Into the drink

[Backroad Angler]

Hey guys, I know there are countless posts about this type of stuff, but I thought I would share my story from today. I was out with a buddy, taking my new kayak on its maiden voyage and  tipped over when I tried to stand on it. I was only in about 5ish feet of water, but boy it was cold and about 30 degrees out. I lost my truck keys and glasses, and glad I didn't lose anything else. Some stuff I learned from today, if you are fishing in the cold, I would make sure to bring extra clothes and and some type of heat blanket, one thing I didn't prepare for and had to freeze out there in my underwear, when I took the wet stuff off.  And as always, wear your PFD! I came up in a split second when I fell over, thanks to it!

Be safe out there my fellow yakkers!

[DogBone_384]

Glad to hear you got back to shore OK.  You’re right in keeping a change of clothes when fishing in cold weather and ALWAYS wear a PFD.

 

I put my truck keys in a zippered pocket on my PFD and spare glasses in my truck.

 

I’ve had cold water rescues, luckily, all with good results.  Even with proper rescue gear, they’re not fun.

[CountryboyinDC]

Glad you made it out just cold and missing only a few (very important though they were) things.  Water that cold takes your breath away and is easy to cramp up in.  I take along a change of clothes and a towel whenever I go fishing from a kayak.  A buddy can be clutch too in those situations.

[TcRoc]

Glad u made it out and had a buddy with you. But same as above .. I keep my keys in small weather proof pouch. This weather always good to have a buddy with you as well.

[Darth-Baiter]

I put everything in a dry bag.  
‘’Glad you’re okay.  I’m shopping cold water immersion clothing. Where I’m at the bass are deep. I’ll have to haul myself back in. Scary. 

[Backroad Angler]

1 hour ago, DogBone_384 said:

Glad to hear you got back to shore OK.  You’re right in keeping a change of clothes when fishing in cold weather and ALWAYS wear a PFD.

 

I put my truck keys in a zippered pocket on my PFD and spare glasses in my truck.

 

I’ve had cold water rescues, luckily, all with good results.  Even with proper rescue gear, they’re not fun.

I had my stuff in a zippered pocket on my PFD as well, problem was, it wasn't full zipped lol. Will make sure to have spare glasses if theres a next time!

[mcipinkie]

Maybe you need to rethink your decision to go kayaking in those conditions.

 

I have.  Of course, I'm 74 with two heart attacks, and if I hit the cold water, it's over.  In the winter, I'm in one of the big boats, or I ain't going.

 

Dead ain't good !!

[Bluebasser86]

Better off wearing wet clothes than exposing your skin in those conditions. Wet clothes are cold, but they're better than nothing.

[Backroad Angler]

10 hours ago, mcipinkie said:

Maybe you need to rethink your decision to go kayaking in those conditions.

 

I have.  Of course, I'm 74 with two heart attacks, and if I hit the cold water, it's over.  In the winter, I'm in one of the big boats, or I ain't going.

 

Dead ain't good !!

I'll definitely take more precautions in the future and I hardly ever go out in these cold months, and I feel you on that!

8 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Better off wearing wet clothes than exposing your skin in those conditions. Wet clothes are cold, but they're better than nothing.

I was actually taught otherwise, wet clothes can absorb a lot of heat so the heat goes to the clothes, not your body. Plus it was in the 30s, but the sun was starting to shine, so I was trying to soak that up.

[Michigander]

17 hours ago, They call me “Gaiter Salad” said:

I put everything in a dry bag.  
‘’Glad you’re okay.  I’m shopping cold water immersion clothing. Where I’m at the bass are deep. I’ll have to haul myself back in. Scary. 

I've been wearing a wet suit to buy me a few more minutes before my body locks up from the cold water. Haven't had to fully test it yet thankfully but I feel safer with it on.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Hevto-Wetsuits-Neoprene-Kiteboarding-Swimming/dp/B07R4NJPZ5/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=wetsuit&qid=1608062373&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUE2WVZLVlcwWEk2M0MmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA1NTIyNzhHWDlRQ1RYQ0U4VTImZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDY5NzczMzEzUTlNM1E0RVBJV1Qmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

 

[Terran Elam]

Neoprene top to bottom. Not the best look for this old man. Fish don’t care. Pulling out the drysuit next week.

 

[Michigander]

31 minutes ago, Terran Elam said:

Neoprene top to bottom. Not the best look for this old man. Fish don’t care. Pulling out the drysuit next week.

 

Celebrate yourself. LoL

[Terran Elam]

1 hour ago, Michigander said:

Celebrate yourself. LoL

A little more than I care too.

[Way2slow]

I guess I'm missing something, since I've never been in a kayak, and never had a desire to.  Got into a 13' canoe once, for about 30 seconds, and got back out while I was still dry, knowing that was not for me.  I have spent countless numbers of hours in my 17' Grumman wide bodied cargo canoe, and to stand up in even that without outriggers on it, I don't think so.  

[Bluebasser86]

5 hours ago, Way2slow said:

I guess I'm missing something, since I've never been in a kayak, and never had a desire to.  Got into a 13' canoe once, for about 30 seconds, and got back out while I was still dry, knowing that was not for me.  I have spent countless numbers of hours in my 17' Grumman wide bodied cargo canoe, and to stand up in even that without outriggers on it, I don't think so.  

A lot of the newer kayaks designed for fishing are extremely stable. I've spent a lot of time in a canoe and never felt comfortable. I can stand in my kayak and fish with no issues at all as well as go to the front storage and get things out or the back behind my crate to retrieve supplies. Unless the conditions are just terrible, you'd almost have to try to tip a well built and properly loaded one over.

[Terran Elam]

The sit on tops are basically a big air chamber with sides. A number of YouTube videos of guys pushing them to their limits. Purposely trying to tip them.   Some with more success than others. 
 I have a NuCanoe and it’s very stable. With that starting out, I believe in redundancy. I put a good set of outriggers on it along with spending lots of money on protective gear. 
I feel very stable out there. Very safe. About took a nap the other day. Fish weren’t biting, water was smooth, sun shining, you know.

[Hawkeye21]

I've gone in the drink three times in my kayak.  Once was from losing my balance, standing up on a windy day while my kayak was anchored.  The other two times I actually flipped the whole thing and it really sucked.  The time I flipped this year was the worse because it was in March and the water was only 40 degrees.  I ended up with mild hypothermia symptoms only but it scared the crap out of me.  Took me a while to feel comfortable out on the water again.

[moguy1973]

I've had my kayak for 12 years now, never once had the urge to try to stand up in it.  I've caught plenty of fish while seated.  I've never tipped it over either, although I've had a few close calls when I've misjudged the current near laydowns.  I've watched my friend fall out of his 4 times because he's been standing and bumped into a hidden rock or stump while floating down the river.

[wasabi_VA]

It’s not if you flip a canoe/kayak but when. 
 

I need to improve my cold weather clothing too as I fish alone. Still overwhelmed by the options. 

[Backroad Angler]

5 minutes ago, wasabi_VA said:

It’s not if you flip a canoe/kayak but when. 
 

I need to improve my cold weather clothing too as I fish alone. Still overwhelmed by the options. 

Whole point of me posting this situation I was in, glad to hear!

[fishwizzard]

On 12/16/2020 at 12:37 AM, Bluebasser86 said:

A lot of the newer kayaks designed for fishing are extremely stable. I've spent a lot of time in a canoe and never felt comfortable. I can stand in my kayak and fish with no issues at all as well as go to the front storage and get things out or the back behind my crate to retrieve supplies. Unless the conditions are just terrible, you'd almost have to try to tip a well built and properly loaded one over.

 

I have tested my Slayer 10 in a pool, sitting down, I had to grab the side handles and rock it back and forth to get it to tip, for a moment I didn't even think I could get it to tip.  The pool was too small to try to tip it while standing, didn't want to hit my head on the sides, but I can do a fair amount of bouncing it side to side to where I feel like overextending myself and falling off the yak is more likely than tipping it.   

[VolFan]

I have a Nucanoe Frontier 12 and at 180 lbs, I cant turtle it unless I jump out one side while holding the other side's handle and even then its really hard (and painful).  I can stand on the gunnels. My 10 yr old and I switched places front to back while on the water. It is comically stable, but it does move as you walk around. Infinitely more likely to fall out (doing something dumb) than to flip it. You have to know your kayak's limits and your own physical (and mental) limits.

 

Don't feed Darwin.

[MGF]

When we use the canoe in winter we carry a dry bag with a change of clothes, blankets and fire making supplies.

 

Actually used it all once. We were on a December overnighter. It was a nice day in the 50's but the water was December cold. My wife who was fairly new to the canoe dumped us over not too far from our planned camping spot. In minutes we were in dry clothes and shortly after that we had a nice warm fire.

 

Oh and I tie my glasses to my head. I do carry a spare pair in the truck but it wouldn't be any fun trying to get back without the glasses.

 

Lastly, we haven't been doing those winter trips the last couple of years. We we get older some of that stuff just gets harder.

[DaubsNU1]

Man, you are #1, brave. And #2, lucky!

 

My Dad told a story of duck hunting the Platte River in Nebraska. It's known to be "an inch deep, and a mile wide," but there are deep spots, holes, etc. 

 

They were hunting December, temps in the 30's...this was back in the 1980's, before neoprene waders and people wearing PFD's. 

 

They were setting out decoys in the dark...looked down river...buddy was there one minute, gone the next.  

 

He stepped in a hole and went under, shotgun in hand. 

 

Dad and Uncle quickly got the decoy boat, by that time he had surfaced and was shivering. They got to him quickly and tried to get him in the boat...he refused...said he was standing on his shotgun (water was only a few feet deep now). He dunked down, got the gun...hopped in the boat, and they rowed him to the bank. 

 

Got to his truck, didn't even take off his waders, and drove home. Spooked him pretty bad. 

 

Stay careful out there!

[BurrStone]

On 12/15/2020 at 10:22 AM, JoshFromBolo said:

I'll definitely take more precautions in the future and I hardly ever go out in these cold months, and I feel you on that!

I was actually taught otherwise, wet clothes can absorb a lot of heat so the heat goes to the clothes, not your body. Plus it was in the 30s, but the sun was starting to shine, so I was trying to soak that up.

Agree on getting out of any wet clothes asap. I work ems and we're trained to remove all wet clothing from patients who've been dunked in cold water, then wrap them in dry sheets, wool blankets.