Basic Kayak Safety Safety in Three Basic Components • Equipment—Is your gear adequate for the worst you can encounter on the waters you are paddling? • Training—Do you know how to paddle safely and rescue yourself from “accidents” you will encounter? • Attitude—Do you treat the water with appropriate respect? Equipment • A “seaworthy” boat?— watertight bulkheads or float bags, deck lines, rudders, skegs, and fittings in good repair. • Personal Flotation Device (PFD or Life Vest)—adequate to your size and weight? Worn? Worn correctly? (USCG requirement) • Spray Deck or Skirt—It is an integral part of the boat that keeps water from swamping the cockpit. Equipment • Paddle float and Pump—Minimum equipment to do a self-rescue • Sound producing device (whistle)—Used to avoid collisions (USCG requirement) • Light—That can be shown to avoid collisions (USCG requirement) • Spare paddle—or you might be up that creek. • Orange “If Found-Contact” stickers (USCG or MD-DNR) • Appropriate clothing for the WATER TEMPERATURE (not the AIR TEMP). Cold Water Hazard • Any water below 70 degrees F can be dangerous • Stages of Immersion – Stage 1: Cold Shock—immediate uncontrolled inhalation of water; gasp reflex – Stage 2: Physical Incapacitation – Stage 3: Hypothermia – Stage 4: Circumrescue Collapse Cold Water Safety 5 Golden Rules of Cold Water Safety – 1) Always Wear Your PFD – 2) Always Dress For The Water Temperature – 3) Field-Test Your Gear – 4) Swim-Test Your Gear Every Time You Go Out – 5) Imagine The Worst That Could Happen and Plan For It Training and Practice • Match YOUR skill level to the worst conditions you are likely to encounter on the water you are paddling (considering weather forecast) • Can you adequately maneuver your boat? Move it forward, backwards, brace against waves, in all winds. • Can you rescue yourself and others? Kayak Paddle-Float Self-Rescue • Inflate and attach paddle float while holding onto boat • Hold paddle on deck as an outrigger • Pull yourself onto back deck staying low and insert feet into cockpit • While holding onto paddle shaft, rotate torso toward float and sit in cockpit • Pump out boat, reattach skirt, pull off paddle float and stow Not Just Training, But Practice • These skills must be in “muscle memory” because you are likely to be wet, cold, disoriented • Practice often, under a variety of conditions • Solo rescues and multiple-person rescues Attitude • Respect the killing power of the waters you are paddling • Check the marine weather forecast for your area • Paddle with other people • Know the skills of the people in your paddling group • Test your limits under carefully controlled conditions Kayaking • An “easy” sport to get started with • To become a “master”, you have a lot to learn • The more severe the conditions on the water (wind, waves, current, cold), the more equipment, skill and respect you need to survive • You can experience the most severe conditions in the world right here on the Chesapeake Bay, so THINK SAFETY! .