Impromptu Ocean Swim
 

I guess enough can not be said about becoming very familiar with your kayak before venturing out to open ocean!

I was about 1/4 mile out Oceanside Harbor just drifting in medium swells with current going towards land. The Navigator XF was sitting broadside to the swells, no drogue or anything. I reached to retrieve a rod from rod holder in the aft well on the starboard side as I have done many times with no problem. As I turned around towards the bow, all of a sudden I found myself up on the port side rail and into the water I went. I tried in vain to haul myself onboard but owing to the type of clothing I was wearing I could not do it. Also my legs were under the boat going along with the current I guess. The weight of the clothing made it difficult. I had on thermal underwear, some thin polysester jogging pants, and then a heavier snow boarding pants, golfing wind breaker, topped with a heavier water resistance coat that was lined and of course a PFD. The whole thing acted like a sponge!

That is the WHAT. I am not sure as to the HOW or WHY.
Many things I guess I could have done like maybe trying to climb onboard from the other side enabling my legs to float away from the boat and hopefully making an attempt easier. I did not react in time to lean away from the direction the boat was taking, and the paddle was not in a position to brace quickly enough.

I did not panic and was relataively calm (didnt even lose my hat or glasses). Luckily there was a boat in the vicinity who rescued me. I was in the water perhaps 5 minutes. Outside temp was around 50 degrees, not sure how cold the water was at 7:30 a.m.

Gear was secured for the most part with leashes on paddle and two rods. The only two items I lost were the gaff and anchor which were not secured properly.

I was lucky this time. My folly for going it alone and also for not actually practicing a re-entry maneuver. I did read a lot, and although I had a good idea of what to do, I simply was not able to. I was surprized at this boats lack of secondary stability given the width is 31 inches, I guess its a little top heavy as far as center of gravity goes.

(Shoulda got the Tarpon)...

James
Until next time, thanking GOD that I am still able to say that!

If you tip a Navigator, you will NOT like the tarpon. Tarpons are much more tippy, Navs are as stable as a tank.

Glad you were ok though.

One would think so. I did demo a Tarpon 160 and really liked it and for whatever reason, It seemed to handle better and I felt more secure belive it or not.....go figger.... (of course this was in calm, bay waters, not open ocean two days before an impending storm).


QUOTE=pchen911;101134]If you tip a Navigator, you will NOT like the tarpon. Tarpons are much more tippy, Navs are as stable as a tank.

Glad you were ok though.[/QUOTE]

Been there, done that. My first time dunking was 1/2 mile off shore wearing a "waterproof" fishing jacket. It was rainproof, but not waterproof (unless it meant water not getting out). My buddy could not even lift the jacket out of the water, he had to reel it in like a seiners net. A solid snug fit at the neck is a must for paddle jackets to be worth their while in those situations. Gotta practice self rescue before you venture beyond where you can swim to fully clothed. It is usually primary stability that causes the most dunkings for new peeps.

Kayak laying broadside to swell will become unstable once center of balance(your butt) is altered or shifted. Kayaking 101!! Turning yak into swell or down swell when shifting weight(balance) will help compensate when reaching around...

You also need to be aware of your surroundings at all times. If a big swell tries to sneak up on you you can be ready for it, especially if you are reaching for something behind you.

Good point! and I think that is exactly what happened. I had not been drifting very long at all and therefore had not acclimated myself to rhthym e.t.c. of the swells. I simply turned to retrieve the rod as I have always done, not even much of a move at all and WHAM! Maybe had I sat there for a bit and got a feel for what was happening I would not have been taken by surprize. Thinking back, I did notice the swells getting heavier as I left the harbor. I would notice floating pelicans completely dissappear. As long as I was moving, it did not seem to matter much and I navigated through the swells head on much like I used to do in a power boat anticipating the rythym and going in sync with it. Heck, I was even getting "comfortable" and therefore the problem presented itself.

Personally, I've had a lot of yaks. My Navigator was the most unstable out of them all. Plus, I've seen lots of Navigator owners flip. But, that's just my experiences. Glad you're ok and the boat was close. Definitely take some time to practice self-rescue.

wow, glad you made out O.k. and that you had your PFD on.......thanks for sharing

Glad you're ok.

When I bought my first kayak I practiced righting the kayak in about 30' and let me tell, after the third time I was done and I wasn't wearing all the gear that you were. I never imagined that it would be so hard to right a tossed kayak, add all the gear and you've got your work cut out for you.

Glad you made it okay....

I agree with all the great advice given already.

Just one more thing - when you turn back to get a rod, don't just reach back and get the rod. Completely turn sideways and get the rods so your legs are sticking in the water.

Yes, good advice. I guess it was a combination of things. Sitting broadside to the swells is not a whole lot different than being turned sideways in a surf landing. Had I had any previous experience, I would have instinctively grabbed the paddle and slapped down as a brace. I learned that even a slight shift in body position can have a profound effect. The recovery would have been a lot easier with suitable clothing. I am thinking chest wader as my least expensive option. I assume that nowadays they are fairly light weight material and priced starting at $100 from what I have seen. I did in fact look at some, but the sizes available did not seem right, ex: the large was okay but the stocking size only went up to 11 (I need a 12), the extra large had chest size of 51 which seems much too big for me. Normally I wear a 42 or 44 jacket. or maybe the chest size would not make that much difference as there would be a belt cinched anyway. what say you guys?

Glad you're ok and thanks for posting. Many kayakers have never practiced righting and getting back on their kayaks. The time to learn how to do this is not while you're alone and far from land. Try it in a pool or calm water. It's not too hard. This also gives you a feel for just how far your kayak can tip befor it goes all the way. You don't need to understand primary vs secondary stability, just get a feel for your kayak. And they're all different, so try it with every new kayak you get. If you're in a safe place messing around and tipping your yak is kinda fun. Mike

I wear 4mm waders with board shorts and a wet shirt under the waders and a jacket if it's that cold. I don't wear the belt figuring worst case i can easly undo the wader's if I fall in and fill with water.

I took my kayak out onto a lake and practiced backflips off of it and rocking it until it flipped to get a hang of righting it. My malibu 2 is crazy stable, I haven't flipped it in the ocean besides trying to surf it in. my method of righting it is to grab the handles and pull the far side under and push high side up real quick.

It can be a lot of fun to practice, but the weather right now... i don't want to end up in the drink.