risingsn

So here is my 2 cents as a 4* paddler & a L3 aspirant. Observing the video on the ladder rescue I have several issues. The rescuer demonstrates no body rotation, though he must have some experience since he did use a draw to get to the victims boat. He lifted the victims boat with his back to drain the water. Lastly, @ the end of the rescue both boats were pointed in the same direction which makes it almost impossible for the rescuer to help the victim with the spray skirt, paddle or anything else. I have done T rescues in much rougher water & have had to lay right over & drape myself on the victims boat just to prevent us both from capsizing. In these conditions, I'm not sure the ladder would work. I would also be concerned w/ boat damage. In all fairness I have friends who say this is a great rescue but I have never tried it. But I'm just sayin'.

Mine is a Palm

I used my dry suite yesterday & think I might have a leak. Any recommendations for testing? Maybe I'll just ad a pump w/ a float switch...

Jon, what was the color of the camera face? Thanks, Chuck

OK, it's time. I replacing my 35mm waterproof camera (Wallmart $20) for a good (I hope) digital. So whats working? I've heard pros & cons on this camera & the Pentax equivalent. I can get the 1030 sw for $271, but you be glad to pay less. Any suggestions or feed back would be appreciated. Thanks, Chuck

Hmmm, I always thought that a license was required for VHF. I also under stood that it was needed for the GSM bands?

I have two Princeton Tec lights. My headlamp is a Matrix (NLA). It has 3 LEDs & runs on two 'AA' batteries. I have had it for about 8 years. The other is the Impact XL flash light. One big LED, & runs on 4 'AA' batteries. They both can swim & I have not had any problems. Anyone have experience w/ Pelican lighting?

Sal, You are right it is Brinkman. You know the old saying 'you can dress him up but you can take him out'

I am unaware of any LED head lamps that will be strong enough for a night landing on anything but a familiar beach. I carry a small (slightly larger that a mini mag light) flash light made by Beckman (bought it @ Target for $16) It uses two of the '123' 3v. camera batteries which only last about 20 minutes. It will blind someone @ close range, needless to say it is very bright. Sea Kayaker Mag did a test on several of these, some as expensive as$100+. Though not advertised as water proof it did survive a 30 min. immersion test.

Ditto on the M72. Higher power, plus lower levels. Also more water proof, JPX (is that it) 8

A mirror can work surprisingly well in the moon light.

...It's all a trade off. I can open the bag w/ heavy neo gloves on. Is it an extra step, yes. For me, I think it just increases the odds that they will work. As to the allegedly waterproof flares (isn't that the truth) earlier in the post I mentioned that my perfectly dry, vacuum sealed, flares all failed & the were still current. Just to make it interesting...I have a great signal mirror made by a little old man in TX. that was rated #1 by Seakayaker Mag a few years ago. Of course you would not be using it while your hanging on to you boat in the nasty stuff, it can be very impressive once your stable on that desert island. Just make sure you keep the batteries current (ok, just kidding about the batteries). I have seen some impressive stats, for example, properly used (w/experience) you can cover about 1,200 square miles w/ a signal.

Wallmart for one. In is w/ the small kitchen gadgets & is used for vacuum packing food.

I carry 3 Orion Skyblasters. I run them through a vacum bagger to protect them. I include in the bag a large nail, this allows me to open the bag by just twisting the nail in the bag. It can easily go in a hydration pack & you can attach a thin line to the unsealed part of the bag & run it to your PFD shoulder strap. I also carry 2 location flares in the day hatch. This summer I tried a 20mm flare gun, now that was impressive. An interesting aside. Last summer the local USP Squadron had a day @ the beach where you could launch flares. I opened my vacum bag w/ my 3 Skyblasters in it & let them rip. Two did nothing & one launched but did not ignite. So bring back-ups for your back-ups.

...and discretion is the better part of valor

Well I guess you can say only one of two things. Think of how bad this cooling would have been if we didn't have 'global warming' or ... just more info to debunk the myth. By the by, when scientist (one of which I am not) studied it, it has been found that periods GW preceeds increases in CO2, just one of those inconveinient facts. ...but I'm just sayin'

Home Depot sells 2" wide 3M non skid tape. Why would you put it on your deck?

I use a Weems & Plath 'WetLog'. The spiral binding is on the side so you can slip your pencil down the binding. I tether it to the deck with a short piece of line and a Black Diamond 'Jiv Wire' biner. This is a plastic biner w/ a SS wire gate, it doesn't scratch the deck. It's been flushed out from under the bungees in the surf, during rescues, and in the washing machine. I just grab it & stick it back under the bungees. I Know someone who went over to Wales for 5* training. She carefully wrote all of the info she would need for a night paddle on her deck w/ a grease pencil. After several senarios & rescues she looked @ the deck & the info was all rubbed off. Well theirs my 2 cents.

Hi John, Their is an illastration I Gordon Browns boo Sea Kayak on page 86 that may be helpful. Chuck

I use a platypus, old style 70 oz.. It comes w/ straps so you can attach it to the back of your PFD. It takes alittle work to get it tightly secured to your PFD so that it doesn't move, but can be done. It has no external straps or bungies, less chance of entanglement. I find w/ their Big Zip bags that the zip lock eventually will not close even though it is clean & undamage. It does have a life time warreny & I have had the bladders replaced, no problem. Last one I bought was $30. Their is also enough room inside the bag for my cow tow with one end clipped to my PFD shoulder strap. I bought a Kokatat ($75) about 2 years ago & the supplied bladder was to big for the bag. I returned it. I'm also for clean deck, no water bladder there.

would you please put up a link. I couldn't seem to get into the NSPB bus. forum. Thanks, Chuck

Hmm.. would a PWI effect my insurance?

..but most importantly we all must remember "the law of tonnage". Just about everything is bigger than a kayak. When they are lowering you into the ground it woun't matter if you had the right of way.

My first coach was an old Marine from Maine. He said "keep your head on a swivel & check your six". You are right paddling into the wind with abit of a chop the first hint of that boat may be the impact.