Another Self Rescue Video

I did some self rescue practice a couple of weeks ago. It's a little trickier in a Revo16 but not impossible. The video kind of shows the right and wrong way to get back on the kayak. 

You needed to wash all the blood of that thing anyway. Good job!

Awesome! One of the more engaging self-rescue videos I've seen. Love the music and high camera angle as the kayak rolls. Also I didn't know what was going on with the timelapse so the ending was perfect - awesome!

I was just editing my self-rescue video last week and I already like yours better. Very well done.

On the john day river float I realized that I hadn't practiced a self rescue with my new life vest.  70 degree water is a great time to practice

Wouldn't hurt to practice without a life vest as well.  I know a lot of people don't wear them in the summer time.

On the john day river float I realized that I hadn't practiced a self rescue with my new life vest.  70 degree water is a great time to practice

Wouldn't hurt to practice without a life vest as well.  I know a lot of people don't wear them in the summer time.

You are completely right. I was just thinking the other day that I should practice more without my vest, I have not been wearing it nearly as much...

The ending of the self-rescue video is definitely surprising and entertaining.

I would imagine it's a lot easier to get back on your boat without a pfd. My pfd kept hanging up on thr side of the kayak and that made it difficult to get on the boat.

It's also really hard to swim in a pfd. I tried to catch up with my kayak after I jumped out but quickly found out that would be impossible. The wind carried the boat away a lot faster than I could swim. I ended up having to swim out of the lake and run down a trail to find my kayak.

I tried to catch up with my kayak after I jumped out but quickly found out that would be impossible. The wind carried the boat away a lot faster than I could swim. I ended up having to swim out of the lake and run down a trail to find my kayak.

It would definitely suck if you were out in a big lake or the ocean by yourself, you tipped over, and your kayak blew away.  Ling Ling's incident suggests that if you end up in the water, you should grab your kayak ASAP, before it can blow away.  Does anybody else have any stories about kayaks getting away, or any recommendations about how to keep it from happening?  I don't like the idea of tethering myself to my kayak, because of the risk of a dangerous entanglement.  My fishing kayaks already have way too many potential sources of entanglement without intentionally tethering myself to the kayak.

excellent video and awesome advice- practice is a great way to gain confidence and keep a level head when you hit the water and it wasn't planned...

If your in a paddle boat the paddle usually is in you hands or lap if you go over. If you have a paddle leash just make sure you hang on to the paddle and  the yak can't blow away from you and make a bad situation a lot worse. Works for me..lol..

It's also really hard to swim in a pfd. I tried to catch up with my kayak after I jumped out but quickly found out that would be impossible. The wind carried the boat away a lot faster than I could swim.

This is an ancillary benefit of paddling and using a paddle leash.  The drag created by the paddle in the water gives you a little more time to catch up.

-Mark-

If your in a paddle boat the paddle usually is in you hands or lap if you go over. If you have a paddle leash just make sure you hang on to the paddle and  the yak can't blow away from you and make a bad situation a lot worse.

If you're in a paddle kayak but don't have a paddle leash, you can use your paddle instead of your hands to pull yourself through the water.  Try this next time you're doing roll practice; it's way faster than swimming with your hands.

I find it hard to believe it's easier to swim with a paddle than to actually swim....unless you're a terrible swimmer.

I find it hard to believe it's easier to swim with a paddle than to actually swim....unless you're a terrible swimmer.

Swimming with a paddle is quite effective because a paddle blade has much more area than a hand, and because a paddle shaft has much more reach than an arm.  I teach this technique to beginner whitewater kayakers, who frequently end up out of their kayaks and in the water in places where being in the water isn't a good idea.  It's worth trying in a practice session so you can figure out the technique, and are ready to swim with your paddle if you need to in an emergency.

But I will admit that without fins, I'm a terrible swimmer.

I tried to catch up with my kayak after I jumped out but quickly found out that would be impossible. The wind carried the boat away a lot faster than I could swim. I ended up having to swim out of the lake and run down a trail to find my kayak.

It would definitely suck if you were out in a big lake or the ocean by yourself, you tipped over, and your kayak blew away.  Ling Ling's incident suggests that if you end up in the water, you should grab your kayak ASAP, before it can blow away.  Does anybody else have any stories about kayaks getting away, or any recommendations about how to keep it from happening?  I don't like the idea of tethering myself to my kayak, because of the risk of a dangerous entanglement.  My fishing kayaks already have way too many potential sources of entanglement without intentionally tethering myself to the kayak.

I think it's "Sea Kayaker, Big Trouble" that has several cases of someone overturning and their boat getting blown away from them. I know Sea Kayaker magazine used to have a similar per issue feature article that was really educational, too.