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PostPosted: Thu Aug 04, 2011 7:58 pm 
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I took my new outback out today on my first fishing outing . I have had my outback out for a few shake down outings before. This my first fish outing we went up tp RB for some fluking the wind was blowing and the tide was moving. This wasnt to bad there was four of us and we were all handling the conditions with no problems at all. We were all catching fish and enjoying the day on the water. Me my friend were drifting away from the other two a pretty good distance when bill said he was going back in i agreed and said im going to finish the drift. I Decided to check on my catch and decide to put the fish in the cooler behind me. i turned around in the seat on my knees and put the fish in the cooler all is fine until i turned around to head back to my friends. As i started to turn around and dont ask me how cause i dont really know i capsized my yak. At first i coudnt believe i had done such a bone head move then i thought about my gear then i tried to right the yak which i couldnt at first. Then i look for my friends for help they were so far away i couldnt even see them.i again tried to right the yak with no luck. I could not climb up the side of the outback it was just to high (higher then most other yaks) then i went to the bow of the boat with no luck again all this time.I yet hadnt inflated my pfd i thought about it but i wanted to wait a little at first i wasnt in that much trouble yet . Well i went to the stern of the yak there i was able to grab the rudder and get a hold on 1 of the scupper holes with this i was able to hoist myself up on my yak and then grabing one side of her using my body weight pulling her over and rerighting her. I was back in the water but my yak was upright i went to the bow this time and with not to much effort was able to get back in the yak. I grab my VHF and told my friends i went in the water that im all right and we be heading for them in a few. I lost some gear but most was save by my leashes.(THATS NOT IMPORTANT) WHAT IS IMPORTANT ARE THE LESSONS I LEARNED AFTER THE FACT. Other then the fact that i capsized my yak and trust me my friends will never let me forget it . I was lucky i was able to stay with my yak i didnt panic(AND I MIGHT HAVE THERE JUST WASNT ENOUGH TIME) I able to right my yak get back in and pedal back. But what if couldnt stay with my yak a lot of good that vhf would have done attached to my yak and not me. how come i didnt know i couldnt right this yak unless i got up on her . how come i didnt know i couldnt climb up on her.What if the water was rough or cold. Well i know now 1st i will not wear pfd i have to inflate it might be ok for some but not for me. 2nd my vhf will be attached to my pfd and not the yak .3rd i will attach a rope though my scupper hole and around my boat to give me both a hand hold and also help with righting this yak (this rope will be attach with some device so i can remove it when its not in the water).There will be 4th, 5th and other lessons to learned the more i think about it. But most of all this yak will be in my pool as i train my self not only to sit and fish in her but what to do if im not!!!!!!!!


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PostPosted: Thu Aug 04, 2011 11:13 pm 
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Location: Camas, WA
Thanks for the post, glad you're OK. I appreciate your honesty and sharing the tips you've learned. The school of hard knocks is a tough way to go, I'm hoping to avoid some problems by paying attention to those with real life experience!

Be careful out there...

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Dune TI - 6/4/2011
Camas, WA


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PostPosted: Fri Aug 05, 2011 7:30 am 
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Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2011 11:39 am
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Location: Marco Island, Florida
So sorry to hear about your mishap but glad you are OK. I'm a Revo owner but I did a demo on the outback before I bought. I took it out on a lake and spent a considerable amount of time trying to intentionaly capsize it and I could not.
However, that was on a calm lake and I did not kneel on the seat. When you kneel on the seat you really raise your center of gravity. But that alone should not cause you to capsize. I do it all the time on the Revo. My guess is it is a combination of high center of gravity and a lean into the current.
There is a video on the Hobie site that shows how to get back into the Outback from the side. Of course they show a young girl and a calm lake !
Glad you are OK

Johnny


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PostPosted: Fri Aug 05, 2011 7:39 am 
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MARCO trust me i have a good idea how i tip her.My point was the things i never thought of or tried before i took her out fishing. I have been kayaking for 15 yrs and fishing for about 3 yrs. i have owned and sailed 33 ft pearson sailboat for 10 yrs. I NEVER THOUGHT IT WOULD BE SO HARD TO RIGHT HER.
Im glad i had this mishap it taught me alot. We as a people learn more from our mistakes sometimes at a great price and sometimes not


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PostPosted: Fri Aug 05, 2011 12:15 pm 
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rubone47 wrote:
...But most of all this yak will be in my pool as i train my self not only to sit and fish in her but what to do if im not!!!!!!!!
Great post rubone47. Hopefully it will entice kayakers into thinking, "what if?" Practicing self rescue is the first thing someone should do when they get a kayak. The kind of gear you carry and have strapped to the kayak can make a big difference in how easy or hard it is to get back onto the kayak.

What if...the current or wind was strong and it quickly separated you from your kayak after you fall into the water? Is your cell phone or VHF radio sitting in a waterproof bag inside the hull while your PFD with your whistle is still strapped to the back of the kayak and floating farther away because you weren't wearing it when the mishap happened?

What if...the water temperatures are in the 40s (4-10 degrees C) and you have to get back on your kayak is less than 5 minutes before you loose the use of your arms and legs from the numbing cold water? How fast you can get back onto the kayak could be the difference between life and death so practicing self rescue regularly in a group setting is a good thing to do.

Don't wait until the unthinkable happens to test your self rescue skills. How fast can you get back onto your kayak in smooth water, now? How fast can you get back onto your kayak in one meter seas, now? Does your hand pump work, now? Does your paddle float work, now? Do you know how to remove the air from your paddle float, now? Would a simple rope ladder help speed up flipping the kayak back upright?

What if...you hit an underwater obstacle throwing you into the water and it breaks your Hobie mirage drive bad enough that you can't use? Is your paddle floating away in the current or do you have it leashed to the kayak?

There are many things one can think about, before the fact, too. Thanks for sharing your important story.


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PostPosted: Fri Aug 05, 2011 2:25 pm 
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Last year one of my birthday presents was a 2 hour lesson with a certified instructor.

I took my Freedom Hawk 12. Before we got started, the lady instructor told me that I couldn't wear one of my inflating fishing vests. I had to wear a pfd, which I did. I should have my Uniden VHF attached to or in my PFD. She told me I could carry my cell, but it would be best to put it in my dry bag in its own baggie but to wait on that.

I started to put the dry bag into a compartment in the yak, and she said no. Then, she blew air into the dry bag so it would float and attached it topside with a 3' bungie. She had me put my whistle on my pdf. Next, she had me put a ankle tether to the yak in case, I turned the yak over. It wouldn't leave me. Then, we tethered the paddle to the yak and my wading stick to the yak. Then, she had me attach my small fixed blade knife to the PDF with about 18 inches of strong yarn. My regular big lockblade knife was in my fishing pant side pocket where it stays.

When we got our yaks to the parking site, about a 1/4 of a mile away from the launc site, she had me call my wife on my cell, and tell her that we would be launching in about 15 minutes and where, we going upstream/north on the river and would be back in about two hours and a half, and where my truck was parked. Then, I baggied the cell and put into my dry bag and reflated it. We put on our yak wheels and everything that could fit in and on the yaks to be free of stuff while towing the yaks to the launch site.

When we got about 15' from the launch site on the river, she had me put on my pdf and secure it. Then, we tethered my hand held GPS to the cross bar of the Freedom Hawk. Arranged the other tethering and gear like water bottles and me and launched our yaks.

On the way back while in the river, she had me take the tether off my paddle and drop it into the current with both a down stream flow and an outgoing tide. The paddle was downstream and out of reach quickly. She paddled down stream and brought it back and put its tether on, threw it back in the water. The paddle and my yak floated along to gether for a couple of minutes until I brought it back in with the tether. We did the same for my wooden walking/wading stick and dry bag with their tethers. They and the Yak and I floated down together with no problem.

We had a great 2 hour lesson, came back to the launch site and got the yaks out of the water and on the wheels with the gear and headed back to our trucks. Also, at that time, she had me call my wife and say that we were headed back to the parking site, and I should be home in about 30 minutes.

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PostPosted: Fri Aug 05, 2011 3:29 pm 
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Location: Central Florida
What great lessons and a smart lady instructor. Now you're much better prepared for the What If's... :)

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PostPosted: Fri Aug 05, 2011 8:17 pm 
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This is great to read for someone who will be using his kayak for the first time tomorrow. First worry is getting to the spot safe. The try not to forget what I read here before getting in the water.

Thanks
Dan


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PostPosted: Fri Aug 05, 2011 8:31 pm 
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Im sorry but this is not a read for a 1st timer I have been on or around the water for all my life. this is for all people who stray off solid ground and decide to float on some kind of vessel. I have been many different vessels over my yrs and only went in for a swim only in 0ne. SO WHY DO YOU SAY GOOD READ FOR FIRSTTIMERS


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PostPosted: Sat Aug 06, 2011 5:23 am 
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Location: Homosassa, Florida
I've had a 100 ton captains license for about 35 years. I am 65 and owned my first motorboat a 11. I have been in a lots of different types of vessels, (with the exception of a air boat, I refuse). Three things I can tell you for sure.

"Boating gives you the test, just before the lesson." :shock: :shock:

"It is a lots less painful to learn from others past experience, than you own." :oops: :oops:

"When the barometer reaches 27.20 be on high land" :D :D

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PostPosted: Sat Aug 06, 2011 10:21 am 
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I have two friends, one owns a Revo13 and one owns an Outback, and I will hit our local lakes with them with my Revo11.

However, our river is a different critter with tides, wind and of course down stream flows.

reconlon wrote:
What great lessons and a smart lady instructor. Now you're much better prepared for the What If's... :)


When I get my new Revo11 in September, I will schedule another lesson from her before I go down stream on our local river in my new Revo11.

Besides her ability to teach and experience, she is one of us. She owns a Revo and an Outback.

We had a lot of big rains this spring, and there are all types of potential traps/hazards in our river. So having her tell me what to avoid and stay away from and where to safely go is worth the cost. Also, unlike a lot of so called yak instructors, she won't look down on me for owning a Hobie. :roll:

There were a lot of jerks, pretending to be yak instructors, who try to build up their inflated egos by saying bad things about Hobies and Hobie owners.

No problem. Being a two handed rod fly fisher, for years we have been/were insulted :( for using the great two handed rods. Now, people ask us for advise and re, who would be a good two handed rod instructor.

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PostPosted: Sat Aug 06, 2011 6:59 pm 
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Well i put the outback in the pool today and found out a couple interesting things.
1st i dont believe i capsized her just by my movements , this yak is so stable its hard to believe. A wave must have caught me from behind plus i must have been a little off center. I tried to capsize her in the pool i was able too but took it alot of effort there is no way i would have leaned that far over.
2nd I cant believe i got on top of her to reflip her when i was in the bay in the pool the only way still for me to get on top of her to reflip her was from the stern where i was able to get a hand hold on the rudder.This was the way i did it in the bay but in the pool it took 3 trys.

I THINK I FOUND A EASIER SOLUTION FOR REFLIPING THE YAK YOU TAKE 12 FT 6 INCH PIECE OF 1 INCH WEBBING.
SEW THIS WEBBING TOGETHER SO YOU HAVE A PIECE 6 FEET LONG THAT FORMS A LOOP (IM GOING TO MAKE 2 OF THESE FOR BOTH SIDES OF THE YAK)) YOU INSTALL THIS LOOP AROUND YOUR SIDE HANDLES. IN THE EVENT YOU FLIP HER YOU CAN FIND THE LOOP COIL IT IN YOUR HAND AND THROW IT OVER THE YAK .NOW YOU SWIM AROUND TO OTHER SIDE GRAB THE LOOP WITH 1 HAND INSERT YOUR FOOT INTO THE LOOP WITH BOTH HANDS REACHING UP TO GRAB THE WEBBING AND YOUR FOOT IN THE LOOP THE YAK THE YAK REFLIPS WITH NO TROUBLE AT ALL. IT WAS SO EASY AND YOU CAN COIL THIS LOOP TO SIT IN THE CORNERS OF THE SEAT OUT OF THE WAY OF EVERYTHING.
I WISH I HAD VIDEO OF THIS THIS SHOULD WORK ON ALL SOT!!! FOR ME AT LEAST I CANNOT FLIP THIS YAK WHILE IM IN THE WATER SHES JUST TO WIDE AND HEAVY SO THIS IS THE WAY IM GOING UNLESS ANYBODY OUT THERE HAS A
BETTER WAY PLEASE POST IF YOU DO


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PostPosted: Sun Aug 07, 2011 4:16 am 
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Location: Homosassa, Florida
http://www.hobiecat.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=13578

Check out this post for some additional test. I will drop mine in the pool today. I did it before and don't remember having a problem turing it over.


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PostPosted: Sun Aug 07, 2011 8:10 am 
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Location: Homosassa, Florida
Not sure which year you Outback is. Does it have two carry handles, one on each side by the seat, or just one. I have two handles so I can flip the kayak from either side real easy. If you have only one handle you have to be on the opposite side before you start.

First method and easiest. Reach under the kayak with one hand and grab the carry handle. Put your other hand on the railing closest to you. Pull on the carry handle while pushing up with the hand on the railing. The kayak will flip right over. The quicker you push and pull the easier it will be. If you have on a life jacket it is no problem at all. Without a life jacket you just have to be quick with you pull.

The other method is like you found out. I put a couple fingers in the drive well and one in the seat hole. Slowly pull myself up to get my stomach on the edge. Reach across to the far side with my right hand and put it on the railing. You don't have to reach any type of handhold, just as far as you can get. Bring your legs up under the kayak and it will roll right over.

Getting in is the same as any. Pull up and lay across the seat. Have a thousand things stab you in the side. Roll over into the seat.

The wind and tide can both help you. Waves you just have to fight.


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PostPosted: Sun Aug 07, 2011 12:41 pm 
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Location: Camas, WA
The lesson from the lady instructor was terrific. I just bought four leashes for paddles, rods, etc. Need to get out and practice re-entry to my TI, even though I think it's more stable than any other yak.

I just installed Motion GPX on my iPhone and will use it to send location updates to my wife while I'm on the water. It also let's me mark fishing spots, log my trips, etc.

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Dune TI - 6/4/2011
Camas, WA


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