Capsize and Recovery

Recently my friend Gill demonstrated his boarding ladder and paddle float boarding system: viewtopic.php?f=11&t=35810 Great idea, but there were a few questions left unanswered. How difficult is it to right the boat? What if you don't have a boarding ladder and paddle float? How does this work out in deeper water?

We wanted to know these things, so we found some not-to-bright guy wandering by who agreed to jump in the lake and get back in the boat for a free meal.

1. Past the point of no return...


2. Grab the boat before the wind blows it away and get yourself oriented to your new environment. Develop your plan of action.


3. Right the boat. Kick your legs out. On the narrower Adventure, you may be able to pull yourself across the bottom and grab the opposite side. For the beamier boats, you can grab a Drive sprocket. As you pull your legs forward at the hip to gain leverage, pivot the boat toward you.


As you can see, the front Drive location didn't provide enough leverage for our demonstrator with the tandem Oasis...


He found it much easier to do from the middle of the boat.

Be sure to remove your fingers from any holes (so they don't get bent backwards) and keep the boat under control as much as possible as it flips toward you so it doesn't smack you in the head.

4. Reboarding. Here's a sequence of what happens next. Legs out, slide yourself up and over the rail (picture a seal sliding up onto a rock). Back pedal to keep your legs from swinging under the boat. Bring one knee up and then the other.



After this, you can take your time repositioning yourself. The Oasis has plenty of stability, unlike the narrower boats that will capsize back on you if you don't get enough weight across the boat initially.

If there are two aboard, your partner should be on the opposite side to limit boat listing. It's important to let the boat lean though to make less of a hurdle for the boarder to cross the lower rail until he/she gets at least one leg in.

Our friend "Einstein" agreed to repeat the exercise in the front cockpit for a free dessert. We wanted to see if there was any difference. Since the boat is narrower there, there wasn't quite as much stability. On the other hand, it was easier to reach across and use the other grip. In both cases, the paddle presented no significant obstacle.



Remember this is a slide across maneuver, not a pull up move. Try to get your torso across the beam as much as possible with the first motion, especially on the narrower boats.

In rougher water, it might be best to swing the boat around to locate yourself upwind from the boat so it doesn't try to run over you as you board. This will help keep your legs out as the wind and water push the boat away from you. This also places you on the gentler side of any chop. Or, if you need to, you can try facing the boat upwind so any effect of chop is neutralized. The boat may be hard to hold in this position however.

When you get done gloating, you can pedal around and try to collect any belongings that are adrift.


Hope you try it for yourself rather than just rely on these pics -- it's much easier after the first time!

PS. With all hatches closed, the Oasis collected a gallon or two during this exercise -- no big deal. Remember though that open hatches can flood boats fast -- always keep them closed when not in use!

Very informative Roadrunner! Everyone should try this with their own kayak. Its a little bit different in all models.

I will add 2 things:
If you have a sail mounted on a completly upside down kayak, you need to keep the rightning momentum while the sail very slowly passes through the water.
And I find it even more easy to climb on board over the stern (from behind) and simply push the seat back forward and pass the seat. This goes for the Adventure.

I hope "Einstein" got his dinner, probably a hungry stupid swede!

Br
thomas
Sweden

What kind of seats are those, are they more comfortable then the OEM's??

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2011 Oasis with Sail and AMA's
2011 Necky Looksha 14

Thanks, Roadrunner. Man, that's some sucker you found to do your demo. Can you get him to try it with a PA?

Great post....now try that with a PA Nevermind, there's a vid on youtube...for those interested:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19pQMZI1jkY[/youtube]

Great advice! If you have to face this for the first time in less than ideal conditions when you don't have a nearby shore or warm water, it can be very difficult!
He was so hungry afterward he ate two dinners. Now that you mention it, he does resemble some of the classic Swede features, but I think he might be Aussie -- you can't understand half of what he says! Great guy nevertheless!
Those are actually OEM seats from 2006. Everybody's back has a different idea of what is comfortable -- I personally don't care for the lumbar supports on the newer seats. These old seats also have high, wide seatback supports, and some (but not all) also have removable pouches strapped to the back for a nice additional storage area and extra water bottle holders.

Many users like the newer seat backs with the heavier padding and lumbar support, so these aren't for everybody. But I use these older ones exclusively -- still available I think by special order from Hobie through your dealer.
Thanks to Curt's find, this saves having to pay for another free meal!

Excellent! A really useful post - maybe this should be made a sticky?

Mike.

Roadrunner:
This is very informative and important that everyone knows how to remount their boat "and practice". When we bought our boats (Oasis and revolution we practiced in our pool until we got comfortable righting and remounting the boats before going in the ocean. I found flipping the Oasis back upright from the bow worked best for me, but was unable to remount from the sides in deep water and rough seas, (I flipped in rough seas and was too exhausted to get back in on my own and had to be rescued). Since that episode I always carry a rope in the side pocket that can be made into a sling and tied to the back of the boat where I can climb up over the rudder then make my way forward (even when tired). I also carry an extra life jacket lashed to the deck that could be attached to the end of a paddle for extra flotation if needed, or thrown to someone in the water in an emergency (we always wear our own PFD). On our TI we built a 2 rung rope ladder from PVC pipe that we keep in the rear side pouch (tied to the rear lift handle perminantly), when we need it we string and hook it to the eyelet on the outer rear AKA (where the AMA hooks on) and can climb on board easily (even with scuba gear on). One other thing we always do is carry an anchor on board so if the boat flips the anchor drops automatically, otherwise in a 5 knot current and 15 mph winds the empty boat (with nobody on board) will travel away from you at 10 mph out to sea (happened to us).
Bob

How come "Mr. Einstein" ain't wearing a PFD in the photos... ?

Excellent demo ! And a very important note !

2. Grab the boat before the wind blows it away and get yourself oriented to your new environment. Develop your plan of action.

The odds on being upside down under calm conditions are slimmer than when wind and water are rough. Your ride is your best Life Preserver.

http://www.kayakfishingmagazine.net/art ... leash.html

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SpinfisherBob
http://www.youtube.com/user/SpinfisherBob

Wow -- there is some great information coming out here!

Kal, excellent reminder on what to expect with a sail and mounting the Adventure from the stern.

Curt, nice video find on mounting the PA from the stern. Obviously it would be much more difficult to board from the side.

Fusioning, your experience in rough water experience is a great lesson for us that things rarely go as expected! I didn't realize a rope ladder would work from the stern, but will now give it a try. Also nice suggestion about rigging a PFD as a paddle float. Your automatically deploying anchor is a super idea. I wonder if a sea anchor can be rigged in a similar fashion for those who don't have the space for a standard anchor?

Spinfisher, thanks for the article on using a retractable dog leash as a kayak leash.

Fish It, good point about "Einstein's" missing PFD. He informs me that he always carries one on board (orange object in the cargo well), but usually dispenses with it when the water is warm, the shore is within reach and he needs a bath. But he does use it offshore, in bad weather or anytime swimming is not a good option. He also secures his painter (bow line) to his wrist when offshore to make sure his boat is always moored so to speak.

It's good to point out that boarding with a PFD is sometimes more difficult. A smooth front or zip up is easier to use than a buckle front. In some cases it may be necessary to unbuckle to board if the front is snagging. If you're shopping for one, that's something to keep in mind. Inflatable PFDs are nice in warm weather, but the bulkier vests make a great windbreaker when it's cold and windy.

Capsizes always happen when least expected and without notice. Here's an experienced kayaker I found out in the middle of the bay a couple of years ago. No PFD, but amazingly he snagged his surf ski before it got away.

He had cramps and couldn't get back on without assistance. He was obviously unprepared for this event. I think there is also a tendency to panic under such circumstances, and become quickly exhausted. Make sure you're ready when it happens to you.

When I had a traditional sit inside kayak, I always saw people practicing their "rolls" in pools and in glass smooth water. That's not where you get into trouble in a kayak! What I love about the Hobie is that they're MUCH easier to handle in rough water. The stability, the sit on top design, everything about it makes it a better boat in an emergency situation.

Having said that, I'll add that if you're regularly in waves or currents, it's going to be much tougher to get back on board, so if you go out in those conditions, be sure that you're extremely comfortable when you practice in the calm water. Don't be over confident.

One last thing... from a Canadian. Always dress for the cold water, not the warm air! When I go out on Lake Ontario at this time of year, the air can feel like summer but the water isn't even close! If you get thrown in that stuff unexpectedly, you're toast unless you're prepared. You cramp up very quickly, sometimes almost instantly, so you'd better know what you're doing, and stay calm. The best way to stay calm is to be prepared, and dressed for the water.

Great post Roadrunner! We need to get you a video camera next!

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