Kayak Safety
Safety Must Be A Priority
Like any sport, safety must be a top priority. Are you tandem kayaking? Then you must be responsible for both yourself and your partner. There are a few things you should consider before going out on the water. Many are just common sense.
Rough Water
Can your kayak handle wakes and rough water? Do you know how to anticipate and react to them? Be sure you take your kayak out on the lake during a windy day. Test your kayak to the limit so you will be sure you know how your kayak will handle such conditions. The time to find out your kayak is not as stable as you thought is not when you are far from the ramp or in the middle of the lake.
Be sure to seek out the largest wakes on the lake or experiment turning in larger swells at the mouth of the harbor. These are dangerous situations if you have not already tested your boat in real conditions. Be prepared to take a dip if things go bad. Once you are confident your boat can handle these rough water situations, you will be much more prepared and confident when its time to head out on a trip.
Wear Your Life Vest. Wear Your Life Vest. Wear Your Life Vest.
Getting Back On Your Kayak In Open Water
Nothing can be more frightening and potentially deadly than flipping your kayak in open water. You may have the most stable kayak on the seas but at some point, for completely unexpected reasons, you may end up taking a swim. When this happens, will you be able to get back on board? This looks fairly simple to do right? Just pull your self back in. Believe me, it is not easy the first couple of times. Even if you have done it before, if you are cold, wet, and water logged, it can be a challenge for even the most experienced kayaker. It is imperative that every kayaker know and practice turning over in the kayak and getting back in. This technique will save your life.
Kayaking At Night
This can be a very fun activity but it adds many potential challenges to your outing. The obvious need in this type of trip is lighting. Though there is much debate over whether a kayak is required (leagaly) to have bow and stern lighting, it would be stupid to attempt night kayaking without it. A flash light, preferably waterproof and floating, is essential. I would absolutely recommend that you purchase a head lamp. These now provide exceptional brightness and allow the kayaker to have directional light while still having the hands free to paddle or perform some other important tasks.
These are just a few things to think about if you want to be a safe and prepared kayaker. The main thing is to be prepared for the unexpected and practice each scenario in a real life setting. In the end, you must be prepared to end up in the water with an upside down kayak. Be sure things are stowed or tied down and have a plan to get back on the kayak.