Surfski Knowledge Base

Bob Putnam
02/07/16 #18623

This is a good read. We surfski paddlers are not the most prudent lot…..often dressing for the work-out.

"Not Me" Syndrome Silent Sports Magazine article about Doug Tompkin's death in cold water. The web site will allow several full views then with subsequent clicks on this link the site will hide part of the article behind a subscription banner.

More detailed account (National Geographic) of incident leading to Doug Tompkin's death due to hypothermia

(Editor's note: the National Geographic article has more details from the surviving members of this incident, but it also may be hidden behind a pay wall - Local copy of National Geographic Article)

Reivers Dustin
02/07/16 #18624

Agree that this is worth reading. But don't agree with the article's generalities. Really like to see thought provoking posts like this.

One big factor to weigh is the major risk vector of cockpit boats. OC-1, OC-2 and surfski are sealed. If you stay attached to the vessel, you have options that a compromised hull does not. Basic definition: “seaworthy” means keeping the sea out. One of several great workshops was George Gronseth talking about his experience with Greenland natives learning their style of kayaking. A first principle for them is: if the paddler comes out of his kayak seat (while in the water) they will die. There is no possible rescue. For this reason the boats and gear are hand crafted to form a sealed unit with the person inside trained to stay there.

Another factor is the notion of stability. Nothing is stable on all water. The conditions are the ruler. At the latitude these guys were playing, the viciousness of the weather is well documented. Also, most touring or expedition kayaks are stupidly ignorant of the value of a solid rudder (notice that their rudder broke!). An exception might be Greenland style kayaks which are constructed such that a skilled operator has control. (Real Serious skill - Ref. Derek Hutchinson.)

I agree that some clothing rules apply: cotton is called “the death fabric” by outdoor rescue folks. But really the gear must be purpose fit. Dressing for immersion and high physical effort is not possible. Any strap, buckle and hardware device that does not serve your immediate need will be your bitter enemy when crap meets chaos. I'm always tweaking my set up. For example last Thursday I had to re-learn that a 4-inch rudder sucks in big chop.

rd

Nicholas Cryder 02/07/16 #18626

One of the things I like about surfskis and the OC's, etc is that they seem demand an inherent dose of respect that keeps the bulk of the obvious (or oblivious) mistakes from happening in the first place. Few non-paddlers would hop in a skinny ski (all skis are skinny for a non paddler, btw) on a daring day the way they might in a “sea kayak” and assume the vessel will be up for anything they are. If they did, the ski has a high probability of mercifully letting them out of the cab before they could get too far down the road.

I once came across a lady and her two year old in the middle of the Gorge on a 15-20mph day (mild, not huge) in an inflatable kayak east of Hood River. They were stressed, no PFD's and wild with fear as I approached them. She had bought the kayak at Walmart and put in at a Koberg Beach and was blown out into the river. I couldn't get a radio response from 9 or 16, or any of the other channels I tried. So I made the decision to use my stern leash and tow them to shore, reasoning that I had a better chance staying in contact with the two tethered together if I swam. Happily (after yelling at her not to pull / hold onto the leash repeatedly) it all worked out well. But nearly every headline I read about kayakers in deep shit is in this vein.

I don't know what kind of kayak's were involved in the TNF founder's death, but many of those barges become their own worst enemies after a certain threshold is exceeded. All the heft and flat hull that is benign in most water becomes an uncontrollable rabid beast once there is enough energy to exceed it's inherent stability / steering capacity, much less a broken rudder. The same is true of ski's - we all know there are limits, but we are fairly aware / in tune and most of us train for it. But the line between ok-not-ok in a ski is ever so thin, so anything we can do to make that just a little bit thicker can make the difference. I started practicing paddling with a half a paddle last year, and it paid dividends a few weeks ago. But I've also personally had a rough go when I first got into paddling ski's (too small of a rudder for conditions, in over my head). I did have a wetsuit on, and it helped. But after ten or so punishing swims I was greatly diminished and needed help staying in the ski long enough to warm up and finish the paddle. Thankfully, Gabe and Cooksy were there and knew I was in bad shape. That made the line thick enough to make the difference.

I've tried paddling in dry suits, and I just roast. Can't do it. This weekend's LaConner race, same deal… roasting in 1.5 mil neoprene because I misjudged conditions, nearly blacked out / seeing stars trying to stay with the boys going out to the buoy. Penny wise, pound of sweat foolish.

I guess it's up to each paddler to make themselves as hard to kill as possible, and that has a lot more to it than just what we wear or don't wear.

-Cryder

zach

02/08/16 #18627

I have been following this story just like everyone else. I like the silent sports article because it digs beyond the obvious fact that those guys made basic mistakes, and tries to touch on the question of why they made those mistakes. At the core of most wilderness disasters are a number of human errors of thought and judgement. A few factors that come to my mind:

When we are in a group we feel more secure in taking risks. If all our buddies think it is an ok idea, we are more likely to suspend our own usual caution.

Wilderness disasters are very infrequent and thus our personal experience gives us a false sense of security. If we have done a stupid and risky thing 9 times before without dying we tend to feel that it is safe, rather than thinking that #10 could be our unlucky number.

One thing that has annoyed me about the disaster in Chile from the start is that people the world over have had to speculate and guess about what went wrong. We have been staring at grainy pictures trying to figure out exactly what they were wearing. We have crappy 3rd hand reports. Maybe I am being a bit precious, but I feel like these international superstars of the sport made some serious rookie mistakes, and owe it to the outdoor adventure world to explain what went wrong. The opportunity to teach a safety lesson to millions is immense.

zach

Reivers Dustin
02/08/16 #18628

Good point. Things often get sanitized for publication. Especially where there's a reputation.

Before there were surfski's in this area the County Park & Rec had an active kayaking program. Sunset paddles, day trips and a few bigger expeditions with guides. Some of the guides were very good. One or two were naturalists so tour members were treated to amazing local biology commentary.

Anyway one of the guides was a well known heavyweight. She guided expedition level trips in a lot of more exotic locations. I can't remember her name, but we met a few times. Anyway, she was found upside down trapped in her boat just off Whiskey Rock. Conditions were calm. All I heard was that she was testing out some new gear configurations. The event shook up many local paddlers, but nobody shared the actual details. I'm guessing at a connection, but afterwards paddlers were always telling each other do not put anything in the cockpit with you.

Doesn't it seem harmless to have your water bottle and maybe a snackbox under your sprayskirt handy?

Stating a little more dramatically: the guys in my outfit in Vietnam had a saying, “dead right or dead”. This had a way of sharpening the focus of the guys who were new in country.

rd

njcooksey@ymail.com
02/10/16 #18630

'Rookie mistakes' often get made by the most experienced, qualified people. I just did a avalanche terrain management workshop last week and the accident case study we used involved 4 pro-patrollers out touring. EMT, first responder, and level 2 and 3 avalanche certs all around but the mistakes they made were, in hindsight, very obvious.

Leon Somme who runs Body-Boat-Blade has a great story about the dangers of bags in your kayak cockpit and ending up not being to reenter his boat in breaking seas while he was circumnavigating Iceland. The expression used in rescues is 'Expert Halo'. In any sport where poor decisions can kill you, it's good to understand 'expert' and group think pitfalls and ways to avoid them.

Everyone makes mistakes and also gets lucky and gets away with things. It's important to do a little self analysis especially on those 'almost' come-to-Jesus moments and ask yourself 'Did we make the right call today or were we just lucky?' Because luck eventually runs out.
-Nick Cooksey