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PostPosted: Sun Dec 30, 2012 7:13 am 
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Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2010 6:06 am
Posts: 734
Location: Amelia Island, FL
Why would anyone go 3km off-shore without a buddy :?: Additionally a vhf radio and wearing your life jacket might be a good idea :idea:


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PostPosted: Sun Dec 30, 2012 2:44 pm 
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Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2007 5:17 pm
Posts: 679
Location: Auckland NZ
G'day Ben,

Sounds like you had an interesting introduction to the pleasures of the the Mirage Drive equipped kayak :P

...these, unlike a paddle kayak, can easily take pretty much anyone several miles off shore as you no doubt appreciate! The well equipped, and conservative will be the ones who always make it back to shore again.

FWIW there are several threads on these forums about safety gear which are worth looking at. It is also worth reading the book Total Loss (I think that's what it is called) which describes various losses of small boats at sea in detail and makes recommendations re safety equipment - it is a right rivetting read on its own merits and some (though not all) of its recommendations translate directly to kayaks. The point is that we each have our own unique risk profile and these, and other, sources provide useful suggestions as to how others equip themselves for their trips (FWIW I always take baler, drive spares & tools, radio, GPS and I ALWAYS WEAR my lifejacket... and I will shortly be buying a PLB for use on kayak trips and in the bush).

The wearing a lifejacket message is a case in point. It is a legal requirement in NZ that there must be a lifejacket for every person onboard but you don't actually have to be wearing them. A Coastguard once made the point to me in the following way: it is no use just taking them with you - how much sympathy are you going to get if they say of your drowning (or that of any of your crew) "they pulled his body from the sea - he had a lifejacket but he wasn't wearing it when he fell overboard". And the coastguard in NZ regularly has to make this kind of report!

Like you I am surprised that your PA filled with so much water after you capsized but if you had had a baler (in my case a large carwash sponge) you would have been able to use it (one of the messages I remember from Total Loss - I think - is that a frightened man with a bucket cam move more water from a boat than any sort of bilge pump - nearly!). I suffered a crack in the hull of my Adventure a couple of years ago and ended up having to bale/pedal/bale/pedal to get back safely - in these circumstances a baler is a lifesaver.

You also understand why everything on deck needs to be clipped to your boat - I have just revisited this very lesson myself this weekend if you have a look at one of the other posts on this site! It is also worth attaching all safety equipment that you keep inside the hull to a point so that it will not slide out of reach inside the hull - on the Adventure the rim of the centre hatch has holes drilled in it to which you can tie fishing line leashes to attach your safety kit to - then you know that you will be able to get your hands on the things you really need in an emergency.

Hope this helps and try not to get put off :wink:


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PostPosted: Sun Dec 30, 2012 5:14 pm 
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Site Rank - Admiral

Joined: Wed Apr 14, 2010 3:04 pm
Posts: 172
Man if that water was in the 50 degree range you would of been in major trouble.

You have to be more prepared, i would hate to see you get hurt or worse. Having your life jacket anywhere else but on makes as much sense as some kayaker's who keep their airhorn stashed in a dry bag below deck.

When a boats speeding in your direction and you know they aren't seeing you, that airhorn isn't going to help unless it's clipped to your vest. The ocean is an unforgiving place and can change on a dime , please don't take it for granted.

I know kind of harsh but i would rather have you mad at me then me finding out your no longer with us.


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PostPosted: Mon Dec 31, 2012 10:32 am 
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Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 5:49 am
Posts: 33
PFD's
I live in the US Pacific NW, aka hypothermia country. Water temperature in the upper 40's, lower 50's year round. The navy has done extensive cold water survival testing. I was surprized that it takes about 1 hour for your core body teperature drops into the critical range. The problem is it takes only 10-15 minutes and your brain starts shutting parts of your body down and goes into survival mode. Many stories of strong swimmers w/o PFDs tring to swim to a close shore and not making it. Translation: you will not have the strength to swim or self rescue or even the presence of mind to think clearly. The ultimate PFD pupose is to keep you above water adding 45 minutes to your rescue time.

Water in Hull
Those of you who have seen my self-rescue practive video can see my concern at the end bout water getting into the hull. I did about 7 or so flips of my Revo 11. There was a lot of water in the hull, maybe > 5+ gal. It was about 1" deep over the length of the kayak, maybe more. It still floated just fine, though it sat deeper in the water. It was enough to concern me so I ran some tests. I bubble tested the hull and found that the major leak was at the front hatch. I put some chaulk around the seal and closed it tightly and bungeed it in place. This showed lack of contact over about 1/3 of the hatch seal in the hinge area. It turned out the straps that are used as the hatch hinge was set too tight at the factory and was keeping the front of the hatch from closing onto the seal. The geometry there is critical. Set it too tight and it holds the hatch open. Set it too lose and the hatch lip hangs up on the hull during normal opening and closing. I set mine as best as I could and the seal is better. I have not tested it yet and need to look into a better solution that I trust.


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PostPosted: Mon Dec 31, 2012 7:38 pm 
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Site Rank - Admiral

Joined: Wed Apr 14, 2010 3:04 pm
Posts: 172
I have seen all types of info written on cold water survival and i'm not even close to being informed on it.

What scared me was i see a lot written about the initial shock of going in and it can instantly cause you to gasp for air and if your face is in the water you drown.


Like the above poster stated cold water makes it impossible to function, if that Pro A got away from you and you had to swim after it it's very doubtful you would have the ability to get back in. The water does not have to be in the 30's and 40's either.

It's no joke that's for sure.


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PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2013 4:29 am 
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Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Sat Dec 22, 2012 5:43 pm
Posts: 16
Location: Huskisson, NSW, Australia
Hi guys, Thanks for the input and concern, I only really appreciated how bad things [i]could[i] have been when I went over. I think I will go and get that very neat hobie dry bag they have in the DVD you get with the yak.

The local tackle shop has a really cheap electric motor only $99. I wonder if I could crudely shove it through the mirage drive hole in case of an emergency ? :o

Has anyone here ever been able to crudely tinker with an electric cheapo to work on a hobie in times of emergency?. I was thinking I could store it in the hull and only use in ase something happens with the mirage drive, $1300 aud for the hobie option is too much imo, no matter how german made it is lol.


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