Hold on to Your Kayak

Capsize happens!

When your kayak capsizes, do you know what to do?

Kayaks capsize in all conditions. Do you know what to do if your kayak flips over?

Most expert kayakers will roll their kayak upright after a capsize.  It only takes a few seconds and is the safest and fastest way to recover from a capsize.  BUT do not despair if you do not know how to roll your kayak or if you are not being successful at rolling.  There are other capsize recovery techniques that are easy and effective. 

The cowboy (cowgirl) scramble is one of several techniques to o get back into a sea kayak after a capsize.

The number one thing that you need to do is to HOLD ON TO YOUR KAYAK.  This is especially important if you are in the surf or in water where there is wind and/or current.  Kayaks can be swept away quickly in these situations.  If your kayak gets away from you, it can be difficult to retrieve.  You have heard the saying up the creek without a paddle.  Imagine being out in the middle of a lake, ocean, or bay without a kayak, swimming on the river as your kayak rushes down river away from you, or being in the surf as your kayak becomes a projectile rushing toward waders (often kids) on shore.  Lesson learned - HOLD ON TO YOUR KAYAK!

Hold on to your kayak to make for a faster recovery and so that it doesn't get blown or washed away.

Kayak Coach Christopher Lockyer of Committed 2 the Core Sea Kayak Coaching is doing a series of videos called Lessons Learned.  Video number one is HOLD ON TO YOUR KAYAK.  Check it out here and stay tuned for more videos in the series.

So you have held onto your kayak and hopefully your paddle too.  Now we can work on strategies for capsize recovery - getting back in the seat and on with your day.

Check back for videos and photos of capsize recovery techniques for a variety of kayaks - sit on top, sea kayaks, fishing kayaks, whitewater kayaks, and sit inside recreational kayaks.  If you have seen any good instructional posts or videos online, please post them below in the comments.

Happy New Year 2019!

Happy New Year!  I hope that your year is off to a great start!!!  Yesterday, I heard on the radio that most New Year's Resolutions are broken in the first week of January.

"The greatest enemy of a good plan is the dream of a perfect plan." Carl von Clausewitz

Often our quest for perfection gets in the way of us just doing it.  Take a moment - think about it.

I find this definitely pertains to surfing.  Surfers dream of surf sessions with perfect waves.  We often go on the search and scout several breaks looking for that perfect wave.  If we don't see it, we move on to another spot and/or decide to come back later to see if the tide, wind, or swell changed and improved conditions.  One thing leads to another, and we don't get in the water that day.

Dreaming of perfect waves.

The reality is that we should quit being Goldilocks looking for the perfect conditions and get out surfing (unless conditions are too big or potentially dangerous).  When I leave the house to go surfing, I load my hp surf kayak, boogie board and swim fins, and whitewater playboat.  If the surf is not great, I have the playboat or boogie board to mess around with.  I feel great because I got out in the water and usually I catch a few fun waves too!

Quiver of Surf Toys - hp surf kayak, playboat, boogie board and fins.

If you are struggling with goals and New Year's Resolutions - don't give up!  Keep dreaming of the perfect plan (and perfect waves) but most importantly execute the good plan.

Bouncing and doing 360 spins on a wave is great fun!