Kayaking Safety

[txhrn]

95% of drownings are preventable by just wearing your PFD. Doesn't matter what a great swimmer or paddler you are if you get caught up in bay boat wake or something unforseen it doesn't matter how it happens, you are still dead. Out last week in Christmas Bay, just taking my buddy on his first saltwater outing. Not even two miles out, almost no wind and beautiful, a well nut on my anchor trolly ripped out (have had this setup for 2 years) and my yak filled up with water in under a minute. Almost didnt bring my pump because I was going on a "short trip" and I had never had a oh crap i might sink emergency before. I would have been fine but would not like to loose 2k worth of gear because I was too skilled and cocky to bring by safety gear.

[unclejnb]

Timely topic! Two weeks ago I almost had the worst fishing day of my life. I was kayak fishing with a friend at Boliver, when unbeknownst to me, he was blown by very high winds, across the intercoastal into the bay where he promptly capsized, losing almost all his gear. Because of his inflatable vest (which fortunately worked) he was unable to reenter his yak, and held on for an hour and a half until a hell-of-nice guy (goes by Mustfish on 2coolfishing) ran out and rescued him about 2 miles out, before the Coast Guard got there.(If you're reading this Mustfish, THANKS AGAIN!) Other than being a little traumatized, he was fine, HOWEVER after thinking about what happened, I realized how easily this could have turned into tradegy. Luckily, I found a witness to what had happened, so I knew where the hell he was. But if he had been wearing waders, or the water had been colder, or if it had been raining or dark (and been harder to see) he could have easily drowned or at least spent the whole night hanging on for dear life.

Other than his vest, he had no safety gear. Just a whistle could have made a difference, as there was a power boat not far away. Of course, even if he had a phone or VHS, he probably would have lost it when capsizing. How many of us think of tieing down our VHS?

He mentioned that years ago, he often kayak fished alone, but that will NEVER happen again.

[racingdc9]

Hello all. I'm new to the forums and new to kayaking. I just bought one(new Ridge 135) and can't wait to get on the waters. I've been reading all of your post's on here and to tell you the truth i'm kinda scared now. I admit, i'm not the best swimmer and not in the best of shape. I'm 5'8 250lbs, I don't look overly obese, and have always been athletic in my younger days, now I golf and fish. I've been watching youtube videos on how to paddle and how to re-enter and how to flip the kayak if I ever turtle. I definitely bought a PFD and intend to use it all the time. I never plan to ever go by myself. I intend to go with a friend or in a group at all times.

To be clear, before I head out for my first time I should have all of these items, correct?

On PFD: whistle, knife, wire cutters, cellphone in a waterproof bag

In dry bag: used cd, first aid kit, emergency kit ie: flairs, etc...


I live in katy, tx. Do any of you know where I can take my kayak to and practice re-entry techniques?

The places I will most likely go to with my friends, is Christmas bay, slp, texas city dike, pretty much all the popular places in galveston
Any other words of wisdom do you guys have for a first time yakker.

Thanks,

Tommy

[Doug Poudre]

racingdc9,

The first time you take your kayak out, you should probably limit what you take and don't go far. A paddle, PFD with whistle on short leash, kayak, yourself and a rod to get the feel of casting is more than enough.

Do you know how to fit your PFD properly?

I won't tell you what you need to have, but I will tell you that you should know what you have and how to use it.

There used to be an open pool session on the west side of town, but I don't remember where. I think it might have been the Dads club, but can't find that info.

Really, any pool will work.

Stay to protected waters until you are comfortable. Stay away from SLP until you are experienced, not much good happens there to novice paddlers and swimmers. There have been numerous close calls in SLP.

[racingdc9]

Doug,

thanks for the advice. I don't know exactly how a PFD should fit but I will before I go out on the waters. I think I might have more safety equipment then fishing haha. Yeah, I heard SLP can be tough. I have a neighbor that has a pool, not sure how deep it is but i'll ask her if I can use it. Keep the input coming guys. i much appreciate it.


Tommy

[Doug Poudre]

To put the lifejacket on properly, loosen all the straps, put the jacket on and buckle/zip it up. Start at the bottom and start cinching the straps. You want the jacket as low as you can comfortably wear it and as tight as you can. I usually keep the bottom cinch tight so that it doesn't ride up on me if I take a swim and loosen the upper so I can breath. If I take a swim, I can tighten all the straps when floating on my back. The shoulder straps are probably the most important so that the jacket hugs your body and doesn't hinder re-entry. Keeping the jacket low on your torso will help to float you higher.

You don't want the jacket riding up around your neck or off you.

Hope this helps.

Be safe and have fun.

[billy bobba]

Safety Tip : Become your own weather man.

You should certainly listen to the weather reports and forecasts, but do not be blindly reliant upon them. The forecasts are often wrong or outdated and weather changes quickly.
This is especially true in regards to the Texas coast which is a very dynamic and volatile weather system.

A case in point would be this last Thursday ( May 12th). Corpus Christi TV weatherman, Dale (aka "Fail") Nelson, said on the Wednesday evening forecast that a descending front, reaching the coast on Thursday afternoon would stall inland, and not impact the coastal weather to any great degree.

Cut to the scene of me -- on Thursday afternoon, sitting in a Raccoon turd filled duck blind for 1.5 hours, somewhere in St. Joe Island, one hour north of Port A by boat, amidst 45 knot north winds and crackling lightning, and then lucky to get back to Port A before the front moved offshore bringing 50 knot east winds back across Aransas Bay.
I had no one but myself to blame (well -- maybe "Fail" Nelson a little) .
I should have checked the cell phone radar image more carefully during the course of morning, but I was busy catching Reds (ie: good old American greed took hold) .
In my own defense -- I did check it at 12:30, and saw the big red scar of the front coming south on the radar -- I lost cell phone service after that . I decided there was not enough time to paddle to the boat and get back to Port A without chancing getting caught in open bay waters, so I continued fishing, prepared my rain gear, and planned on riding it out in a duck blind.

Remember previous safety tip given above : "Shelter in Place"

By the way -- after a careful 1.5 hour accounting -- there were 14 Raccoon turds in that duck blind, which were all very water / rain resistant.

[racingdc9]

To put the lifejacket on properly, loosen all the straps, put the jacket on and buckle/zip it up. Start at the bottom and start cinching the straps. You want the jacket as low as you can comfortably wear it and as tight as you can. I usually keep the bottom cinch tight so that it doesn't ride up on me if I take a swim and loosen the upper so I can breath. If I take a swim, I can tighten all the straps when floating on my back. The shoulder straps are probably the most important so that the jacket hugs your body and doesn't hinder re-entry. Keeping the jacket low on your torso will help to float you higher.

You don't want the jacket riding up around your neck or off you.

Hope this helps.

Be safe and have fun.

Thanks again. I watched a couple of youtube vids earlier about it.

[chicken...]

[Start Rant]

No offense meant to anyone, but I am still gobsamcked by the lack of interest in kayak fishing safety, and the lack of interest in paddling efficiently...

What bothers me most is the potential for the negligence of others to effect my safety and the safety of my friends. If you're in trouble I am gonna try and help so it becomes dangerous for me/us. But, make no mistake, if you are in trouble because you choose to be lazy and/or ignorant... well, that's just weak.

There are so many resources and opportunities out there and I humbly suggest folks take advantage of them.

Most importantly, and I know the subject gets beat to death, but ferf#$%^sake: Wear your PFD.

The "seatbelt argument" is so appropriate here. You can drive for ten years wearing your seatbelt and never need it. But, come the day you finally T-bone another car going 40 you better hope you have it on. A PFD is the similar bean. 99.99% of the time you won't need it, but when you do... I sure hope you have it on.

[/end rant]

[continuing rant] No better words spoken. . . . .

Proper paddling technique AND wearing your PFD will make your kayak experience a much better one. [discontinuing rant]

Happy Fishin'
chicken

[Ms addicted]

Timely topic! Two weeks ago I almost had the worst fishing day of my life. I was kayak fishing with a friend at Boliver, when unbeknownst to me, he was blown by very high winds, across the intercoastal into the bay where he promptly capsized, losing almost all his gear. Because of his inflatable vest (which fortunately worked) he was unable to reenter his yak, and held on for an hour and a half until a hell-of-nice guy (goes by Mustfish on 2coolfishing) ran out and rescued him about 2 miles out, before the Coast Guard got there.(If you're reading this Mustfish, THANKS AGAIN!) Other than being a little traumatized, he was fine, HOWEVER after thinking about what happened, I realized how easily this could have turned into tradegy. Luckily, I found a witness to what had happened, so I knew where the hell he was. But if he had been wearing waders, or the water had been colder, or if it had been raining or dark (and been harder to see) he could have easily drowned or at least spent the whole night hanging on for dear life.

Other than his vest, he had no safety gear. Just a whistle could have made a difference, as there was a power boat not far away. Of course, even if he had a phone or VHS, he probably would have lost it when capsizing. How many of us think of tieing down our VHS?

He mentioned that years ago, he often kayak fished alone, but that will NEVER happen again.

This incident is the reason this whole thread got started. We were talking about it on the rescue thread but I asked if someone would start a new thread on the topic of safety since it seemed like we needed to be more general rather than picking on this poor dude. Glad he was ok.


I fish alone when I am kayaking 95% of the time. I'm not going to stop doing that but I feel that I am pretty careful and have become moreso.

I check the weather and wind thoroughly via multiple sources and plan my location accordingly. I am in contact during the trip with people who know where I am and what I am doing.

I wear my pfd more often than I used to since I have switched to an inflatable which is the only kind that I have found comfortable enough to wear for extended periods. I do take a spare pfd too usually.

I take different gear depending on whether I am fishing at home or away. I still pack very lightly though and the first aid kit stays in the truck which I am generally not too far from (within a mile or two).

I try to avoid sticky situations and dont engage in potentially dangerous ones. 90% of the time I am in water less than a foot or two deep....although the mud may be bottomless.

I pay close attention to what and who is around me. Its a learning process.

Anyone want to volunteer their pool for re-entry experiments???

[billy bobba]

Speaking of re-entry---
Here is an article which provides sequence photos of how to reenter a surfski, which are much more difficult to reenter than a wide fishing kayak.

http://www.surfski.info/getting-started ... mount.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

One should practice these techniques in a controlled environment prior to an actual event of necessity.

[RedWolf]

Anyone want to volunteer their pool for re-entry experiments???

LMAO, you have a perfect deep-water re-entry training ground in your backyard!

On the serious side of it, living in an apt, we have a pool on property and once my daughter is out of school for the summer (so we can coordinate available days better) gonna take her, the wife, and the Frenzy down to the pool for re-entry training. PA gonna stay in the closet (storage) for this one....

[Eagle-Fan]

Great tips and thanks. I've been out of the water for too long. Fished in Austin and surrounding area back in most of the 2000's, moved to Clear lake area two weeks before IKE hit. Just getting back into it. So great suggestions.

thanks

[Eagle-Fan]

Great information from everyone!

[Cadiyak Sam]

Good posts y'all, lots of good info. I was setting up my rig for a night excursion into the bay on Easter weekend and my whole family was watching me get ready. My cousin kept saying "you got enough stuff, Sam?" and "you won't need all that junk!" I told him that I would rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it. I usually go out alone because I don't have many friends that kayak fish and I also like being alone sometimes, so if something goes wrong, its all on me to survive. This is my equipment list (so far):
a first aid kit (http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com/pro ... roduct=199#" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;),
atleast a gallon of water,
paddle and rod leashes,
wading boots (you never know where you might have to get out),
some food (jerkey, trail mix, anything that doesn't go bad too quickly),
a very powerful headlamp and 360 degree light (in case I end up staying out too long),
a PFD with a whistle (I wear mine at all times, even though it can be pretty annoying sometimes),
a pair of Frog Toggs (in case there is a temperature drop, wind, or rain),
my cell phone (fully charged),
a HAT and bandana (to keep my head and neck covered),
a net,
a dry-bag with some of this stuff in it,
an anchor,
extra sunscreen,
some disinfectant and burn relief spray,
a knife, needle nose pliers, wirecutters

I know it seems like overkill but I know I can make it through most any situation with these tools available to me.

[Baitman]

DP wrote,,,
No one else has an opinion on this subject?

Ha ha,,, looks like we do ! Good thread Doug. It certainly food for thought as we can sometimes take things for granted in preparation.

I believe in being prepared to the extent that I can get myself out of trouble without aide of others.
I'm sure someone else mentioned it, but VHF always helps as a back up or to request aide for others.

Kayaking into an open ocean is always a risky venture. I think the thrill of knowing we cheated death once again is part of the satisfaction.

Know your safe limits / capabilities before hand.

[milret]

About half my gear is Safety related. May never need to use it, but if the need arises I have it. I am hitting 60 now and my view points have changed alot. If it feels too hot, it is. If it feels too cold, it is.
If it looks too rough, it is. When I was younger I could jump over buildings in a single bound, but now I find it easier to walk thru the front door and out the back. All of you young supermen need to be safety minded at all times so you can reach my age and preach to the younger ones.

[jaguarpaw]

Hello all. I'm new to the forums and new to kayaking. I just bought one(new Ridge 135) and can't wait to get on the waters. I've been reading all of your post's on here and to tell you the truth i'm kinda scared now. I admit, i'm not the best swimmer and not in the best of shape. I'm 5'8 250lbs, I don't look overly obese, and have always been athletic in my younger days, now I golf and fish. I've been watching youtube videos on how to paddle and how to re-enter and how to flip the kayak if I ever turtle. I definitely bought a PFD and intend to use it all the time. I never plan to ever go by myself. I intend to go with a friend or in a group at all times.

To be clear, before I head out for my first time I should have all of these items, correct?

On PFD: whistle, knife, wire cutters, cellphone in a waterproof bag

In dry bag: used cd, first aid kit, emergency kit ie: flairs, etc...


I live in katy, tx. Do any of you know where I can take my kayak to and practice re-entry techniques?

The places I will most likely go to with my friends, is Christmas bay, slp, texas city dike, pretty much all the popular places in galveston
Any other words of wisdom do you guys have for a first time yakker.

Thanks,

Tommy

You forgot VHF radio and one that floats, like mine ICOM M-34.
I got it on sale (162$ tax included) in Houston at West Marine on Hempstead Hwy.
You can get cheaper online, like Standard Horizon VHF radios for about 119$ to 138$ they have models that float also.
The radio also has NOAA weather alerts and reports... great for planning trips and staying ahead of any bad weather.

[H2O Seeker]

Wow...very surprised this is not it's own chapter as it is THAT important. I read back from the beginning and a ton of good info. I like your list Cadiyak Sam. Only thing I have not on your list is waterproof matches and a fire starter. Hope to never need it for emergecy/survival situation but if you don't have it you can't use it. Also, knife is on my person. Strapped to my vest or leg and very easily accessible.

Capt. Null wrote a decent little blurb in the May '11 issue of TSF Magazine page 52 about being prepeared on the water. More and more people are pushing the TTF product for sting ray hits. I don't have one yet but plan on getting one shortly to go in my 1st aid kit(s). I have a large kit in each vehicle and a well stocked waterproof kit readily accessible at all times on the water. Fish long enough and you will cut a hook out of yourself or a fishing partner before your days n the water are done.

Someone also mentioned not needing instruction. Instruction means different things to different people and Mother Nature can be a merciless instructor.

[billy bobba]

I went through and compiled a safety "greatest hits" list from the above.
I feel certain that I probably missed some things, so feel free to weigh in and add to the list.


Kayak Fishing Safety List :

Preparation:
Fitness / know your limitations
Practice re-entry
Trip plan / file in a consistent method
Know dangerous animal and plant information for an area (eg: stingrays, jelly fish)
Weather check / know before you go
Shelter in place if in doubt

Safety Gear List :
PFD / properly fit
Whistle / air horn
Reflective signal device / flares
Knife
Bilge pump
Extra water & food
Communication / VHF / cell phone (emergency phone numbers)
Wire cutter pliers / hook removal
First Aid Kit / Disinfectant wipes / bleach / Antibiotics / pain killer / eye wash / extra contacts
Sunscreen
Rain gear / prepare or dress for water temperature not air temperature
Extra head cover / hat
Compass
Binoculars / easier to see destinations and possible rescue opportunities
Flashlight / headlamp – extra batteries
Rope / cordage
Duct tape / repair sealant
Thermal reflective bivy sack
Waterproof - windproof matches or lighter
Waterproof bag(s)
Anchor / stake out
Paddle &/or kayak leash


Tips:

Become your own best weatherman

Shelter in place -- if you are in doubt about the safety of your situation.

If paddling or wading – make yourself visible / wear high contrast clothing or a hat

Have your safety gear WITH you – it will not help you when it is left at home.

Take a CPR course

Kayakers crossing channels :

If dark , use a light – it’s the law .

Do not assume that all PBs are lit –many are not.

Assume boaters are not looking for you – they probably aren’t .

Do not be confrontational on the water : As made evident in many threads, both here and elsewhere, many anglers and

boaters are carrying firearms these days.



Lightning :

If you are caught outside: (If you are unable to reach a safe building or car, knowing what to do can save your life.)

• If your skin tingles or your hair stands on the end, a lightning strike may be about to happen. Crouch down on the balls of your feet with your feet close together. Keep your hands on your knees and lower your head. Get as low as possible without touching your hands or knees to the ground. DO NOT LIE DOWN!

• If you are swimming, fishing or boating and there are clouds, dark skies and distant rumbles of thunder or flashes of lightning, get to land immediately and seek shelter.

• If you are in a boat and cannot get to shore, crouch down in the middle of the boat. Go below if possible.

• If you are on land, find a low spot away from trees, metal fences, pipes, tall or long objects.

• If you are in the woods, look for an area of shorter trees. Crouch down away from tree trunks.

Helping someone who is struck by lightning

When someone is struck by lightning, get emergency medical help as soon as possible. If more than one person is struck by lightning, treat those who are unconscious first. They are at greatest risk of dying. A person struck by lightning may appear dead, with no pulse or breath. Often the person can be revived with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). There is no danger to anyone helping a person who has been struck by lightning - no electric charge remains. CPR should be attempted immediately.

Treat those who are injured but conscious next. Common injuries from being struck by lightning are burns, wounds and fractures.
Re: http://www.health.state.ny.us/environme ... lightning/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[MapMaster]

All good tips and suggestions. Thanks for posting...from a newbie.

[Doug Poudre]

I love some of the posts on here.

As a RN who has worked in the busiest trauma center in the country, I want to offer some advice based on experience regarding CPR, lightening strikes, and first aid.

I think having the training is very important and under the right circumstances, it can save lives.

With regards to CPR, unless you carry a defibrillator and are within a short response time of emergency services, this is your higher power calling you home. Defibrillation within 5 min is the goal for sudden cardiac arrest. This is also why most people die of lightening strikes. Longer times = no quality of life after an anoxic brain injury = you will never fish again. The people who survive with a quality of life have had a rapid response time.

Antibiotics: If you are concerned about needing them, go see your doctor. People taking antibiotics unnecessarily is the cause of the rise of MRSA.

Lightening: You should be insulating yourself from the ground. Good luck with that unless you are wearing waders or carry a sleeping pad out in the marsh. When there is a lightening strike and a group is struck, you treat the conscious patients first. They have the best chance of survival. A lightening strike fries the electrical conductivity of the heart causing it to fibrillate or quiver. CPR does not help with restarting the heart. CPR circulates the blood until a defibrillator can be used. If they are unconscious, they are probably dead and the last to be helped. The best thing is to put them in a recovery position AFTER caring for the conscious. (This is a very hard concept to understand without wilderness emergency medical training. Wilderness is described as 1hr from definitive care including response time.)

If you are truly interested in a first aid class for fishing, consider taking a wilderness first aid class. Especially if you are leading or guiding people in the outdoors.

[billy bobba]

Sorry Doug --
I was simply trying to help move the discussion and the list along.
If I am ignorant or misinformed on some topics -- I apologize.
I will leave all future posts to you, since you are so well trained and versed in this topic.

[Doug Poudre]

Sorry Doug --
I was simply trying to help move the discussion and the list along.
If I am ignorant or misinformed on some topics -- I apologize.
I will leave all future posts to you, since you are so well trained and versed in this topic.

Nope. I appreciate your comments and I'm sorry that I did come off sounding condescending. I saw where your info came from and I'm tickled that you pulled your info from the New York Department of Health.

I wasn't trying to dog you. The first time I took a wilderness course and learned that CPR is next to useless, my EMT training took offense. It was only after it was explained about the golden hour of survival after trauma and the survival rates of sudden cardiac arrest in the wilderness that I had a better understanding.

I just wanted to expand on some of the information that you posted and provide some more insight. It is not common knowledge and unless you have the exposure, it's difficult to find.

Is there an interest in a wilderness first aid class or advanced wilderness first aid? I'd be willing to coordinate with one of the organizations that teach these classes to get one held in Houston since they are typically hard to come by.

[Doug Poudre]

What is the effectiveness of CPR in lightning victims? (October 2004)
There has been a statement in wilderness medicine circles that 7 of 10 people with cardiac arrest
from lightning strike will survive with prompt and effective CPR. The available statistics show
that 7 of 10 lightning strike patients survive, but it does not specify how many of these people
had a cardiac arrest. The available data is not specific enough to say whether there is a higher
survival rate for cardiac arrest from lighting versus cardiac arrest from other causes. In favor of
the patient who has a cardiac arrest from lightning might be youth, health, the absence of
underlying heart or lung disease and no hypoxia before arrest. Not in their favor might be trauma
and remote location.

Taken from Wilderness Medicine Institute of NOLS Curriculum Updates. http://rendezvous.nols.edu/files/WMI/Cu ... WFRR09.pdf

I found this to police myself.