but surf launch and recovery are probably not good with a SIT so maybe Depoe Bay someday.

Depoe Bay and Sunset Bay are your best bets and Port Orford is a great beach launch in the right conditions. Fished Depoe Bay twice and it ranks high on my favorite lspots for sure. Just don't do anything if your not comfortable doing it and if you want to learn surf launches find someone with experience to teach ya and practice on small waves.

I use a surfboard leash on my ankle, tied to my bow line, as soon as I'm out of the surge and breaking waves. An empty kayak can move pretty quick with any amount of wind, someone on the aquahunters site did some tests and it was pretty scary how fast his kayak got away from him, even with a pretty mild wind. I'll see if I can dig up that thread and post a link

what is standard with yaks is to put perimeter lines on your boat if it doesn't already have them. I put a lot on SOT's with rivets/nuts & bolts & a 3-4mm static poly line. I personally like the reflective line. With rope all around the edge of the boat except at the cockpit, I can hang on to that sucker in any position.

Also the toggles at the front and back of the boat are for more than just carrying. Those need to be set up so the boat could roll like a log in surf while I'm holding on without breaking my fingers or trapping me in the twist.

The best thing is to train yourself to hang onto the boat. If forces are strong enough to take it from you, it's probably better. empty boats (no paddler) just get launched in surf at a pretty fast pace when they get hit by a breaking wave, all that weight (60-90lbs) jerking on a leash is probably going to break the leash anyway, and if it doesn't, you'd probably wish it would have. the boat is going to thrash and roll in the surf and a leash is going to be a total nightmare. Most wipeouts are in the surf zone...which means 99% of the time your boat is going to wash back to the beach.......eventually.

If you are concerned about getting bucked off the boat, thigh straps will help a lot. sort of like a seat belt for SOT's.

Wave ski's actually have a velcro seat belt that keeps you attached, but they're also 6ft long and 30lbs.

here is a pic of the perimeter lines & thigh straps I put on my old trident. Notice how the area where I'd climb back into the cockpit is free of perimeter lines so I won't hang up on anything while re-entering:

Another anti-leash true story:

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20110105/NEWS/110109990/in-dale-moses-own-words-i-

If this guy had looked at his current atlas before he went out, he would have known that the rip eddies out just north of the light house, and the water there is only 5-10ft deep 400yds from shore. he was literally 50ft from being out of the rip, but kept trying to go straight into shore through the rip and got carried out into the channel.

I play in this spot regularly, and right next to shore at the point where the light house is is the fastest water and the biggest waves. 100yds E of shore it's docile because the water is deeper. 50ft NW of the lighthouse it eddies. Know before you go!