Surfski Knowledge Base

Bob Putnam <putnam_rea@…>
12/25/07 #3939

Last April Deep Cove Kayak was hosting a stroke clinic with Imre Kemecsey, 6AM - 8AM. Imre was standing on the Government wharf and we were paddling out and back. I was paddling my Vajda sprint boat (very tippy) and showing this newbie sea kayaker how not to scoop water at the exit of his stroke…1st bonehead move…well I did a good job of demonstrating the “scoop” and pulled myself into the water.

It was cold enough that there was ice on the sea wall. Shrinkage was instantaneous! The sea kayaker didn't know that he was going to rescue me but I wasn't going to float around for too long explaining it. I climbed up onto his back deck and sat up while uprighting my sprint boat and tried to dump most of the water out. Having coached flatwater paddling kids I had performed this maneuver many times before, but the combination of the cold and being a bit panicked I was having a difficult time. I finally decided to just re-enter the sprint kayak….2nd bonehead move…so I could paddle to shore. There was still some water in K1 and when I finally got myself in all the water rushed to the bow of the bulkhead-less kayak and the bow went down like a submarine. The kayak literally dropped out from under me.

Back in the water, and worrying about my $3500 sprint boat going to bottom caused me to feel very panicked…thing weren't going as planned. However, I was able to supress the panic. Profanities were flowing from my mouth faster than bids from an auctioneer, I climbed back onto to the back deck of the sea kayak and told the guy to paddle for shore. I grabbed the sinking K1 and my paddle and lay my head on the deck and kicked like crazy. It took us about 5 minutes (seemed like 20) to get to the nearest dock.

I hauled my sorry ass up onto the dock which was covered in ice and dumped the water out of my K1. I was already starting to seize up. I noticed the dock-owner looking out his window, sipping his morning coffee, wondering what kind of idiot would be kayak/swimming on a morning like that.

30 minutes later after a hot shower and breakfast I was still shivering uncontrolably. Imre thought this was great and gave me the gears all through breakfast. “I am a kajak coach, not a swimming coach” Imre said with a thick Hungarian accent and laughing heartily.

Although the seakayaker had never done anything like this before I have had the opportunity to practice it many times, mostly while goofing around with racing club kids. So, I am not saying anything new, but I would like to re-enforce the importance of practicing all this stuff. Having practiced these kind of things makes the difference between, panic in an out of control situation or being able to take it in stride because you have done it before.

Because of all the work Kathleen has been doing lately she probably felt pretty confident rescueing the kayaker. The work is paying off.

Next season at Deep Cove Canoe & Kayak we will certainly be singing this song to all of our regular paddlers who typically become complacent about risks and overconfident in their abilities. Many think that because they paddle 2-3 times per week that they are experienced. The typical scenario for seakayakers and surf ski paddlers is that they start paddling, take a capsize course or try to remount their skis once or twice and then start paddling and then don't practice these skill for many years.
Enough typing

Happy Holidays
Bob