Kayak safety: Kayak safety 101

[DarkSkies]

There are some other kayak safety threads here, good ones.

I don't mean to take away from those, as they can stand on their own.
I thought it might be a good idea to have a thread about the small things, that many of us may not think about or ignore from time to time.

They don't have to be paragraphs, diagrams, or pages long like you usually see from me.





Just common sense advice for kayakers, even if you're not a kayaker, (maybe you're a boater, surfer etc) or you see them on the water and have had some ideas that would keep them more safe.
To that end, there will be no criticizing others suggestions. If it's not feasible or it really would prove to be dangerous, please, by all means, point that out.

But let's not ridicule someone for trying to help, just because you don't like the way they phrased their suggestion. I've seen too much of that on other sites and don't have the tolerance or patience for it here.

Thanks guys and gals, for any help or advice you can share.

[DarkSkies]

File a float plan every time, either with someone at home or someone you can trust.

I mostly fish in the dark of night, some big and open water at times.
Your float plan should include...

Float plan
Where launching from, where you may be parking, where you intend to paddle/pedal, what alternative routes you might take, and what time you should be finished, together with a followup phone call to the person who has your flaot plan.

If you don't call them within a reasonable amount of time after that, they should be ready to contact the Coast Guard.

[DarkSkies]

This was originally discussed with Finchaser. He remembers that when people first started kayakking many years ago before it became a "craze", that guys in yaks fishing the ocean or big water would do this as SOP. This way, if you fall, you are never coimpletely separated from the yak.

A few friends of mine who fish big water a lot never go out there without
1. being tethered to their yak
2. having a set of swim fins tied to their legs in case of accident.

Those who yak in big surf a lot may have issues with this, saying the kayak could hit you in a big swell if you became separated from it, but my question to those that disagree would be...."Why do surfers wear leashes?"

In a yak, if you are out in big water at night, deep and swift current, if your yak gets away from you it could be your death that follows.

Wearing a leash/tether has it's own set of considerations, as to length, elasticity (I prefer standard poly rope) and several other factors, best discussed in a separate thread. So if anyone wants more detail, feel free to start one, and we'll try to help.

[captnemo]

I know this might seem obvious, but some kayakers may not know, because we are always running into them in the channels. We try to give them a wide berth. They really should stay out of the middle of the channels, especially in the rivers. I have never had an altercation with one but have narrrowly avoided swamping a few at different times. Please stay out of the channels guys.

[nitestrikes]

When you have knowledge that a storm is coming through, use common sense, don't go out there with your kayak,

[cowherder]

Too many people dying out there, I remember the guy last november got lost in the Shrewsbury River. Good idea for a thread.