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Sea Kayaks Techniques Bulletin Board
Re: Check List
Posted By: Jed In Response To: Re: Check List (Don Beale)
Date: Wednesday, 27 December 2000, at 11:18 p.m.
A lot of the objective danger is related to the particular waters / region that you paddle. Here in the right coast we have some interesting water at least up here, north of Boston, but it's not nearly as dangerous as the waters up around Vancouver, BC. That being said I still don't paddle without charts and a compass, tide info, accurate weather info, a VHF radio, PFD, skirt, proper immersion wear, spare paddle, Flotation bags backing up bulkheads, emergency hatch covers, First Aid kit, Emergency repair kit, tow line, spare clothes (hypothermia kit), Food/water, flares, an additional / warmer level of paddle clothes and lastly a cell phone. The crew I paddle with also makes a point of practicing assisted and self rescues in the worst conditions we can find. We assume that no one will be able to help us if we get into trouble. So if we can't rescue ourselves we back off the trip or stay to more sheltered waters.
It easy to carry all of this stuff, it just becomes the standard gear after a while. Some people will laugh and accuse me of being a "boy scout" but I feel a legitimate need for each of these items. I know with all of this I can save myself 99.9% of the time and not have to rely of the USCG to save my sorry butt. If anything truly out-of-control did happen at least I have made a good-faith effort to cover the possible scenarios. None of us are ever completely in control of our destiny when we are on the water, but only a fool would knowingly temp fate.
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