Kayaking Safety Protocol

I live close to Okanagan Lake which is 135 km long, 4-5 km wide and has a surface area of 351 km. This lake is extremely popular in the summer months with locals and tons of tourists. It is FULL of speed boats, sail boats, kayakers, wakeboarders, water skiers, etc.

Although I prefer a less populated and noisy waterway, I do kayak this lake often as it is so close to where I live.

This summer Lake Okanagan has proved to be deadly for many unfortunate boaters and kayakers. There has been so many drownings, accidents and deaths that it has prompted me to write a short post on kayaking safety protocol.

PFD’s Are a Necessity

Most of the deaths have been because people were not wearing a lifejacket. The number of boaters and kayakers who have sadly died on Lake Okanagan this year because they were not wearing a lifejacket is staggering. In fact the numbers have been so high that the police are now patrolling the lake and handing out very expensive tickets to those who are not wearing a PFD.

No one ever thinks that they are going to fall out of their boat, tip their kayak or have some kind of freak accident while enjoying the water… but it happens and most of the deaths could have been prevented had they been wearing a lifejacket.

Speed Boat Terror

The other type of accident that has occurred too many times this years is kayakers have been literally run over by a speed boat. As someone who is used to kayaking around speed boats, this absolutely freaks me out.

As kayakers we have no control over the other boats we are sharing the water with. Unfortunately some speed boat owners seem to forget that they share the water with others. In the past two weeks alone, two completely innocent kayakers were hit by speed boats that were driving recklessly on Okanagan Lake. One person is still in critical condition, the other has major injuries.

Both boat owners stated they did not see the kayakers… witnesses have said that the boat owners were looking behind the boat as they were towing people behind them (possibly towing a water skier or something like that).

What Does this Mean for Us Kayakers?

I have had many instances where I have been worried that a speed boat doesn’t see me. You cannot rely that the person steering the boat is paying attention and watching not only what is in front of him but also what could be behind the waves.

My advice would be to pay attention to what is around you at all times and steer clear of motorized boats long before they ever become an issue. If you choose to venture out into speed boat territory… meaning out in open water then make it a priority to stay out of their way. Fact is they are far more powerful than our little kayaks and if a speed boat is coming right at you it can be very difficult to get out of the way in time.

If you are unsure if a boater sees you then the protocol is to wave your paddles up in the air to hopefully catch their attention.

Sometimes if I feel a little uneasy about the amount of boaters on the water I may stick closer to shore where the power boats are not allowed to go over a certain speed. Also a bright colored PFD can really help you to stand out in the water.

Bottom line… whether you are paddling in a hard shell kayak or an inflatable kayak have a great time but please paddle safely! All of these accidents are upsetting and when you can’t control the actions of others then it becomes even more important to take your own safety precautions.

Find more kayaking safety tips and keep your paddling trips happy and accident free.

A PFD Fit for a Woman

For all of my other fellow women kayakers out there you will likely know as I do how uncomfortable a PFD can be. Most lifejackets are not designed for a women’s body and consequently can be one of the most awkward and uncomfortable pieces of clothing/protection that you could wear.

As most PFD’s are unisex I never really thought in years past about the fit of my lifejacket. Up until this year my lifejacket was old and well used. It had been worn by many people both men and women.

It fit okay but usually within minutes of beginning to kayak it would get uncomfortable. Either the back would ride up or it would rub against my skin or it would cause me to sweat in the heat. I never enjoyed wearing it.

A PFD that actually fits?!

This year I decided to look into getting a PFD that was designed specifically for a woman. Don’t ask me why I had not thought of this before. I guess because I had a PFD to use and although it wasn’t the best fit, I knew it worked fine and I simply didn’t think of spending the money to replace it.

However I like comfort and I decided I wanted my PFD to actually fit MY body and not everyone’s body. I knew that Stohlquist made some excellent PFD’s and that they had several models that were specifically designed for women.

The Stohlquist women’s PFD models are:

• The Stohlquist Women’s BetSEA
• The Stohlquist Women’s Cruiser
• The Stohlquist Women’s Kitty
• The Stohlquist Women’s GETaWay
• The Stohlquist Women’s eSCAPE

Each of these PFD’s have received good reviews from other women… specifically the Stohlquist BetSEA, the Stohlquist Cruiser and the Stohlquist Kitty.

After a little bit of research I decided to go for the Stohlquist Cruiser. I liked this PFD for several reasons:

• It has two big pockets in the front – I can fit my camera and other nicknacks in them.
• It has hand-sculpted PVC-free (better for the environment) front foam with supportive inner cups
• It has extra wide armholes
• It has mesh side panels and lower half back – great for keeping cool in hot weather
• I liked the colors!

My thoughts after wearing the Stohlquist Cruiser

I was really impressed. This PFD was very comfortable. It was easily adjustable and conformed to my body far better than any PFD I had every worn. It did not ride up and fit nicely against my kayak seat. Also the padded shoulders and waist belt were really comfortable. This PFD did not rub or irritate my skin at all.

I have not yet worn it in really hot weather but I think it is going to be such a nice change to actually be able to ‘breathe’ in my lifejacket with the mesh siding and back.

Both my mom and I purchased this same PFD.  We couldn’t decide on the colors so we ended up with one blue and one pink – and we both switch. All in all were both very happy with the Stohlquist Women’s Cruiser and would recommend it for any woman.

View our kayaking pictures with us wearing our Stohlquist Cruiser PFD’s.

Below are more stats for the Stohlquist Cruiser PFD:

• Buoyancy 16 lbs. 12 oz.
• 500 denier Cordura shell
• 200 denier oxford liner
• Front zipper entry with #5 YKK non-corroding slider
• Hand sculpted front foam with supportive inner cups
• Extra wide armholes and cool mesh side panels
• Adjustable neoprene-padded shoulders
• Cinch harness system
• 1.5” webbing waist belt with forward pulls
• Zippered bellows pockets with drainage
• High waistline cut
• #10 YKK Vision front zip entry
• 4-way accessory lash tab
• 3M reflective trim front and back
• PVC-free Gaia foam
• US Coast Guard and Transport Canada approved

The Stohlquist Women’s Cruiser PFD is perfect for sea kayakers, sit-on-top kayakers and flat water kayakers. It is available at:

• Amazon.com – Stohlquist Women’s Cruiser PFD
• REI.com – Stohlquist Women’s Cruiser PFD

Real Life Paddling Safety Precautions

Recently I read an article on our local news website in my hometown. Two men were paddling in their inflatable canoe (from the picture it looked like a really good quality one) on the very large Okanagan Lake in my area. They were training for a race that was taking place the following day that included running, cycling and paddling.

Experience made no Difference

These men were very experienced with kayaking and had a fair amount of experience paddling on this particular lake. They chose to paddle out to the center of the lake to make their way from one point to another.

Unfortunately high winds came up quite quickly and they found themselves practically paddling on the spot for almost half an hour.

They were having real troubles making any headway and the winds were getting stronger.

Strong waves were beginning to form and one big one tipped them right over. The winds quickly carried their inflatable canoe away from them and they couldn’t reach it to hold on.

Luckily for these two men they were both wearing their lifejackets at the time. Even with the lifejackets on they found the winds were too strong to try and swim against the currents to try and make it back to shore.

One of the men knew that the proper thing to do if in trouble is to try and lie on your back and hold your paddle up in the air… hopefully for someone to see that you are in trouble.

Luckily for these two someone did notice from a nearby bridge and called for help. Even luckier was that another person noticed who had a speed boat docked and he rushed out to help them as well as retrieve their canoe.

In that short period of time they were already suffering from mild hypothermia as the water was freezing cold. Both of them were quoted as saying that if they had not been wearing their PFD’s they would have drowned for sure as they simply could not keep swimming with the strong winds. They both also stated that had they not been wearing their PFD’s they didn’t think they would have been able to put them on in the water (if they were able to hang on to them when they were tipped over).

Important Safety Tips

The point of this post is not to scare you but simply to show how very quickly calm situations can suddenly change. It is so important not to underestimate the power of the weather as well as the water. Here are a couple of very important cautions to be aware of:

1. When paddling in the water, if you are not absolutely sure of the weather conditions then stick close to shore. It is common knowledge that if winds pick up you do not want to be in the middle of a body of water as you will have no protection.One of the first things that kayak rental outfitters will tell you is to stick close to the shoreline. If you are caught out in the middle of a lake and the weather changes, you can often have real trouble.
2. Always wear your PFD. This is a perfect example of what can happen if you are not wearing it. Weather patterns can change unexpectedly and if you have to struggle against the wind, it is not always possible to put it on at that point.Sometimes in that kind of situation if you stop paddling the wind will push your kayak far backwards. Even taking the few seconds to stop and put on your lifejacket can cause you to lose major ground.
3. Also do not think that because you have your PFD on your lap or close to you that you will be able to grab it and put it on in the water should you tip. In an emergency situation, things don’t always go as you might think they will. No matter what your experience make sure all people and pets in your kayak are wearing their PFD’s.

Sometimes we all need a bit of a reminder as to how powerful the elements can be. So please folks remember to be safe, wear your PFD, and keep half-way close to the shoreline if at all possible. I have actually always found that paddling along the shoreline makes for much better sight-seeing anyway.

Find more important paddling safety tips and advice.

Inflatable Kayaking Do’s & Don’ts

You will learn fairly quickly after a few outings what to do and not to do on your kayaking trips. For any brand new paddlers out there it might help to know some key do’s and don’ts that will make your first few paddling adventures enjoyable and safe.

Inflatable Kayaking Do’s

• Tell someone where you are going and roughly what time you expect to be back.

• Load your kayak carefully so that the weight is distributed fairly evenly. More weight at the back is better then more weight at the front.

• Pack your pump and repair kit in a dry bag and bring it in the inflatable kayak with you.

• Make sure your inflatable kayak is inflated to full capacity. If there is not enough air in it, it will not be as rigid as it should be and therefore could be quite sluggish.

• Stay close to shore. If you are kayaking in the ocean or on a lake it is wise to paddle along the shore line. If winds pick up you could have a hard time making it back. Keeping the shoreline well in sight is a very wise thing to do.

• Bring clean drinking water with you… enough so you won’t run out.

• Bring layers of clothing. Even if the weather is warm it is a good idea to pack extra clothing away in your dry bag so that you are prepared for any type of weather should it change quickly or your plans get off course.

• Bring a hat – rain or shine, it will protect your head and your face.

• Bring your cell phone. It may be difficult to tell if you will be within cell phone range but bring it anyway just in case.

• Bring a whistle. If you are ever in trouble, a whistle is a great way to get others attention.

• Sunscreen!! The hot sun and reflection on the water can do some serious damage to your skin. If you plan on being out for hours, you may need to reapply your sunscreen often.

Inflatable Kayaking Don’ts

• Don’t run into sharp objects. Most inflatable kayaks are built extremely sturdy but there is no point hitting sharp objects if they can be avoided. Steer around sticks and debris in the water.

• Don’t drag your inflatable kayak over rocks and gravel unless you have to. Again most are built to handle this, but there is no sense scratching up the bottom of the kayak unless it is absolutely necessary. Try and carry the kayak to the water if possible.

• Don’t disturb the wildlife. One of the best parts of kayaking is viewing the wildlife. The last thing we want to do is disturb their environment. Look, take pictures, but let them be.

• Don’t bring alcohol in the kayak. Drinking alcohol while kayaking can cause all sorts of problems. For one it can cause some serious dehydration while out in the sun as well as make paddling a real chore. Keep your focus, take your time, stay hydrated and leave the alcohol for when you get home.

• Don’t get toppled by waves. Waves are easy to deal with… just take them head on. When you see larger waves coming your way, turn your kayak so that you face the wave and just ride it out. If you take it sideways, you risk being overturned.

• Don’t drink the water. Obviously you wouldn’t do that in the ocean but if you are kayaking in a lake or river you may be tempted. Unfortunately the water in most waterways is NOT drinkable. Bring your own clean water and leave the rest for the fish.

• Don’t stand up to try and swap places if you are kayaking tandem. Though it is possible to do this, it is not recommended. There is a very good chance that at least one of you will end up in the water. Wait until you can get to some shore to change places.

• If you decide to take a break and dock on some shore, don’t leave your kayak too close to the water unattended. Tides can change and you may come back to find your kayak floating a long ways away.

• Don’t get too close to motor boats. A noisy motor boat can be annoying on a peaceful kayaking trip but they are often sharing the waterway with us. Being in a kayak we are not as noticeable to them as they are to us. Stay well out of the way of other boats as it is not always so easy to move out of the way quickly.

• Don’t fall asleep in your kayak. One of the most amazing feelings on a warm and beautiful day can be do detach your kayak seat and lay out in the open water in your kayak… very peaceful!. However be careful not to fall asleep as you never know where you might end up or what could happen.

Hopefully these do’s and don’ts of inflatable kayaking will help to make your first few paddling experiences good ones. Once you get more comfortable with what you are doing, you will learn very quickly what works for you and what doesn’t. The key things to remember are to always go prepared for anything, play it safe and always stay focused.

Find the right kayak for you by reading our comprehensive inflatable kayak reviews.

Reading the Weather Before & During a Kayak Trip

I have always wanted to be able to easily read the weather without having to look it up online or hear it on the radio. For kayaking, knowing the weather is extremely important.

I have had the misfortune of being out on the ocean having a happy paddling experience when sudden winds picked up and no matter how hard I paddled, I seemed to get nowhere and if I stopped paddling I would get blown backwards.

Let me tell you that is NOT a good feeling.  My arms eventually felt like they were going to drop off  and I began to have a sudden panic attack  that I would never make it back to shore.  Ugh!

You would think an experience or two like that would make someone learn to read weather patterns, but I have honestly never taken the time. I have always relied on the friendly weather man or woman but we all know the forecast is not always right and Mother Nature often has a mind of her own.

This year I have decided to at least learn the basics. I am not a very technical person so going into great detail does not interest me. However I will share with you what I have learned so far and hopefully these few basics will help all of us to have more knowledge of the warning signs that tell us the weather could be changing fast.

The Basics to Reading the Weather

The first thing I learned was that I don’t need any special equipment to be able to make good weather predictions. That was good as I had no plans on buying any. Second there are four things that need to be considered for personal weather forecasting:

• Clouds
• Air Pressure
• Nature/Animals/Insects
• Wind

Clouds

There are three main categories of cloud formations:

1. High clouds – Could be described as tiny balls or rippled sand, thin veil of ice crystals that form a halo around the sun, or horsetails. These clouds tell of upcoming weather. The ice crystals are created from moisture in the air that is generated by storms in the distance. These clouds can often tell of bad weather coming.
2. Middle clouds – Could be described as lumpy or a light grey veil that almost blocks the sun. The middle clouds tell of the weather over a larger area.
3. Low clouds – Could be described as puffy, straight or layered, clustered or dark clouds that are not normally visible from directly below. These low clouds are generally a manifestation of current weather.

So in other words, high clouds can tell us of weather to come, middle clouds tell of weather over a larger region and low clouds tell of the current weather in our immediate surrounding area.

Air Pressure

When the temperature changes the air begins to move differently. High pressure means the air is being compressed downwards and is being warmed… consequently we will experience drier and warmer conditions. Low pressure means rain, wind and stormy weather. High air pressure will circulate wind clockwise and low will circulate counter-clockwise. Besides temperatures there are other things that cause air to rise as well such as mountains.

The thing to know here is which way the wind is circulating. If you can figure that out, then you can possibly tell whether the air pressure is high or low.

Nature

Nature is a fantastic way to forecast the weather. Here are some interesting facts that may be useful:

• Low pressure causes insects and birds to fly low.
• Bees will be more active before fair weather.
• Odors are more noticeable in low pressure air.
• Sounds will seem louder in low pressure air.
• Smoke that flattens out indicates bad weather.
• Smoke in a vertical column indicates fair weather.
• A halo around the sun usually indicates rain before the night is done.
• A halo around the moon indicates there can be rain before noon.
• When the sky is crisp and clear and the moon and stars are bright and twinkly it means there is very little moisture in the air (I think most of us knew that one).

Most of us know the rhyme: “Red sky at night, sailors delight. Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning.” Not sure if I have that exactly right but that is how I always remember it. I never really understood what the red sky signifies.  Turns out red skies mean there is dust in the air to the west. That is a sign of dry air coming towards you (red sky at night). However the red sky in the morning means the dry air has passed and is being pushed by moisture laden air.

Wind

There is a lot of information on reading the wind and I do not quite understand it all yet. I am going to write about the wind in another post when I have a better handle on it.

Hope this helps a little. It is really the very basics but if we can remember even a few of these tips I think we will be much better off when out on the water and at least possibly be able to make an educated weather guess.

Find more kayaking tips & advice and make every paddling adventure a safe and happy one.

Important Accessories for an Inflatable Kayak

If an inflatable kayak has become your #1 self-powered mode of transportation, recreation and fun then there are a few accessories that you will need to have.

Most of the accessories listed below are essential to have with you at all times, but some you will only ever need if doing a longer excursion.

Accessories you will likely need at some point while using your inflatable kayak:

• Bilge Pump – I only ever bring a bilge pump with me if I plan on being in choppier water. It is typical for a little water to get in my kayak while paddling but I have never needed the bilge pump when flat water kayaking. However if there is a chance that you may tip over or that you will be in stronger waves or whitewater then a bilge pump is a very handy accessory to have. Most kayak outfitters will tell you to have one with you at ALL times.

• Boat Sponge – I really LOVE the boat sponge. This is a fantastic accessory for mopping up uncomfortable wetness in the kayak. I didn’t use a boat sponge for several years but now that I have one, I will never go out again without it. It is the most convenient little accessory you could get for your inflatable kayak and it costs next to nothing.

• Cell phone – This is a personal choice of course, but I rarely go kayaking without it. Sometimes I am kayaking out of cell phone range but I still seem to always have it handy. I have never actually used it while kayaking but it seems like a good safety item to bring… just in case.

• Comfortable Seat – Not all inflatable kayaks come with a supportive and comfortable seat. If you don’t find your regular kayak seat to be as good as it should be, I would highly advice looking into a good supportive kayak seat as it makes a massive difference in your overall kayaking experience – not to mention will save you from many aches and pains.

• Dry Bag – If you don’t have a dry bag then you won’t be able to bring anything along with you on your kayaking trip. Dry bags come in all shapes and sizes and can cost very little. As most of my kayaking trips are one day recreational types of adventures I mostly use my dry bag for food, extra clothing, my camera, my cell phone, my repair kit and my car keys.

• Foot Pump – Obviously if you have an inflatable kayak you will need to be able to pump it up. Which type of pump you use will be personal preference but I definitely prefer the foot pump. It is easy to use, weighs next to nothing and takes a lot less effort than a hand pump. Electric pumps can be good too, but even if you use one you will want a foot pump to top it off.

• PFD – A lifejacket is essential for kayak safety and all water safety. I actually very much dislike wearing my lifejacket on hot sunny days while kayaking on a calm lake. However you cannot deny that ultimately anything could happen, including tipping your kayak and bumping your head, so it is very necessary to always wear one.

• Repair Kit – If you have an inflatable kayak, it would have come with its own repair kit. Keep it with you in your dry bag at all times as you never know when you might need it.

• Rope – I don’t always bring rope with me, but it can be an important safety accessory. It is very easy to keep rope stored in your kayak so you might want to add it to your kayaking checklist before you go out for the day. If you are doing an overnight trip I would definitely recommend bringing rope with you.

• Whistle – Store a whistle in your repair kit or you can attach it to your PFD. This is a very easy little accessory to acquire and one that every kayaker should own. Do not go kayaking without a whistle, it could save you in a stressful situation.

Of course there are lots of other accessories you could bring with you, especially some other safety items but these are the main ones to be aware of. The most important thing to remember is that if you are prepared for anything then you can relax and enjoy your paddling experience.

Check out our list of the top kayaking online retailers for the best places to suit up.

NRS Kayak Tow Line

I had never thought about bringing a kayak tow line with me on a kayaking trip before until I actually came across one and realized how handy it would be to have along for the ride.

It doesn’t appeal to me to have to tow somebody as I would imagine it would take a fair amount of physical effort on my part.

However if someone needed the help it would be nice to have the right equipment with me to be able to help them.   Also what if I needed help?

Advantages of a Tow Line

The advantage of having a kayak tow line with you is that if your paddling partner is having any kind of trouble, i.e. fatigue, illness, or boat trouble, you can tow them along until they are able to resume paddling themselves or until you reach the shore.

For anyone kayaking with kids a tow line would almost be a safety necessity to have with you. If your paddling companions are inexperienced they may need a little help to stay on track or to reach your destination.

The tow line I came across is the NRS kayak tow line. It seems like a really good one, here are the stats below:

• Tow line is stored in a durable 500-denier Cordura bag that has two pockets for additional storage, reflective tape for added visibility, and a mesh bottom for quick drainage.

• It includes 50’ of 3/16” floating polypropyle rope with a foam float and heavy duty plastic clip for easy attachment.

• Rope is attached to the 24” bungee cord with a stainless metal ring to ease towing over high seas.

• Bungee is secured to the waist band with stainless metal ring and heavy duty nylon webbing.

• Sturdy nylon belt with quick release buckle.

• This kayak tow line is not intended for use in whitewater rivers.

Find more information on the NRS kayak tow line.

Safety Information for Ocean Kayaking

For those of you who love the experience of ocean kayaking there are a few things that need to be considered before starting your trip.

The ocean surf and the weather can be very unpredictable and if you are planning a kayaking trip of any length or distance you will want to check navigation charts, tides and currents, the marine forecast and weather as well as the surf forecast.

To be honest this is not my forte. Anyone who knows me will tell you that I do not possess many navigational skills on land let alone on the water. However, if you follow the right advice you will be just fine. The links I have included below will hopefully help with providing all of the correct information you might need.

Useful Ocean Kayaking Links

Charts for Navigation
Whether you are at home or traveling afar, if you are planning a major ocean kayaking trip you will likely need charts for navigation. There are charts for every area possible so it should be easy to find the information you are looking for. Also be sure to bring a compass along on your trip.

Tides & Currents
Tides and water levels can change quickly whether on the ocean or even while kayaking on a lake. For any longer trips know what to expect so you can make smart decisions.

Marine Forecast & Weather
For obvious reasons checking the weather before you start a kayaking trip is extremely important. I know for myself I have no desire to kayak in high winds or storms and by checking ahead of time I know exactly what to expect and how to plan.

Surf Forecast
Not just for surfers, kayakers need to know the surf forecast as well. If you are kayaking in ocean surf it is critical you check the surf forecast beforehand as waves can turn from fun to scary in the blink of an eye.

Each of the links listed above should help you to be knowledgeable and prepared for any situation. Do the research and be safe… especially on ocean expeditions.

Thinking about doing some ocean kayaking? Check out our inflatable sea kayak reviews for the best in ocean paddling.

Using a Kayak Skeg

Whether your kayak is an inflatable kayak or a hard-shell kayak it will likely have the option for either a rudder or a skeg. A rudder is used for steering but a skeg is simply used to help keep your kayak straight with minimal effort.

There are other specifics that are also important to know so that you get the optimum performance from your kayak. Below we will describe important facts to know about using a kayak skeg. Read more

Getting In and Out of your Inflatable Kayak

If you have begun to enjoy the sport of kayaking, or if you are thinking about starting then it is important to know how to get in and out of your inflatable kayak.

It may seem like a simple thing that does not need much consideration. However, besides getting in and out of your kayak from the shore you may also need to consider getting in from a pier without tipping your kayak, losing your balance and falling in the water. Trust me it is easy to do and quite embarrassing.

Knowing a few tricks on this subject can greatly increase your confidence while kayaking and also allow you to help others who may not be as well informed. Read more

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