Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
|
#1
|
|||
|
|||
On 15-Jun-2005, "BCITORGB" wrote:
Over the course of a few years of renting kayaks, I have always been instructed that the best way to enter and launch is by way using my paddle as an outrigger, across the back of the cockpit. I've accepted this as gospel. Now I've come across a very informative website that takes a contrary view. If you have a keyhole cockpit, then by all means, sit in it with your butt first and then pull your legs in. Do not use your paddle to get in. However, if you have an ocean cockpit or your legs are too long to allow you to enter butt first, then use your paddle to brace. Do not sit on the paddle shaft, though. Some folks will sit on the paddle shaft, swing their legs in and then swing their butt in. This puts a lot of unnecessary stress on the paddle. Instead, straddle the kayak (one foot on either side) and sit on the rear deck behind the cockpit with the paddle out to one side. Then get your feet inside while balancing with your body and follow this by sliding your butt into the kayak. If you are in the water when you do this, you don't need to brace the paddle on a solid object. Just let the outboard blade of the paddle stabilize the kayak by water resistance and use your balance to keep on an even keel while you get in. This is easier to do with an unfeathered paddle, since it's easier to keep the outboard blade flat and _just_below_the_surface_ of the water if the inboard blade is flat on the kayak deck. This is a _lot_ easier than trying to get in while sculling (as the web site suggests) and puts no significant stress on the paddle - certainly no more stress than ordinary forward strokes. With practice, you can get into a kayak in deep water doing this without a paddle float. However, you won't succeed often in deep water unless the water is fairly calm. Mike |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
There is nothing hard and fast, No always, lots of opinions.
The paddle is just a ballancing tool It should never take your weight. Most good paddles are pretty tough but where lendal boast their shaft can support 6 men , most manufacturers don't make that claim and have no real need to.. There are a dozen ways to enter and exit a boat, nothiing hard and fast about that. I have done some real cool entries , rollin intop the water from an FRC ( fast rescue craft ) seal entries, dropt the boat off a wharf and climb down into it. then the normal stuff front . back , side entries. There is no gospel. I have always found in all things the more I know the less i know. |
Reply |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
Launching Boats with an ATV | General | |||
Zodia Launching wheels? | General | |||
Green River Desolation Canyon launching June 16 | General | |||
Commissioning vs launching ceremony/party | Boat Building | |||
Newbie launching question | ASA |