Surfski Knowledge Base

Reivers Dustin
08/25/10 #9108

during our crazy week at San Fran we did several downwind runs. Out of that we saw a couple of things.

For one thing the locals there are careful to set 'stop check' points. The distances are bigger than we deal with in the bay here. So they don't get jiggy with the route. When they say 'go to the center span' they mean it.

Next thing: if someone doesn't make it to the stop check point then there's no kidding around. Somebody stays on point and somebody(s) go looking. When DJ was in trouble they started asking pointed questions because we were suppossed to pair up.

Last thing: It's hard to stick together when it's big. Really hard. I would zip ahead and wait and look back and see some of my group stop and look around(wtf?) also would see one or the other go off in a new direction. Maybe us northwesterners have a independent spirit. Maybe we better leave that in the northwest next time.

Conclusion: I do a lot of solo stuff, like probably you guys. Most of our paddles don't matter much - like our run to Governors Pt maybe. But in other cultures it's different. I guess we should be sensitive to the other cultures? I mean, there's not a black and white line where you go from needing an agreed route to just having a free paddle. But if you go on a ripping downwinder across San Fran bay by yourself, you better have your papers in order.

Reminds me of a thing they did in our small unit recon training. The training cadre on our field excersizes would pick off the stragglers and the point man if there was too much distance. That was bad duty and we learned quick to stay tight.

rd

Re: stop check
john dye <johnmdye@…>
08/26/10 #9114

its a never ending topic, that safety thing. that cold water you folks have up north would seem to accelerate the issue. stop check is a great thing.

“buddy up” means completely diferent things to diferent people. within 500 meters? within 5 meters? close enough for voice communication in what ever conditions you are paddling in, within VHF range? i've found it impossible and not practical or necessary to keep a large group together, tight. why bother? but in larger conditions I prefer to paddle in small tight groups of 2 to 3 boats, not just for our safety but for others too. 3 skis max. 3 boat engths apart are somewhat visible from the bridge of a commercial vessel. a single ski just disappears. some bay area paddlers have gotten in the habit of circle paddling, i.e. sprinting, then circling back to the back of the pack, then trying to catch up with whoever is left in front. the check point system is good also , but can be too loose for some situations in my opinion. if its 20 minutes between check points, that means somebody can be swimming for 19 minutes before anyone notices they are gone, 38 minutes before you get back to where they disappeared, assuming you have any idea where that is. not good.

I briefly lost a ski partner off point diablo in moderate conditions last month. he had been 1/2 boat length off my left shoulder, I saw his bow every 10 seconds. I looked back going around the point and he was just gone. 30 seconds max and he had vanished. I located him back about 150 meters, but in just 1 meter swell he was invisible until I was right on top of him. he was starting to get cold and concerned at that point, working on his 4th reentry (love those mako milleniums!). One we got back together, all OK, not a big deal, but if we had been spread out it would have been an issue. I know its not fast to keep checking behind you, but what you gonna do? leave your paddling partners out there?

Hope to see more of you Norther paddlers at the Champs next year. Great meeting Larry and Larry anr Reivers and the rest of the Bellingham team. Wrote an article about the race that should be up on surfski.info soon.

Next year we'll order up another 10 knots of wind and another foot or two of seas

-J Dye
San Rafael

Re: stop check
kathleen petereit
08/27/10 #9122

In Nanaimo on Vancouver Island my paddle buddies have finally purchased VHF's. With our new Standard Horizon 851's we have a great feature where you can program your buddies MMSI number into your VHF much like a cell phone. It's very easy to scroll down, click on their name and call them. Their VHF will ring like a phone and will automatically change their calling atation to the one you are on.

It also has a feature where you make up a number for a group call. You each program that number into your VHF and give the group a name. We named ours surfski. If I send a group call out everyone will hear it at once. They don't have to answer in order to hear it.

We have been using these features quite a lot lately and love it. It's easy to swing your legs over the side of your ski if the waters dicy and make the call and saves a lot of stress.

Kathleen

Re: stop check
ALAN CLARK
08/27/10 #9123

I read John Dye's and Kathleen's postings with interest. Since coming up from usually balmy Southern California to first the SF Bay/Santa Cruz area and then finally to the Olympic Peninsula I've become aware that both in Northern CA and in WA, things can go bad pretty quickly out on the water. Kathleen's paddling group's use of linked VHF radios and John's safety plans for small groups of paddlers can do a lot to minimize the inherent risk of paddling in cold water areas that see rapidly changing weather and ocean conditions. Usually basic safety precautions, like those John and Kathleen have detailed, keep workout and training runs pretty safe. Obviously a check of predicted and observed current and weathers conditions can help paddlers plan a workout that won't end up being down wind and down current from the put-in. But occasionally, only a few times during my paddling career, something changes and you find yourself basically on your own even though you're in a group. When conditions become pretty marginal and everybody can just barely care of themselves, what happens if somebody needs help? Some of the NorCal paddlers have had a few interesting moments on the Davenport run, getting paddlers and their skis back together after a leash broke. Besides practicing getting back on your ski in “real” conditions, what are people doing to train for “solo” paddling while in a group?

Alan Clark

Re: stop check
john dye <johnmdye@…>
08/28/10 #9126

Alan- Rough water balance training, as i've learned from others over time. I do not do these as often as I'd like but the intent is -

1. I practice in the pool a few times each year, work on my low brace, balance and flexibility. I try to get to the point that I can go down. put my nose in the water and still come up on a low brace. usually can't do that, but its a goal.
2. When K1 paddling I paddle 1 to 2 minute pieces parallel to small waves. figure If I can keep a K1 upright, comfortable in 3 or 5 inch high side chop, I can keep a ski upright in bigger stuff. I can practice that in the K1, close to shore, near the dock so if I swim, not a big deal.
3. Raise my seat. I put a 1“ high foam seat in my ski for mild conditions some times. makes the boat much trickier to handle, simulates the anxiety of much larger waves. if I swim and can't deal with it, I can simply remove the seat and life gets easier real quick.
4. I make myself focus on a point 90 degrees to where I am heading, stare at that while still paddling forward, surfing if possible. start with 10 seconds, build up to a minute or more. teaches me to surf by feel without seeing the wave i'm riding. builds the skill of looking around checking for traffic etc without loosing balance. do similar with clouds or airplanes above. also loosens neck and shoulders up
5. Rolling. I occasionally hop back in my whitewater boat, go to roll practice in the pool. I know we can't roll skis but its fun.
6. I work with my paddling partners on helping other skiers re-enter their boat, and how to stablize another ski. variations of the sea kayak side by side and t-rescues work great in skis, but you have to risk scuffing the gelcoat, bumping hulls in rough water. personally I'd rather have a few nicks in boat, get the swimmer out of the water ASAP and move on.
7. Almost forgot. I often warm up paddling the boat over on its rail, as far as I can get it, 20 strokes each side, loosen up then do it again. work up to doing it in waves.
8. 1 blade drills. 1 minute sprints right blade only, rest then left. ouch, ouch, ouch. good for balance and for the day my paddle breaks, need to finish oc1 style.

Note- I do not use a radio very often and I never depend on it. a radio will not help me back in the boat, remove the kelp from my rudder, share its lunch or pull me to shore when I loose the boat or paddle.

Re: stop check
ALAN CLARK
08/28/10 #9127

Cool stuff John,

Chris Stout, out of Monterey, had a rudder cable break on his way back from Pt. Pinos. He swam, eventually knitted something together and made a safe return. His Twogood Mako had the rudder yoke easily accessible. Eric Borgnes has put an emergency fix for his rudder for his Epic and Jude at Huki has developed something also.

I think developing the skills needed to rescue yourself or other paddlers are pretty key. It often seems true that once you have developed the skills, you never need them. Practicing rescues is also a good reason to have a “beater” ski around the house.

Alan