We All Wear Skirts Here
As most paddlers take their first strokes, the one thing that is in all their minds is “If this boat flips over, will I be able to get out?” Capsizing any craft is an exciting proposition. In a kayak it becomes a little more interesting because the paddler is inside their craft, with a sprayskirt covering the only exit. Depending on how tightly one has outfitted their boat, it could require some effort to perform the wet exit.
In any case, before one ventures out in a kayak, it is imperative that the paddler test the fit of the sprayskirt, ensuring that it will release when necessary. Also check to see if the thigh braces, hip padding, footwear, or backband pose obstacles to a swift exit. Having a cooler or drybag in between your legs can wedge you in!
The fit of the skirt should be fine-tuned for your boat. Some have adjustable shock cord, so you can make it tighter or looser depending on your needs. Most fiberglass kayaks have a wide coaming lip, which is great for holding the skirt on, but can make it more difficult to get off.
Most plastic boats have a much thinner coaming lip, so that most skirts will come off easily with a little bit of help. If one is looking for a more secure, watertight fit for their skirt, neoprene versions with sewn-on shock cord are excellent. However, if the skirt is not sized properly, on fiberglass boats these can be extremely difficult to remove when performing a wet exit.
Wet Exits
When exiting a capsized kayak (the wet exit), one should lean forward, grasp the sprayskirt’s grab loop with one hand, while keeping the other hand on the paddle. If it is a really tight fit, you may have to use both hands to get it off. Once you have hold of the grab loop, push it forward and up until it clears the coaming, then straight up until the sides are clear. At this point, you can roll forward to come out, or push the boat off your legs like a pair of pants.
What you want to avoid doing in this situation is leaning back and twisting. Most beginners believe that if they lean back, they will be able to breathe. Not! Leaning back will push your legs up against the deck, and twisting can cause your legs or feet to get tangled up in the boat.
If you forgot to leave your skirt’s grab loop out, you will be wishing you had not trimmed your nails recently as you claw at your skirt to get it off. Other ways to remove it are to pull your knees to the center and push up with them, or grab the sides of the skirt and try to work it off there (it is much looser on the sides than the front).
You could also reach in through the waist and push it off from underneath. These methods are a poor substitute for having a proper-fitting skirt, and a grab loop that is accessible and will not pull off when you need it.
Practice your wet exit, and whenever you get into a boat, especially one that is new to you, put on your skirt and remove it while you are still upright to find out exactly how much effort it takes to get it off. This will give you greater peace of mind while you are out enjoying your local waterways.
With a properly chosen skirt, and some practice at removing it while upside down, exiting the kayak should be a relatively simple matter.
Solo Rescue with a Paddle Float
When a kayaker capsizes and wet exits, it is imperative that they re enter their kayak as soon as possible. This will avoid extended immersion in cold water, which leads to hypothermia, the lowering of the core body temperature. In order to prevent this life-threatening condition, it is necessary to have on the proper thermal protection, either a wetsuit or drysuit.
Unless you are right next to shore, your chances of making it even a 1/4 mile are very slim. As you swim, you are losing body heat rapidly, and an uninsulated body cools at an alarming rate.
With the solo rescue, you can rescue yourself when alone, or when others are too far away, or too preoccupied with their own survival.
Self Rescue Steps:
Always make sure you have a paddle float and pump firmly attached to your boat!
When capsized, lean forward, grab your skirt's grab loop, pull it forward and up to release. If you are not already out of your boat, roll forward, pushing the boat off your legs like a pair of pants
Once out of your kayak, make sure you have maintained contact with your boat and paddle. They can quickly escape in even a light breeze. If necessary, position yourself downwind of the kayak to prevent it from getting away. DO NOT GET BETWEEN YOUR KAYAK AND SHORE IN BREAKING SURF!
Right the kayak quickly to avoid scooping extra water. Remove the paddle float from its secure place and place it over one end of your paddle. When in place, wrap the buckle once around the shaft, and buckle it to prevent it from slipping off the blade, or tie it with the cord if one is there. While attaching the float, maintain contact with the boat by slipping your arm up to the elbow under a rudder line, shock cord, etc.
Inflate the float by turning the valves counter clockwise about 1/2 turn. You have enough air to inflate both at once, assuming you have 2 chambers. Inflate them till full, which will give you lots of floatation.
Attach the other end of the paddle to the boat, behind the cockpit, forming the outrigger. You should have some shock cord or line already there for this purpose. If not, you will need to hold the paddle to the coaming so it will remain perpendicular to the cockpit while reentering, then place the paddle across your lap while you attach your skirt and pump the water out.
Pull yourself up on the back deck, placing one hand on the paddle shaft, one on the cockpit. Get your feet on the surface, and swim up over the back deck, with your chest resting on the deck just behind the cockpit, facing the rear of the boat. Work your way back until you can get your legs into the boat. Slip in until your hips are over the seat; twist your body toward the paddle, changing hands on the shaft to maintain your weight toward the float; drop into the seat.
Leave the paddle float on until you have refitted your sprayskirt and pumped out your boat, always leaning your weight toward the float. When your boat is pumped dry, remove the paddle from the deck, remove the float, and deflate and stow the float. If necessary, leave the float partially inflated to prepare for a subsequent rescue.
Assisted Rescue
When rescuing someone else, your job is to:
Maintain outward calm, even if you don't feel that way!
Get to them as quickly as possible
Hold their boat and paddle while they reenter
Help them get their skirt back on, and help them pump out their boat, if necessary
Don't let go of their boat until it is dry and they are stable, both mentally and physically
If they don't have proper clothing on, like a wetsuit or drysuit, get them to shore and into warm clothing as soon as possible.
If you think they may be getting hypothermic, get them to a warm shelter, build a fire, get them into a sleeping bag with someone else. You must judge whether or not they are hypothermic- they will not be able to judge for themselves. Slurred speech, stumbling, awkward movements, inability to perform simple tasks, severe shivering are all signs of the onset of hypothermia.
If they have not been rewarmed, and the shivering stops, that means they have passed into deeper hypothermia, and must be treated gently, and brought to emergency help immediately!
When being rescued:
Remain calm and go through your practiced rescue routine
Climb up on the rear deck, with your chest behind the cockpit, just as for the solo rescue
Once you are on top of your boat, place one hand on the rescuer's boat to prevent yourself from falling in between the boats - don't let go of your rescuer until you feel stable again!
For solo and assisted rescues: do not pump out your boat until you are back in it! (Unless it is hopelessly swamped, then you may have to). The T-Rescue can be performed by your rescuer, or by yourself (with some practice) to remove most of the water.
Take a Class!
We feel that everyone should know, and practice, rescuing themselves and others. In our Basic Rescue class you learn how to fall over, exit your boat, and get yourself back in. You also learn how to perform assisted rescues, and how to stop yourself from flipping by using your paddle as a brace.
Besides raising your skill level, this class will also raise your level of confidence, and lower your fear and apprehension of the unknown. It is wise to paddle with others who also know how to rescue themselves and others!
Practice Makes Perfect
In all rescues, prior practice is essential. Practice under controlled conditions, preferably in a sheltered bay, with the wind blowing toward shore. The time to learn is not while you are bobbing around in cold water. You will increase your chances for survival greatly by knowing what to do instinctively.
Kayaking can be a safe and enjoyable sport, with little risk, when done in a prudent manner. Do not put yourself at risk in conditions that you are not prepared to deal with.
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