We finally had a nice day and I went out again and tried rolling. This time I paid attention to my position in the water after I was under the kayak. It was obvious this time that the kayak had not gone all the way over, so my setup was going down not out from the kayak. I ended up having to do a wet exit. On the next attempt I tried rolling the opposite way - rolling opposite to the side of my initial setup before beginning the roll. This time it worked. I was able to roll about 4 times. Clearly this kayak does not respond the way other kayaks do and does not roll completely over. I will need to practice figuring out the proper side to setup when I am under the kayak. The good news is that I know the problem I was having.
The last time I was out I noted that my full length PFD was limiting movement. I decided that I needed a pfd designed for kayak paddling that rode higher up. I sensed this would help with rolling and my paddling form. After researching pfds, I decided on the Kokatat Outfit. Here are the reasons I went with this one :
On all counts this seems to be a great pfd and I am sure it will last based on the quality of the build. I have put sunglasses into the middle pocket, my NRS Pilot knife fits into the knife slot snuggly. I put 4 granola bars into one of the side pockets, a whistle into the front compartment of one of the pockets. In the other pocket I have put a lighter and small folder pocket knife (it serves a different purpose from safety knife). There is still room for other items yet to be determined. I also put a carabineer around one of the should straps to attach my spray skirt grab handle when walking around or during self-rescues. |
InterestsLives in Southern Alberta, loves life, family, kayaking, mountain biking, hiking, archery, videography, photography, multicopters, hazelnuts, far too many things, etc. Archives
March 2016
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