Mary Malmros wrote in
:

"Michael Daly" writes:

On 24-Oct-2003, Mary Malmros wrote:

Note that there was a hefty snip here...

Now, it's not clear to me that the need to use a
strap represents a huge increase in risk, but I'm not arguing that
point -- I'll assume that it does, and that if you can perform a
paddle float self rescue without a strap, you're bunches and bunches
safer than someone who can only perform a paddle float self-rescue
with a strap. [...]

That bigger problem being...?

If a person needs a strap, they are not capable of the basic physical
skill of floating on the surface and sliding onto the kayak. This
is usually because of some combination of strength, size, disability
etc. It could be because they are dumb, but we covered that with the
assumption that they would get training.

What about someone who can't float on the surface and slide into the
kayak without the help of a paddle float? Lotta people in that
category. Do you likewise consider them to be incapable of a "basic
physical skill" that, it seems, you consider a necessary skill for
someone to be able to kayak?

Depends on the conditions.

When comparing a self-rescue using a paddle float and a self rescue using a
paddle float with some sort of stirrup the primary difference is how long
you're going to be in the water as it takes longer to set up the stirrup.

In water that is 70 degrees it probably makes little difference if you need
a stirrup to help reentry. As the water gets colder, staying in the water
longer than it takes just to set up a paddle float and reenter without a
stirrup would begin to put one in the risk of hypothermia. As the water
gets even colder, the amount of time it takes to exit the boat and set up a
paddle float for reentry may put you at risk of hypothermia. At that point,
it would not be safe for someone that can only self rescue using a paddle
float but can't roll to paddle solo.