Re-entry after capsized

There's an older thread somewhere with lots of good advice.

A loop made out of a strap or bowline makes a great step. Loop it over your pedal shaft or tie to handle.

In an emergency, loop your PFD strap over the shaft and put your foot in the vest arm hole to step up.

The rope steps are great for turning an upside down boat right side up. For getting back in (I am an older man) I enter from the bow or stern depending on how much gear is in the way. Straight up belly crawl over the bow and carefully flop, twist around till I can get back in the seat. I have only done this in freshwater lakes just so I could see how it would be if I capsized. I have Outbacks so the odds on flipping are lower than other models. And easier to get back in

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Hobie Fishing Team Rider
Stay Fit, Go Fish, and Have Fun
SpinfisherBob
http://www.youtube.com/user/SpinfisherBob

If you buy one of these rescue ladders make sure you try it out. I made three of them all different lengths I was unable to use them to get back into my kayak. Every time my foot that was on the ladder would go under the kayak so that I ended up under the kayak face up with the kayak across my waist. I am 5'11' and 190 lbs 58 years old. I always wear a pdf and most of the time have a drysuit on, the water here is cold. I have a 2015 Revo 13. I saw the video and thought that looks easy but it was harder. I have no problem getting back on to my boat. I grab the handle from the side so that me and the boat from a T then pull till I can reach the handle on the other side, kicking my feet so as keep them as high in the water as I can. Do not worry about how much the boat tips up on its side. I just inch my self onto the boat till closest handle is about were my belt would be, one hand on each handle, then I just turn and sit into the seat. I see these fishing videos and wonder how they would get back on their boat if they tipped over with all the gear they have mounted on the side rails and a milk crate in the back. It would be no fun to enter from the front having to climb over pedal drive.

A paddle float would be the first thing I would buy to help with getting back on your kayak. I find that even with out hooking it under something it gives me something to push on to get back on. The last move when I go from laying across the kayak to turn into the seat it helps to have the paddle with the float on it to push on.

Ladders tend to force your legs under the hull. You don't use them to climb, you use them as a horizontal push-point as part of a "standard" reentry maneuver.

When doing a deep water reentry, you are not simply pulling yourself back onboard. That's a mistake nearly everyone makes at first. You are simultaneously kicking your legs to bring your body into a horizontal position, while pulling yourself upwards and pushing the hull under you.

Someone in your area has to offer lessons. Find them and learn how to get back in. Don't become as statistic.

If your a little overweight (like me), or have very little upper body strength (my wife), It's way more difficult to reenter the boat than one might think. This is best practiced in controlled conditions so you know exactly what to do when it happens for real. Powerboat wakes are what get us most often. Make sure everything is tied down, we have lost car keys and cameras. Especially if kayak sailing it's a pretty good idea to practice. We practiced in our heated pool for days trying out all the different methods. The ladder or sling idea didn't work so good for us unless we had the rope tied to the opposite handle on the other side of the boat then approached the boat horizontally. With one foot in the sling you push yourself onto the boat laying down crossways. Then carefully turn around and sit up. We were also able to climb up over the stern of the kayak. We practiced all the methods and came up with what works best. We also filled the boat with some water and learned how to recover from that as well. (Yep we have capsized with the hatches open). We also like the pfd lashed around a paddle idea, it helps.
Hope this helps
FE

This is a very nice picture of a rescue ladder....you see that it is long enough to throw over the top of an upside down kayak. It is hands down the easiest way to "right" an upside down kayak.

Here is a video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRd1ha2rE0A

_________________
Hobie Fishing Team Rider
Stay Fit, Go Fish, and Have Fun
SpinfisherBob
http://www.youtube.com/user/SpinfisherBob

I don't know about anyone else but we found flipping an upside down kayak (we had revo13's, and Oasis) from the side was very difficult for us. Swimming to the bow or stern then flipping seems to be easier. Our TI kayak is too heavy and wide to flip from the side. Just FYI, it doesn't take long to get exhausted, I got pulled out to sea once and had to be rescued because I became exhausted trying to right our oasis and many attempts to get back on board. That was after practicing hours on end in our pool. It's ten times harder in rough seas I found out. Pretty humbling experience for me. Everyone should practice this stuff.
FE

It's really disappointing reading these Revo Tippy threads. The Revo was a dependable stable kayak since it came out. In one outing most new riders would get use to it and then find it stable. Instead the seat height gets changed in 2015 with this vantage seat and now it becomes a problem. I'm hoping Hobie changes the mold on the Revo and at least gives an owner the option of a kayak seat.

Hello all!


Long time lurker, first time poster. My wife and I are proud new owners of two new 2016 Revo 13's. We felt it was very important to cover safety and self rescue techniques right away so we have been practicing at the local community pool that makes time each week for kayakers. We came across an excellent instructional video for SOT and fishing kayak's that was produced by a nearby kayaking guide and instructional business. I thought it might be helpful to some if I posted a link here. It covers lots of great techniques for SOT self recovery.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=FLrtLm ... iX1EtJ0RQ8