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KBBS Archive 30,000
Sounds good in theory...
Posted By: Brian Nystrom In Response To: Re: Pygmy Hatches - yes, do it (Chris Bush)
Date: Wednesday, 21 June 2000, at 10:49 a.m.
... but if you're in conditions which are rough enough to cause a capsize, you're in for a really tough time emptying a swamped boat, whether you have assistance or not. Yes, the paddle float helps, but if the boat has no bulkheads (or only a rear bulkhead) and no floatation bags, there will be hundreds of pounds of water in it and you will not be able to lift it. Unless conditions are dead calm, so you can slowly roll the boat, you're in big trouble. I've tried doing an assisted rescue of a fully swamped boat with no bulkheads and as far as I can see, it's not possible. I ended up towing the paddler and his boat to shore and emptying it there.
If you don't want bulkheads in your boat, fine. However, the bottom line is that it simply doesn't make sense not to use floatation bags in a boat without bulkheads, unless you stay close enough to shore to swim the boat in. To do so is to invite disaster and possibly death. I don't see how anyone can justify that kind of risk.
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KBBS Archive 30,000 is maintained by Nick Schade - Guillemot Kayaks with WebBBS 5.12.
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