To club or not to club

.
"Keep on pumping, don't stop, you are doing fine!"
Those were the words of encouragement that I was saying to Tim*  hoping he could hear me; he was clearly shaken by the experience.
It was windy and the waves were large enough that he no longer could brace efficiently and eventually he fell in. I was holding his flooded kayak stabilizing him while he was furiously trying to empty it with the hand-held pump. It was working, but just so slowly...
The fear I saw early in Tim's eyes was now slowly subsiding, he knew that he will be alright.
I was on a Sunday outing with a group of kayakers, where the paddling arrangements were loose: we paddle together but without real rules and expectations.

I identified myself with Tim and recalled a few years back when I first joined a kayak club and had my first rescue.
I joined a club to learn the skills necessary to paddle safely in the ocean. I also enjoyed the company of other like-minded paddlers that genuinely loved the sport.



But I am kind of bitter about clubs now; my experience with them leads me to believe that, while they are good in principle, they also attract a fair share of power struggles.
My first exposure to a club was while bushwalking (backpacking).
I was new at the game, very keen but I knew little.
I joined the local club and went on walks and camps with my new-found buddies.



It was fun and I learned a lot. But the longer I was in the club the more I became exposed to the politics that seem inevitable in a structured environment: I observed a good number of people getting very animated about basic issues and some individuals clearly had their heart in the wrong place.
Eventually I no longer wanted to go on their outings as the red tape became too oppressive.
The club was large with several hundred members.

Years later I started sea kayaking.
I knew very little about the sea and I figured that I should really learn how to stay safe out on the water. I was lucky to get involved with a newly formed paddling club that was government sanctioned. For the first year it was really awesome: we all chipped-in with the organizing and there was a real good energy there.
Protocol was simple with not too many rules. Paddling was fun and we really went to great places; the calendar was full of activities.


QSKC trip to Lady Musgrave Island

As the Club grew it attracted individuals that wanted to make a profit from other paddlers while I was not sure if they really loved the sport without the monetary incentive; I call it conflict of interest.
The basic rules were not good enough anymore and a strong push to have mandatory skills to participate on any Club paddles was pushed onto the members. Incidentally those skills could only be "achieved" by being instructed by the few certified  commercial operators.
And then it finally dawned on me: this was no longer a bona-fide club, this was becoming a money motivated gig for a few eager individuals.
I was kicked out of the Club for wanting to expose a sexual harassment case and I was bitter about the events. I was also worried that my skills would not advance and I would loose my paddling buddies. I did loose some buddies that, if I look at them now, were rather lame.
Some no longer paddle and some just struggle in the same constrictive environment.

Luckily the Club is not the only way to paddle with others.
Several informal groups are actively involved in sea kayaking where I live.


easy paddle with the Claytons

There are also other Clubs that unfortunately, because of external pressure, seem to be too structured for a real free paddling experience.
I started to paddle more and more frequently with the very same people that shunned the Club that I joined in the first place.
As a novice I used to look at them as a dangerous crowd to paddle with. It seems that the Club culture brain-washed me enough to instill a fear in me to not paddle if not in a totally controlled and anal environment. Initially I felt that we should paddle all together, keeping a constant eye on each other.
Nobody should be no further than a few paddle strokes and if "anything happens" one could be "saved" within seconds. The tall stories of sharks (something that the Club was very good at selling) however had little impact on me as I rationalized the potential danger to a minimum.


the mandatory Club lengthy briefing before launch

So, here I was in the middle of a short passage between islands that had a few bumpy waves tossing us around. A bit of wind was pushing against the tidal flow and I could surf some of the lager waves.
I was having fun but in our group there was a person that probably found the conditions a bit intimidating.
I have kept a loose eye on Tim and while he was doing OK I noticed that he had stiffened up and his paddling stroke was reduced and the catch was a bit short.
At my last wave before the beach I looked back and I no longer could see him, his red kayak and white paddle not around. As the waves were obscuring my view from a low position in the water I spotted him a few minutes later: he was swimming.
I headed back and by the time I reached him he was already getting helped by a passing motor boat. We took it from there: myself and a buddy held Tim's kayak, now with flooded cockpit that was getting emptied by a hand pump. He was a bit shaken, a bit confused and a bit tired. Eventually he started paddling the remaining 1/2 Km back to the beach. I considered offering a tow but I held back: I wanted to offer him instead  the possibility to help himself, make him proud of what he achieved.
And then I thought: how would a similar situation be dealt in the Club.

Well, for starters the proposed outing would have been cancelled: too much wind (it was around 15 knots as we set off).
In the event that we would have gone out we would be on top of each other, like a flock of sheep, but not before a lengthy briefing on the beach of all the possible dangers that we could run into, including the shark stories ( I used to get a bit miffed with the scare mongering when I used to be in the Club). Falling in would involve a quick response and the swimmer would be placed back in his kayak within minutes. A good thing, right?
Well, I am not so sure about that...
Let me explain.

I believe in self reliance, in learning from mistakes and by "pulling the finger out".
When I used to fall into the water (and that was often) I was kind of expecting others to come and rescue me, I was relying on them. I had little incentive to actually become a better paddler.
Then I started to paddle by myself and much more aware of my surroundings and my actions: I did become a better paddler. I learned how to roll as swimming was proving to be rather tedious.
I am unsure if I would have advanced as much in the safety of the cocoon called Club.
Considering that today I see on the Club's calendar no real challenging paddles anyway,  I would have little opportunity to actually improve myself.

Now, don't get me wrong; clubs are a good thing.
They have introduced me to sports that alternatively would have taken me possibly longer to master.
In a decent club one can learn the basics without having to pay for private tuition, from other more senior members.



Clubs also cater for those that prefer others to make decisions for them. When I led trips in the Club I had my share of participants that really wanted to be guided for the whole paddling event totally foregoing any personal decisions; I understand that we are not all the same and some prefer it that way.
What I really like now instead is to have the freedom to actually paddle where I want. No sign-on sheets, no disclaimers, no herding, no listening to gurus for half an hour before launch in calm conditions. What I prefer is a self reliant group of paddlers that meets and paddles.
We look after each other in a loose way, no holding hands. We teach each other, no money changes hands. And if somebody in the group does not like where we are going he/she is free to do what they want: no sermon before "leaving the pod". A brief acknowledgment that that person will no longer be around for the day is sufficient. There are no formal leaders therefore no liability, we just enjoy each others company with no expectations.

* name has been changed to protect his identity

TECHNIQUE: to roll or not to roll

.
So many paddlers regard the ability to roll the holy grail of sea kayaking.
I was one of them. I envied paddlers that could roll a kayak; it just looked so cool.
I will see them plop-in purposely and turn their kayaks upside down only to see them explode a few seconds later out the water with a mighty splash and be back up. Sometimes spectators would even clap :-)



At the time I felt that there was a lot of mysticism around rolling and not many in my circles really knew how to roll; I had to learn how to roll.
I took several lessons and I paid instructors to teach me how to roll. Several months passed and many pool session later I was still struggling.
However not knowing how to roll did not deter me from going out at sea even if admittedly in a wide bay where waves don’t really reach much over a meter. I rarely fell in and I always paddled with others so I could be helped back into my kayak.
Trying to self rescue was not that pretty: I felt very unbalanced when trying to “cowboy scramble” into my relatively wide (56-58cm) kayak. They tell me it has something to do with being top heavy and a bit taller than the average paddlers; I think it’s poor balance.



On the other hand I would also see my paddling buddies having a much easier time getting back in their kayak. We would regularly hit the surf zone and on days when the waves were not really pounding we were gaining solid skills. I would push myself and try to catch the steeper waves. I would regularly broach, often tip and end up out of my kayak. I also broke several rudders and realized that those pesky metal bits on the stern are not surf friendly; eventually I opted for skeg kayaks.



I had no chance to re-enter my kayak on my own while the water was bumpy, not necessarily breaking waves but still dynamic enough to toss my kayak around a bit. I needed help to re-enter or swim a long way back to the beach pulling my flooded kayak behind me. I was getting tired quickly as where my paddle buddies of my clumsiness.

Now I really needed to learn how to roll coz on a bad day the surf was bringing more frustration than joy. There were some among us tho that could jump back in the kayak with very little fuss: a few seconds and they would be out of the water with a single big leap, plopping their butt into the seat, legs sticking out on the side to then bring them in one at the time through the keyhole cockpit.
I could not do that: I am just too big and slow. What I wanted was the sense of security of knowing how to get into the kayak in lumpy waters.



While paddle floats would work relatively well for me in calm waters I found them useless in conditions that made me tip in the first place.
Relying on my paddling buddies was unfair and probably short sighted as on some of our trips we were not always very close to each other.

What I did have to my advantage is the water temperature that I paddle on.
All of my paddling was in subtropical seas where on a cold winter day I would "gasp" at 17C immersions. I feel totally different if I would have to deal with water that saps paddlers' energy in times of a capsize. I rarely wear more than just a light paddling top and never insulation paddling garments.
In winter I have to protect from evaporative cooling wind more than immersion.
I persisted with leaning to roll and eventually a skilled instructor thaught me the finesse of rolling.
I loved my new found skills and practiced a lot. I also discovered that rolling is not about the explosive power that a paddle might offer but is more about a blend of skills from being able to turn the boat with my body aided by the gentle support of my paddle.
I still remember Craig McSween saying: you should learn to scull first before you roll.



Only now do I understand what he meant: sculling is the real roll for me where I can have a better chance of righting my capsized kayak in aerated water and windy wave conditions.

Is rolling really essential?

I am sure it is for me but I would not evangelically preach it to everybody.
As I witnessed many times paddlers recovering from a wet exit in the surf zone I now believe that rolling is not the holy grail, in Queensland waters.
If one can re-enter his/her kayak swiftly in all conditions and be able to empty a flooded cockpit in bumpy seas then rolling is not critical. If waters were much colder than I would think differently.
I still advocate to gain the best skills possible but there are many ways one can self rescue.
As long as a paddler can reliably get out of trouble in demanding conditions (I don't count calm waters one of them) then there is validity in the alternatives.



Jim on UK Forum puts it so well:
Rolling can be over-rated, far more important is having the skill not to fall in, BUT almost everyone finds it much easier to develop those skills after they can roll, because the ability to roll gives them more confidence to practice recoveries....

Nigel Foster's finesse

Nigel Foster's presentation of his Arctic trip by sea kayak was awe inspiring.

I gained new respect for the man that took on almost uncharted waters (by kayak standards) in very inhospitable conditions; cold and windy and patrolled by polar bears.

My first knowledge of this exceptional kayaker was years ago watching his instructional DVDs.

I was mesmerized by the incredible finesse he was using to make that kayak spin around like it was on a bearing.

I was however a bit incredulous on how easily his kayak could dance with so little effort. No paddle sweeps, no excessive edging, just confident paddle placement that to my ignorant eye seemed fit only for calm conditions.

I was now watching him from my kayak, on the water.
 

There was a breeze stiff enough to deter some paddlers from launching and wind driven waves were lashing the sandy shore.

I was back-paddling constantly just to keep position to watch him.

And with just as much finesse as in his DVD he was spinning that kayak around in circles like the water was flat and nary a whiff of wind.

No huffing and no puffing, with paddle strokes slowly paced and precisely placed his kayak was dancing on the water regardless of the adverse conditions.

The man is a Master like I have not seen before.

Despite his status of true authority on the water, a paddler with no equal, Nigel is extremely approachable and willing to share his knowledge without the air of superiority that I have encountered elsewhere. Softly spoken, thoughtful and considered, my conversation with Nigel was easy and inspiring.

As the 3 day sea kayak event (Rock and Roll) was drawing to an end Nigel had the morning free to go for fun paddle, not scheduled to any instructions.

I was lucky to join him with Andre Janecki of Hybrid Australia.

The seas were calmer than the previous day but the swell outside the bay was still a considerable 10 feet with a healthy rebound from the big waves crashing into the cliffs.

I paddled beside Nigel and if I didn’t see him launch his kayak I would have sworn that there was a little motor under his hull. He was paddling with a cadence that seemed like lily dipping while I was giving it my best shot to keep up. I watched him closely and his timing was crucial to his paddle stokes. I later asking how he could move with such grace and so little apparent effort; he replied that he was using the little waves to propel his kayak.

His stroke appeared to be lower than the current local trend of a high angle and aggressive body rotation. I saw gentle twist of his upper torso and his hand rather low, gently inserting his paddle to then exit a bit further than “Olympic form” would suggest.

I regard Nigel Foster without a doubt a "Legend" and a "Master of boat control without equal".
 

All images under license from Andre Janecki/Hybrid Australia
.

DIY: keel strip

I am lucky that where I paddle the beaches are sandy. Landing my sea kayak, even with surf, poses very little chance of damage to the hull.
Sand is so much more gentle on gel coat than sharp rocks.
What I have discovered tho, that even if not gouging the hull's finish, sand is rather abrasive over time.
Dragging a loaded sea kayak to the water's edge can wear through the gel coat down to the laminate in a relatively short time.

gel coat skid mark left by dragging the kayak
Typically I would take care of my kayaks by applying a resin strip (epoxy mix) to the hull. From bow to stern I lay UV stabilized epoxy (mixed with graphite and pigment) several layers thick to act as a sacrificial layer that every couple of years will need touching up. I prefer epoxy because it wears better (higher abrasion resistance) than gel coat; it takes longer to apply but I like the results. I won't describe here how to create a keel strip (there is plenty of very good info on the net) but I will say that it adds some degree of protection in areas of wear.

conventional resin (or gel coat) keel strip

On some kayaks the gel coat is very thick and it will take a while for sand to rub it off but on high end light kayaks the manufacturers try to keep the weight down and apply only a thin layer. Of course I could stop and exit the kayak before I hit the beach but often I launch and land in surf conditions where the most practical and safe way is to simply start/stop right on the wet sand. My light carbon/Kevlar hull was starting to show a bit of wear and I decided to try a new style of keel strip. I have heard of KeelEazy before but I have never seen a kayak with one. On my recent trip to USA I visited Kayak Academy in Washington's North West. Here I saw their entire fleet of rental kayaks covered with KeelEazy strip. I wanted to try some for myself. I decided I was going to cover part of the keel line, just the "pointy" areas where most of the abrasion occurs. The material resembles thick PVC backed with an industrial strength self adhesive glue.
The instructions were clear: clean the kayak's hull and apply neatly.

rounding the edge

I trimmed the edges to create a rounder corner to prevent peel-back once applied. I cleaned the hull with acetone making sure it would be really clean.

peeeling the adhesive backing

The glue on the KeelEazy strip is very strong and the blue protective backing is hard to get started

applying over skeg box

I carefully centered the strip over the skeg box opening and pressed down lightly to then check alignment. Once I was happy with the position I lifted the tape back up and pulled on it to stretch it slightly. The tape tends to then fall over the edge of the keel and contour the hull's shape. Around the bow and stern keel's curve I used a heat gun set on mild and softened the tape a bit while stretching it. It conformed over the curve perfectly without wrinkling. I applied the pressure of the palm of my hand and let it cool down.

trimming back around skeg box

Around the skeg box I used a utility knife and trimmed away the strip over the opening of the skeg's blade leaving little tabs to push them into the recess.

skeg box finished

The whole application of the KeelEazy strip took me less than an hour; a far cry compared to a typical "wet" application of a gel coat style keel strip. I have however my reservation over the effectiveness of the KeelEazy strip and I can see potential problems happening from a "half" strip. While the protection over the centre of the hull is not as critical, in retrospect I think a continuous strip might be a better solution and prevent the strip's leading edge from peeling back when dragged over a sandy beach. Time will tell if the strip is as effective as my resin ones.

wrinkle free around curve

Technique: Greenland vs CtoC rolling

It has been a few years since I have swapped my Euro paddle for an Aleut and Greenland one.
Some initial adjustment was necessary to my stroke to gain the maximum benefit from these new tools.
My forward stroke no longer needed to be so high and I had to learn how to cant the Greenland paddle to achieve a quiet and efficient stroke.
Eventually I started to venture into the surf with the traditional paddles and I now find them easier to use than the big bladed Euro.

The biggest difference however came when I started rolling with a skinny paddle.
I was thought the typical CtoC kayak roll where the emphasis is on the blade and much less on kayak rotation to execute the roll.
Only now that I use traditional paddles I can notice the marked difference between a graceful roll and a forced roll.
The revelation came when a very proficient paddler, surf kayaker and roller could not execute a roll when handed one of my Aleut paddles.
Why could he not roll with my paddle when he was so good with his wing paddle?

I could not figure it out at the time but looking back at pictures of my style then and now I see what was happening.


Sea kayak instructors all over Australia teach the explosive white water style roll where momentum and support from the paddle are essential.
Once I started to roll regularly with my new skinny paddles I looked at my rolls (video footage) and noticed a problem: my paddle would end up vertically before the kayak was rolled.
Through mentoring of the selfless dedicated self taught Greenland roller Greg Schwarz I started to correct my poor style and progress into a direction where body pressure on the deck/thigh braces of the kayak is way more important than pressure on the paddle.
Slowly I gained the knowledge and confidence to roll Greenland style. I watched a lot of videos and started to notice that all good rollers executed their rolls with such grace and finesse, never rushing and never forcing their rolls.
Since there is no formally qualified Greenland technique instructor in Australia most rollers are self taught.
While self teaching has great merits often leads to bad habits if one is not referencing his/her style to the one of the masters.
One such master is Helen Wilson. Her style is incredibly graceful.

Luckily for aspiring G rollers, Helen has produced an outstanding video that specifically looks at the technique of basic G rolls.
Her video might not be the most technically produced footage (some of the audio is rather erratic and hard to hear) but her explanation on how to execute Greenland rolls has helped me and my friends to correct some of our mistakes.
Helen Wilson’s video is available in Australia through :
Sydney Harbour Kayaks (NSW)
Blue Earth Paddle Sports (NSW)
Adventure Outlet (QLD)
and Fat Paddler direct for the other states.
I know that there has been resistance from some instructors in embracing the fast growing following of Greenland rolling but I assume that the reason behind is ignorance in the technique.
I have seen several videos lately where local kayakers have started to explore the use of the stick but are having the same problems I had myself: powering those rolls instead of finessing them.
It seems apparent that they are willing to try the stick but have not understood the fundamental difference between a white water roll and a Greenland Roll.
A well executed G roll will not show force or momentum. The emphasys is on controlling and rotating the kayak to come back up, not on the support offered by the paddle.
If a roll with a skinny paddle is marginal in calm waters it certainly will not work in the surf where aerated water will not offer enough resistance on the pressure applied to the paddle.

Some examples of forced rolls using a Greenland paddle:

Adventuretess in her early rolling days


source: Queensland Sea Kayak Club



I am lucky to have a dedicated group of kayakers that mentor each other with rolling and criticize and correct each other’s mistakes with the goal to gain better boat control and overall performance out of our crafts.
And here is Adventuretess a few months ago:

It looks like her style has improved...

PS Gnarlydog and Team are away on safari right now and will return to MEI Headquarter in early May...

Technique: reverse surfing

After the recent training with Queensland instructor Craig McSween, I gained more confidence in the surf.
Craig taught me how to land on the beach when the waves are bigger and one technique that he advocates is to reverse in, with the bow pointing out at sea.

His teaching calls for paddling your kayak backwards between the waves while forward paddling as waves roll in. The bigger the wave the more forward paddling/speed required to avoid the steep ones pushing you back.
In case my timing is out and a larger wave is approaching at the wrong time, he suggested paddling back out against the wave to brake the speed the wave could generate on my kayak.

However I wanted to know what would happen if I intentionally paddled with the wave, in reverse.
I wanted to surf them instead of just landing safely between them.
Reverse surfing is similar to forward surfing but the weight transfer is opposite.
To prevent pearling (burring my kayak's end in the water) I leant forward to the bow and un-weighted the stern.
It really works on small waves and after a few runs I was having great fun.
To push the technique further I then tried to actually lean back and bury that stern.
As predicted the kayak pierced the water's surface, the stern dived and I was pitched up in the air.




PS SEP10: this video was published by Rapid Media here

SAFETY: surviving a summer storm.

As a leader (among peers) of sea kayak trips I have often pondered at scenarios that I might be involved in while paddling in a group.
I usually paddle with sea kayakers that have a minimum standard of proficiency (self rescue in mild conditions) and rarely with novices.

Some stretches of water involve crossings of semi protected waters (no ocean swell) of 15-20 Km.
Living in a subtropical locale the possibility of sudden storms, occasionally violent, unexpected and usually brief is feasible.
While the weather forecast is religiously checked and observed before leaving shore, on multi day trips sometimes the only forecast available is via VHF radio bulletins on the morning schedule.
I have been caught out before on sudden changes of weather but luckily close enough to shore to make a hasty easy retreat.

hand towing kayaks to camp in 30+ knots wind
To better my skills and be able to handle unexpected though scenarios I sometimes seek conditions where I never see any other user on the water, let alone a kayaker.
Obviously in those conditions I chose an on-shore wind location where in case of trouble I can be blown back to safety in a short time.

training with Greg Schwarz in 30 knots wind
In the unlikely but possible event that I should be caught out on the water in a group of 6-8 paddlers (too far from shore to be reached in time) what would be my best way to ride out a short storm (1 hour duration, for example) ?
I have asked this question on a couple of Forums and I got replies of limited value and some abusive ones too ("you should have checked the forecast", "paddle close to shore", "don't go out in bad weather" or "if you are that stupid to be out there in a storm is serves you right").
A local instructor replied to me:

click on image to enlarge
While stating the obvious, I really did not learn much from his comment.
Relying purely on the weather bureau's forecast is very shortsighted.
I believe that knowledge, skills and being prepared for the situation is my best defense.

windy conditions (1)
So I asked the question directly to highly regarded sea kayakers Nigel Dennis (of SKUK) Eric Soares (from the Tsunami Rangers) and Nigel Foster (of Nigel Foster kayaks):
"Since I believe that you have had a fair share of bad weather experience on the water, what is, in your opinion, the best way to ride out such event when paddling in a group of medium skilled paddlers?
Winds would not exceed 40 knots and waves would be of max 1.5 meter with probably braking tops.
I believe that rafting up would be hard and holding together dangerous? clipping the perimeter lines of the kayaks together to raft and leave the hands off the edge of the kayak?
I am open to suggestions"
Thankfully their replies were outstanding first hand knowledge of possible solutions for my sticky scenario.
Nigel Dennis replied:
-----
Hi Damiano,

Thanks for the e-mail. I am not sure there is a one answer. If it was me and I was caught out in strong winds with a group the best thing would be to run down wind. As the wind gets stronger this will become more and more your only option. The problem is that people will be at different levels. It will be very hard to keep the group together. Someone will need to lead from the front so they have a little control over the direction and speed of the group. Another will have to stay at the rear and be in charge of rescues. As the wind picks up you will have problem with people falling in. You can't afford for this to happen. Your only option left is to raft up. I would advise two small rafts rather than one big one but only if you have sufficient competent leaders to go in each group. Finally it would help if you used a small drogue on each raft or clipped helmets on tow lines to each raft. This will be difficult but it’s the only thing you can do. I have had to do this in the past.

Nigel
-----

sea kayaks in wind waves (2)
Eric, more specific to different levels of storm gravity and participants skill level, said:
-----
Greetings Damiano,
Here is my reply to your scenario.

1. Of course, all your friends are right who say "You shouldn't be there." Right. But as you said, you can't always forecast sudden squalls that only last an hour or so.

2. I do not recommend rafting up unless someone is very ill. The reason is as you said. Even in somewhat brisk conditions such as you describe, boats that are rafted bang together, which can hurt boaters and damage boats. It's especially risky to tie boats together, as they may get entangled, which can cause all sorts of problems, as you can imagine.

3. Form a diamond formation of four boats. If there are more than four boats, form more diamonds or parts of diamonds. A diamond formation has one boat in front, leading, another boat in the back, sweeping, and one boat on each side. Each keeps a safe distance from each other, about ten meters or so, so they don't bang into each other, but the paddlers can communicate and watch out for each other. Also, for your weaker paddlers, the formation provides a psychological structure so they feel safer and protected in a "pod". If there are say, two diamond formations, have one follow the other with the lead of the second diamond maintaining a distance of about ten meters or so behind the sweep of the first diamond.

4. From the diamond formation, (assuming the wind is 30-40 knots, w/seas below 2 meters in a semi-protected environment), FACE the wind directly and have everyone put their heads as low and forward (to reduce windage) as possible, so they are looking up to see forward. Arms (elbows especially) should be close into the body to reduce windage. This will give you a low physical profile so you are less effected by gusts and the strong prevailing wind. The leader should paddle just hard enough to make nominal forward movement, so slower paddlers can keep up. Do this for an hour until the squall passes, then resume your course. Facing the wind like this provides the most stable feel for inexperienced paddlers.

5. A formation variant: Should you have one or two truly weak paddlers, make a column formation, either by itself, or within the diamond. A column formation is a straight line. The weak paddlers draft on the strong lead paddler, so their workload is reduced.

7. Another solution: Should you have all strong paddlers, just continue on course with the wind at your flank in a diamond formation and ignore the beam seas, while doing correction strokes as needed. Or, turn with the wind, fan out (row formation), so you don't run into each other, and run with the wind for the storm's duration, then turn back toward your destination, assuming it's to the side and not behind you! These two solutions are preferred, if your paddlers are strong and bold. This is what we do!

8. If someone is unable to stay up for any reason, have a diamond of four or five paddlers raft up, all facing the same direction (ideally, into the wind and swells). Put the weakest paddlers in the middle and the two best on the outside. Hold the boats together tightly by placing paddles on your laps, with the blades extended to the boater next to you, so he can grab your paddle. Everyone holds onto the paddles, and that keeps the boats (roughly) in place, with everyone pressing toward the center.

9. These solutions to this scenario should be rehearsed, first in mild conditions, then in rough conditions--but near shore!

Happy paddling!
Eric
-----

Vanilla practising in 30 knots wind (according to BOM records)

Nigel Foster addresses the training for the unexpected.
Only by being prepared and having trained in harsher conditions will give me the chance to survive a possible storm.
>>
Hi Damiano,Thanks for your patience. Recovered thanks and back on the water... and last weekend running kayak incident management courses.
Re your questions; If I could start with the concept; "fail to prepare; prepare to fail" and suggest that for the individual paddler who faces a real possibility of encountering certain conditions on open water, then the best advice is preparation. If you want to know what it's like to control your kayak in strong winds, then practice in strong winds in a safe place (such as just a short distance from shore when the wind will quickly blow you to shore if you get out of control)
If you can paddle circles or figure-of-eights in the wind, can edge and brace for balance against a side wind and make forward progress in all directions... then you are in a better position to meet similar conditions unexpectedly while on a trip or on a crossing. It's neither safe nor as much fun for the individual or the leader to play Russian Roulette on open water, knowing that there's a good chance of meeting conditions that group members have never experienced even closer to shore. But... it's really fun to learn techniques in a safe place in wild conditions that get close to or exceed your experience and current ability, especially if you're doing it with paddlers who know what to do and can offer help and advice. It makes you a better paddler.

Ideally each paddler should be confident and able to rescue others, and to perform self-rescues in conditions they might expect on any trip they choose to go on. Ideally that means practicing in similar conditions in a safer place before signing on for an open water trip where those conditions are a possibility.
What do paddlers generally find easiest? Heading straight into the wind until it reaches a certain strength... ( beyond that wind strength the kayak will prefer to be sideways to the wind.) So in the first instance, paddling against the wind through a squall will offer more ease of control for individuals, and therefore more safety so long as they can keep together as a group.
So a good practice session might include heading out from a safe shore against the wind to a nearby anchored float and paddling steadily to remain as close as possible to the float for the duration of a violent squall. Try it with a small group and try it with a larger group. If anyone gets tired, they'll be blown onto the safe beach behind.

Another useful practice session in similar conditions is to paddle a figure-of-eight path around two anchored floats. (Anchored floats can be as simple as a plastic bottle on a line anchored with a brick.) It gives practice in turning in every direction to the wind and shows how effectively you can control the kayak in that strength of wind. The more practice, usually the quicker and more effectively you can do it without getting blown onto the beach.

Other skills that are useful? Techniques for balancing while looking behind at fixed objects or other paddlers, the ability to slow down your paddling pace to match someone else's pace, the ability to turn your kayak around and position yourself to rescue someone in the conditions... and practicing anchored rescues in those conditions, which require positioning skill, tow-line skills and rescue skills... and awareness of what happens if you let go of your kayak... again practice in a safe place first.

Finally, in wind, communication gets more difficult. Practice using eye contact and head gestures rather than shouting, and keeping close as a group. Then... the squalls on open water become a treat rather than a potential hazard, and if someone capsizes, your role becomes one of making use of the situation as a useful practice session for everyone, rather than it falling on you to perform the rescue. Hope these comments help! Get back to me if you need to, and have fun out there!

nigel

There you have it.
I very much value their advice that will help me to become a more prepared leader with wiser knowledge.
Please feel free to comment on their advice and if you have anything to add, my readers would love to hear from you.

PS AUG10: a very informative discussion thread on QajaqUSA forum here.

1,2 published under Creative Commons license

Paddling license

Sea kayaking is an emerging sport in Australia.
Most of the population lives around the coastline of this great island and it was only a matter of time that sea kayaking would see an explosion in popularity.
A few years ago I started sea kayaking as diversion to my bushwalking (backpacking) passion that was put on hold during the hottest months of summer.
And like most of paddlers I taught myself the basic handling on the kayak.
I have respect for the water (used to windsurf years ago) and I realized that staying close to shore and always wearing my life jacket was imperative if I wanted to stay safe.
The passion increased and eventually I started to have company on the water.
I figured it would be safer to have somebody there if I eventually capsized. However, to learn good skills before something would happen, I needed to hook up with better paddlers.

A newly formed sea kayak Club was the perfect environment for me to meet paddlers of higher skill level and seek instruction from them.
The Club was a very friendly place with many paddlers offering their knowledge to me for the love of the sport.

Club training day (without instructor)
I started to venture further away from the shore and eventually wanted to tackle the surf.
I still remember the bliss experience when two senior Club members took me in the (baby) surf and looked after me. Needless to say I did capsize on my second wave ride. Within a few seconds they were there and quickly helped me to reenter my kayak. Suddenly I was back again and learning how to prevent my kayak from broaching.
All that was done in a controlled environment and the two paddlers were not instructors: they just wanted to pass on their skill for the joy of seeing another person advance.
I am still thankful to them for giving me their time and help in gaining essential skills that would make me a safer paddler.
I joined that Club and continued to advance.
Some formal training with a certified instructor was undertaken and eventually I started leading trips on the water for my fellow Club members.

Club member learning formal skills from instructor
The policy in our Club is that a leader must be qualified to lead others and depending on conditions, environment and distance of paddle, a different level of skill is needed.
Participants on Club trips were always welcome.
Easier paddles will require low skills levels while only demanding paddles (in surf conditions) would require the paddler being formally certified to be able to participate.
It kind made sense to me: easy paddles are suitable for beginners where skills can be acquired before having to venture out in the “big stuff”. The sheltered waters of the bay interspersed with many islands allow for trips of low skill level. Beginner trips can be safely conducted when conditions are benign. On calm days many kayakers can be found in the safe channels between the islands: if conditions deteriorate the shore is usually not more than ½ hour paddle’s away.

typical day on the Bay (Southern area)
Lately there have been some rumors about the need to license all paddlers.
It was speculated that all kayakers that belong to a Club should be licensed (just like a driving license) to be able to be on the water.
A local instructor, after a day of tuition at one of the kayaking clubs pronounced that the members of that Club should not paddle anywhere but the rivers, until they gained the necessary instructions (incidentally probably from him) to paddle again in the bay (where they have been doing it for years).
That made me question: if the instructor is pushing for a formal license for a paddler to be able to participate in ANY paddle in the sea he probably will generate himself substantial work and revenue (the instructions obviously will not be free of charge).
While formal assessment and skills are surely needed in demanding environments, in my opinion, a paddling license (certification) to undertake the simplest and safe paddle in a structured group of paddlers (with a recognized suitable leader) is probably overkill.
I do advocate for safe paddling and applaud when individuals want to step up and gain better skills and possible certifications but it should be left to the individuals to make that choice.
A policy where ALL paddlers will suddenly have to hold a license to be able to be on the water, or to paddle with a Club in mild conditions is just ludicrous.
If the national body that oversees the development of the kayaking sport and promotes safe paddling will enforce this rumored “license” I have the feeling that current and future members will be driven away from joining formal Clubs and prefer to paddle in informal groups (something that seems to be growing in popularity).
While the threat of legal action in case of an incident is one of the reasons for me joining a Club (and therefore be insured) I believe that the introduction of forced licensing will probably result in a decline of membership and possible lower the skill level of the paddling community.

The camaraderie of helping each other out and learning from each other is obviously one of the basic forms of skill development.
At a lower level paddles in sheltered waters is probably all it’s needed as long as safety and group dynamics are observed.
I don’t believe that forced licensing is the answer to a better paddling community.