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Sea Kayaks Techniques Bulletin Board
More thoughts - virtual
Posted By: mike allen ---> In Response To: clarification (mike allen --->)
Date: Wednesday, 6 September 2000, at 9:55 p.m.
Some ideas I just didn't try out. In others my volunteer victims unvolunteered because of the cooler conditions. I'm interested in these possibilities because I want to have a range of alternatives when I'm really out there and the supposedly good rolls screw up, and then my rental/new/borrowed/homebuilt yak's paddle float harness fittings/rope pull out or breaks. And maybe you guys know some other solo rescues/recoveries - I'd be sure interested.
Upturned Rescue 2 (doesn't use pfd park)
I'm really pumped about the upturned rescue I in the previous post, but what if I'm really fat or injured or sick and can't crawl very well or pull myself up the inclined yak b/c of this or an injured shoulder/arm/hand? If I'm really fat, the paddle float needs to be blown up bigtime, and maybe the rescue I is the only one. However this is the idea: I just want to get on top of the upside down yak in some kind of stable position with some/most of my core out of the water. I have a 4ft(or so) paddle leash (ray's, brian's, andrew's etc.) tied to the free blade. I turn the yak upside down, straddle the paddle with the float behind me, and from the bow hook my hand and leash over top of the yak, keeping the paddle shaft under the yak and move to the centre. Both pulling on the leash and sitting and hooking my ankle over the shaft I eek or jerk my way out of the water. Because the shaft is low - maybe can even let the leash out a bit - the effort to step or hike up may be lesser than usual. If I consider the leash only and pull w/ my arms only, and if the paddle is considered as an upside down lever w/ 1ft on the pulling side and 4 ft on the other and the float is 20# - maybe I could be pulling up w/ as much as 80# before the float even starts to sink? Might be better than sitting on it. The kicker is - similar to the pfd leash - because the loom is betw the legs, it has to be around the 90deg from the yak. This might get you draped across the yak w/ the float bracing but from below. Maybe can lift one leg. Might work.
the kayak lift
This is probably obvious to everyone, but if you're too wiped out to perform the paddlefloat lift (jay babina - sea kayaker mag) to empty some of the water out of the yak before recovery or rescue, a second (lesser) alternative is to weigh down the stern and quickly roll the yak. Probably way harder and less effective when loaded, but when the stern is depressed more of the yak will raise from the water(typ symmetrical yak etc etc) and more water will pour out and more air will trap if just quickly dropped. It might be enough to get started
Unconscious person rescue and recovery
Man, my wimpy volunteers! - I mean you just can't get good help! How's a guy gonna play around w/ this stuff, eh??? Sheesh. So this is all conjecture, too. But I'd bet that some of it might work.(hmm - is that a bet or a coveryerass?) The idea is to get an unconscious/sick/disabled/handicapped person mostly out of the water and the other is to get him back in his yak. They both use the pfd park.
1/Victim core rescue
Corral the victim, & if possible put his paddle float on his paddle (not essential but close). Place his yak betw you and him. Attach the paddle to him using the pfd park -float on far side. If there is any ANY doubt about whether the pfd will come off, leash or tie the paddle to his unbuckled pfd belt instead. As before the location is more important than the actuality. Pull and lever the paddle and pull the front of the victims pfd as hard as you can and lever him up on top of his yak to that he ends up straddling the yak as in the Ist post's rescueI. He's face down, legs on either side, arms on either side,float on far side for offside mushy pull and balance and your yak on the inside for in/side balance. And you wait and call for help. IS ANYONE THERE???HELLLP!! HELLPPPP! - Oh to heck with it, see ya later pal, I'm paddling off!!
2/Victim recovery
This really probably won't work, but who'll try it first? A rounder section narrow victims yak will be best. Set him up as before, the paddle park w/ float on the outside, have him facing the front of his yak, your yak is facing the same way. Pull like hell on his paddle thereby sandwiching his yak betw his body's back and your yak. Lever and pull untill his yak goes sideways. Pull. Manouver his legs in the cockpit and lever untill his butt hits the lower coaming. Pull on the back of his pfd and the paddle and will his yak turn upright with him in it?. Lay him right back on the turn upright. I think its got a chance of working. Worth a try.
That's it for now, but what about a paddle SINK instead or a paddle float?
see ya
-mick
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