# saving new yakkers....practice self rescue!



## wannabeangler (Feb 7, 2009)

I'm sure we've all seen new kayakers venturing out into the great blue more than once. Right? The multiple times I've been out, I've seen guys who spend a couple of thousand $$ for a new Hobie thinking that's the best buy. Mind you, Hobie is a great company with many great products! I'm not stating anything negative about the company. But for a starter kayak, I personally think it's a tad to much money spent for a first kayak. I've seen more than my fair share of "new kayakers" in their 1st kayaks and of those 1st timers....a lot are Hobie peddle drives. Most of these people never do the most important thing after purchasing their first kayak..........SELF RESCUE. 

I was out at the HRBT on Thursday enjoying a lovely, light breeze on the water. Fishing was slow, but the waters were almost flat as a sheet of glass. I was fishing for specks and ended up fishing for black sea bass. The tunnel had a bad accident in it and the traffic was awful. The tunnel was shut down for nearly 2 hours! While I started to work the eastbound bridge I noticed a few other kayaks in the water around me and gave them an occassional look to see what their luck was bringing in.

I happened to notice 1 kayak down near the small boat channel and just kept on fishing, not paying much attention to the kayaker. After a few minutes, I had made my way closer to the kayk. I saw that there wasn't anyone sitting in it! It was remaining stationary, so I paddled a bit closer. To my amazement, there was a guy holding on to the side! I paddled over to him and offered help to get him back in his yak! He asked me, "Can you paddle to shore while dragging me and my kayak?"! I told him that would be a heck of a lot harder than me just stabilizing his yak so he could get back in. I asked him if he practiced self rescue. He said NO! Go figure. I aided him into getting back into his kayak. Upon climbing into his, he ventured over to mine for more stability! I pushed him back into his and said, "You're not going to turtle me when I'm trying to help you!". He eventually got back in and peddled back to shore without even having the decency to give me thanks.

He did say he has fallen out 4 times since he bought his Hobie Mirage. I told him to sell it and get a paddle drive Ride135. It will help with the upper body strength needed for re-entry for the next time he falls out.


btw- he lost all his rods (3) and some gear which I fished for....lol


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## fish militia (Nov 1, 2004)

He shouldn't be falling outta a Ride..

No it's a good point..

I made my wife and kids learn recovery 1st thing after buying them yaks.. I refused to take them fishing until they could help themselves.

I tore my forearm up real bad helping a friend getting back into 3 times after flipping. It took months for it to heal.

Catch any rods???..lol


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## wannabeangler (Feb 7, 2009)

No rods to be caught nor any tackle!


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## ChuckFinley (Jun 26, 2009)

wannabeangler said:


> No rods to be caught nor any tackle!


Great Advice---but a word of caution---be careful where you practice at. I did this at a local lake here in PA. The rules say you're not allowed to swim in the lake, but I figured kayak self-rescue didn't count. I figured wrong. The first time I tried it, the Park Ranger called me over; asked for ID, and promptly wrote me a ticket for illegal swimming. So, I asked could I practice in the beach areas (they don't open until noon), he said 'no'. I explained to him that I was trying to be safe, so did he have any suggestions. 

'Yes, go find someone with a swimming pool. All of the lakes in PA forbid swimming anywhere but in designated areas. And boats aren't allowed in those areas.' 

I lost in court too, the judge didn't care; I was deliberately not in my kayak, so I was 'swimming'. 


Moral of the story---check the rules and regulations first. 

I can practice in the river, so it's not that big of a deal...just a 30 minute longer drive. The Susquehanna has a few deeper pool areas behind dams that are slow current. You just have to beware of boat traffic.


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## Too Busy (Sep 7, 2007)

I make it a point to practice a few times per year. Everyone should


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## bbcroaker (Jan 6, 2005)

So I guess you better not turtle and try to rescue yourself. You'll get a ticket for swimming.


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## ChuckFinley (Jun 26, 2009)

bbcroaker said:


> So I guess you better not turtle and try to rescue yourself. You'll get a ticket for swimming.


I think the difference here was him observing me deliberately sliding into the water. Actually, I think it's pretty hard to actually turtle a new Ride 135 in still water..I'm 300lbs and I couldn't do it, I slid off; and the kayak was upright. 

But, you really don't know. You can be ticketed for not having a fishing license if it's in your pocket or even if it's not facing the right direction; because the 'rules' say it must be displayed prominently and there is a specific side that must face outward. 

I personally think it's all about the benjamins (it was a two benjamin lesson for me, plus the costs..)...


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## surfnsam (Apr 28, 2008)

god what a moron didn't even thank you. how do you fall out of a hobie 4 times? PA, revo amd outback are pretty darn stable, Ive rocked my revo to almost 45* with out going over better than my tarpon 120.

a good way to practice turtle reentry is to tie up with about 50' of rope to a buddies yak and totally flip over and learn how to get the yak upright then get back in


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## Loki (Sep 26, 2010)

I bought my used Redfish 14 at the beginning of the year, and
my main concern was self rescue even before I tired it to the top of
the car. A friend introduced me to a couple of his buds that kayak fished
and I was invited to go with them a good many times. We were very rarely 
in water over my waist so I started to loose my fear of never doing a self rescue. 
I spent some time in Avon a few weeks ago and had the kayak with me, and my fear 
resurfaced. I caught hell from everybody when I dropped the kayak in the 
pool at the cotage. The first attempt was commical at best, but it taught me to 
keep both hands on the far side of the yak when reentering. Every following attempt
"although quite funny" were comfortable and sucessfull. Every attempt was made while 
wearing a PFD aswell. I am confident I can do a self rescue now but will still not fish alone.
There is a video of my second attempt, but I'm not ready to post it yet, I still have a small
thread of pride left. 


self rescue!


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## wannabeangler (Feb 7, 2009)

ChuckFinley said:


> I think the difference here was him observing me deliberately sliding into the water. Actually, I think it's pretty hard to actually turtle a new Ride 135 in still water..I'm 300lbs and I couldn't do it, I slid off; and the kayak was upright.
> ...


I'm 6'2", 250 lbs and I find it really hard to turtle my Ride too!
Mind you, I did have a flipping experience about 3-4 years ago at Lessner with an outgoing tide...


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