Thread: "If you haven't, you will".....well, I DID!

#1 kayak rule for me. Carry synthetic spare clothing. Fleece bottoms and tops, spare socks, black trash bag x2, in a water proof bag. If I dunk, I head to the nearest bank, not camp. I get out of those wet clothes and into dry. Here's my thought, what if you dunked again due to the injuries or stress of dunk #1 that made you stiff and unbalanced.... dunk #2 as you said would be much harder to recover from if you hadn't "recovered" from #1.

The black trash bag, worn as a undershirt after getting cold, traps body heat and vapor losses, you warm much quicker and even more so with exercise such as paddling.

Thanks for posting, good reminder for us all. Prepare for the worse.

had never thought of the possiblity of dunk #2 coming from a result of dunk #1. Guess I need to think some more on this cool/cold water yaking. Can't call it cold weather when its 65*, so I'm going with cool/cold water yaking.

After an event like the OP went through, if #2 had happened, even in water at that temp, he could very well had been in serious trouble.

We fish in a different way, Gentlemen. Take different safety precautions.

I forgot to add, when I would have changed clothes on the bank, I would also have taken time to rest, have a snack, take an ibuprofen (in the tackle box).

Recover/restore your stamina and state of mind.

Don't stop taking chances and living the adventures, but live to tell the stories.

Fortunately it wasn't colder, I wasn't freezing by any means, and could have paddled easily probably twice the distance back to camp if needed. I was uncomfortable and ready to be warm and dry, sure, but not to a dangerous point. By the time I could have hit the closest land, dried-off, and changed clothes, I'd have already been back at camp and in the warm shower.

I sure won't forget the experience, and though I can laugh about it now, I'm certainly aware (as others should be) that ANY time you go out of a Kayak is a dangerous situation, regardless of temps, but cooler temps would have to increase those odds.

guess I'll have to put my change of clothes in the yak rather than keeping 'em in the truck. Good thing I have some dry bags around here. Learn something every day, some is not very useful, but I do learn something.

Originally Posted by kcbrown

After an event like the OP went through, if #2 had happened, even in water at that temp, he could very well had been in serious trouble.

We fish in a different way, Gentlemen. Take different safety precautions.

I forgot to add, when I would have changed clothes on the bank, I would also have taken time to rest, have a snack, take an ibuprofen (in the tackle box).

Recover/restore your stamina and state of mind.

Don't stop taking chances and living the adventures, but live to tell the stories.

Very good advice

Originally Posted by jimp

yeah, I know, payback is %$#@, but it shore is fun.. Get that , "shore".

Luckily, my home lake is viturally void of esposed stumps and such. Even during winter drawdown, not much additional structure is exposed. There is one area I'm going to explore in the yak after drawdown to see how much is really back there, as its too shallow for the downscan on the boat to show much if anything during full water. About the only additional structure that is exposed during drawdown is some mud bars and submerged islands that I'm already well aware of and are marked well with navi bouys. New water like ReelFoot can be dangerous, and unfortunately for you NM, you were the guinea pig that got dumped by a stump. I'm always cautious when I go to new water, but that certainly does not mean the same thing or worse could not happen to me. Hopefully, all who read this thread learn something and are more careful, and lucky enough to have a good day fishing and not a bad day swimming in cold water. I am glad you're ok, now go buy some good yak fishing clothes.

jimp, I'm quoting your last post from mreed's thread (since we were kinda leaning it OT).


Looking back, I'm kinda surprised I didn't spill before I did. I was paddling faster at times, than I was when I evidently caught that stump just right. Which leads me to another thought. I thought with the Future Beach having a concave bottom, it would basically "center" itself over a stump, the lower points of the hull acting as guides. Though I was paddling slowly, I must have run one of those low points right over a stump, tilting me over. Maybe a V style would push itself away from the stump, and be more stable in a similar situation?

Thoughts anyone?

Flat bottom (ie very shallow-v) gets hung up the least. Spilling has to do with outer edges (chines) and your center of gravity. Obviously a softer chine will be more forgiving.