"I'll Be Back ..."--Make Certain You Are: Sit-On-Top Kayak Safety

Kayaking is a great deal of fun--but it can easily have its hazards. Sit-on-top kayak safety should be the second concern after selecting your kayak.

Your very first worry should be to get a reliable kayak. Virtually every Ocean Kayak Frenzy review remarks on the durability of the kayak and the great stability of the Frenzy Kayak. The Sevylor QuickPak Coverless Sit-On-Top Kayak, on the other hand, gets many poor reviews for stability and especially for poor materials and quality control, although they do get good reviews for customer support.

When you have a quality kayak, there are three leading safety problems to bear in mind:

1. A kayak is a boat.

Follow all the regulations of the Coast Guard and other authorities. First and foremost, this means using a personal flotation device (PFD). There are PFD's made for kayaks and made for your shape. Get a comfy one and wear it.

You likewise have to satisfy all other navigation and boating guidelines. Be especially careful in locations with high marine traffic. Then keep a cautious eye. Power boats and bigger sailboats may not see you, or may not be able to avoid you, if they see you too late. Know where they are and keep clear. Take a nearby boating safety course, if you are brand-new to the water, or simply new to those specific waters.

2. Know the environmental conditions.

Water temperature is below body temperature, even in Samoan lagoons. Prepare to keep warm, if you end up in the water for longer than you plan. Think about a wet- or perhaps dry-suit for temperatures in the 60-degrees and lower range. Have a water-proof hooded jacket readily available, or at least a long-sleeved shirt (which will additionally help cut sunburn).

Personal comfort is essential. Use copious water-resistant sunscreen (a shot-glass full) even on a cloudy day. Bring much more water than you expect to drink. If the water you are in is truly clean, you could bring water purification tablets and purify it, but that ought to probably be saved for emergency conditions.

Know the shoreline and landing conditions. Ask the locals, before you go into the water. It can be easy to launch from a point that it is difficult to return to. Winds can make it hard to get back, and underwater currents may make landing treacherous. Always have options.

Check the weather forecast and check with local boaters, if in a brand-new location. You have to dress for the elements, at the least. Prepare for the worst--you can always remove clothing layers.

3. Plan for unexpected emergencies

First, practice self-rescue procedures in quiet, then less cooperative water conditions. To re-enter a sit-on-top kayak make use of the BBF method--Bellybutton, Backside, Feet. Face the kayak, grab the far side just forward of the cockpit/seat. Let your feet float up and pull your Bellybutton across the craft. Twist your Backside into the seat. Glide your Feet into the foot well. Practice until you don't need to think about it.

Make a Plan B--just in case. Discover (better, ask natives for) an alternate landing. Unexpectedly high waters, winds, a rainstorm, etc. could possibly prevent your return to the launch site. Communicate that Plan B, along with Plan An anticipated return times to someone who is not with you.

Take your cell phone in a water-proof bag (and lash it firmly to the kayak). Keep it on. The built-in GPS could be necessary for anybody trying to find you, if things do not go according to Plan A.

If you follow these ideas, sit-on-top kayak safety can become a natural part of your excursions--and you will definitely be back--back home and back on the water.

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