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PostPosted: Sun Oct 22, 2006 4:09 pm 
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Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2005 11:04 pm
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Location: Hawaii, Big Island
I've posted this elsewhere. But I think Hobie management might be interested in the industry standard aspect. Stepping up to the plate with maybe 2-3 other mfgs would provide the public more safety in the sport, plus illustrate Hobie's leadership.

The frau finally graduated this week with a safe re-entry due to Hobie's Sidekick, the two ama system meant for increasing sailing stability on the Adventure.

Even if you don't use the ama normally, having one immediately available seems feasible as they collapse nicely for storage. (The cross member they fit into must be pre-installed-see below)Seems like an easier solution in heavy seas than the sling/paddle float technique. Grab your packet, break any rubber band you use to keep it folded compactly on it's shaft, and inflate in 3-4 breaths.

The photos demonstrate for those that don't quite have enough body strength that Sidekick may just do the trick for SELF rescue.

Then I describe a procedure that is very simple for ASSISTED rescue.

Sidekick is a definite aid for reentry. I fooled around today. I just grabbed the port gunnel with both hands and did kind of a push up kicking twice and leaning fwd. The port ama semi buried, but the yak was perfectly stable. Here I was raised right over and across her. The twist to sit down was simple. The two arm pushing down on the same side is a tad easier than the traditional reach across with one hand and IMHO requires less upper body strength.

Image

Here is another shot where my right hand is on the port gunnel, but the left has reached across to the stbd side for a normal grab/kick combo. Kind of a pushup with your arms split. Note ama position is OK and that this time I am even further over the yak for an easy twist re-enter.

Image

Don't have Sidekick ? Try it on a buddies. If you have any doubt about getting back in when alone maybe you should invest in one.

One other ASSIST technique improvement with the frau. With Sidekick providing stability I am no longer required on the side opposite her to weight down the yak why she struggles to step in the sling. I can go to her side to assist. I just hung on the yak and lowered my other hand so she could step on it versus a sling arrangement. In she went!! She preferred that to the "kupuna step" another slightly different technique I use with older gals getting into an OC-6. Just grab the Adventure gunnel and lower yourself completely underwater. She can then step on your shoulder. Should also work for kids and heavier buddies that need more than the hand technique.

Warning. Playing around further I was able to huli the whole Sidekick rig with both ama installed.. But first I had to swing my legs over the port side and sit on the gunnel. That kind of buried the ama, even more than re-entry. Then I grabbed the opposite gunnel and pulled the whole shebang over as I kept shifting my butt even further to port.. I think she went around the 60-65 degree mark, maybe more. Try it yourself. That might be the angle of the face of a wave where your going over if your broadside to a wave larger than the span of Sidekick when under sail. Maybe we can come up with just where that is through sharing experiences.

Sidekick requires the installation of a cross member that the ama shaft insert into and lock with a button. If I were Hobie I would add a couple of different length cross members so other brands could benefit from Sidekicks safety aspect.

In the future for rescue purposes it would be nice if you only needed a shorter receptacle arm on one side. Not sure what the leverage forces are, Hobie and others need to look at a one sided hookup.

Why? I am recommending an industry "open standard" for a single Sidekick like ama receptacle be established that could be installed on ALL yaks, maybe even molded in like OC-1 ama systems. That would let competing companies design different floats . The consumer then knows he doesn't have to fool around with different size receptacle fittings. The yak manufacturer has provided them. The safety aspect would also help the industry to grow as well as avoid any tragedies while on the water.

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PostPosted: Sun Oct 22, 2006 7:31 pm 
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Joined: Sun Oct 22, 2006 7:23 pm
Posts: 34
Aloha, Dan:

Great Post!!! Indeed, don't leave home without the Side Kick.

You said: "Sidekick requires the installation of a cross member that the ama shaft insert into and lock with a button. If I were Hobie I would add a couple of different length cross members so other brands could benefit from Sidekicks safety aspect."

Until that time, you can cut the cross member in half and extend it to any length you wish by inserting a section of 1" Schedule 40 PVC. It's a near-perfect fit inside the cross member. Each half of the cross member is held firmly in place by the mounting bracket, so in theory you should be able to adjust the cross member length with PVC to securely fit any width of kayak gunwales.

Just a thought for the time-being if anyone needs a different length center bar.

Jon


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 Post subject: Paddle float
PostPosted: Mon Oct 23, 2006 10:49 am 
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Joined: Tue May 27, 2003 12:44 pm
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Location: Oceanside, California
For emergency you can also carry a paddle float like a sit inside kayak would carry.

http://www.seakayakermag.com/1997/feb97/foster1.htm

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 Post subject: Sidekick
PostPosted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 8:33 am 
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Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2004 6:56 am
Posts: 822
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Hey Dan,
Excellent post with some great ideas for the yak community in general. I seem to recall seeing a post somewhere recently that kayaker's deaths are up over 100% from last year. Most of these deaths seem to be due to hypothermia from cold water exposure.

Here are a couple of stats I picked up on:

- Nine elite marines, water survival instructors, capsized in 36 degree water wearing sweatsuits and no PFDs. None of them survived the attempted 100 yard swim to shore.

- An average adult person has a 50/50 chance of surviving a 50 yard swim in 50 degree F. water.

- A 50 year old person in 50 degree F. water has a 50/50 chance of surviving for 50 minutes.

http://www.capital.net/com/nckayak/nck_safety_p4.htm

I can relate to these issues from my own (self-imposed) experiences with hypothermia. I used to skin and SCUBA dive the central California coast at Pacific Grove and Monterey before I could afford a wet suit. This was in 50-55 degree F. water. Back then wet suits were mainly available in kits that you had to glue together yourself, but were still pretty expensive. I would wear a heavy sweat shirt "secured" around the waist with my knife belt to try to cut down a little on the direct contact with the water. What I found was that I had about 15 minutes of time to do my underwater observations and photography, before the shakes set in.

I would usually hold out in the water for about 20-30 minutes and then return to the beach to warm up under the sun. It might take me a full 30-45 minutes in bright sunshine (air temp probably in the 70s) to actually stop shivering long enough so I could get dressed. I didn't know what it was called back then, but hypothermia was its name!

I was entering the water from a beach at Stanford's Hopkins Marine Station on Monterey Bay, so it was a short swim (maybe 20-30 yards) back thru the kelp beds, but I never realized at the time that I might have been pushing the limits. I didn't have a dive buddy, because no one else was crazy enough (I guess) to go out with me.

Anyway, hypothermia can really be insidious because if you are involved in trying to get the perfect pic or chasing and trying to spear a nice fish (legal back then), you tend to forget about the cold and keep on keeping on. It was only on the return trip to the beach when it would hit me that I was not doing so well with my swimming!

Thanks for your input on an important safety consideration involved in re-mounting a yak. Perhaps a kit that would permit a single sidekick to be carried on board (perhaps already inflated), but which could be swung around by someone in the water, and then used to re-mount any yak safely would be just the ticket. This would be sort of along the lines of using one of my lobster pot buoy amas and the RAM mounts for ease of manipulation. But I'm sure one of the Hobie engineers could devise a “swingableâ€

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PostPosted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 8:47 am 
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Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2004 6:56 am
Posts: 822
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Conservation 101 said:
Quote:
Until that time, you can cut the cross member in half and extend it to any length you wish by inserting a section of 1" Schedule 40 PVC. It's a near-perfect fit inside the cross member. Each half of the cross member is held firmly in place by the mounting bracket, so in theory you should be able to adjust the cross member length with PVC to securely fit any width of kayak gunwales.


Hey Conservation,
Welcome to the Hobie Forum! Great idea about using 1 inch diameter SCH 40 PVC to adapt the Sidekick to any width hull. DIY all the way, baby! :idea: :D

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 Post subject: Re: Paddle float
PostPosted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 11:37 am 
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Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2005 5:21 pm
Posts: 335
mmiller wrote:
For emergency you can also carry a paddle float like a sit inside kayak would carry.
A paddle float should be standard equipment carried on every trip, just like a life vest. :lol:


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