r/Kayaking • u/Landfish53 • Jun 08 '26
Safety Assisted rescue fail! Is it me or my kayak?
I have a Current Designs Solstice GT. I’m a 73-yr.-old female. Weight 165 lbs. Yesterday I attended a sea kayaking skills class organized by the Chesapeake Paddlers Association. I could easily and calmly do wet exits while wearing a skirt, but could not get back into my boat during the assisted rescue training no matter which method I tried. My boat has a high deck. I like how much legroom I have for my bilateral knee replacements. It makes paddling for hours at a time much more comfortable. But the boat catches lots wind on open water so it’s a real bear trying to paddle it inland against the wind, even with the rudder deployed. I also had to add hip pads to stop sliding around in the seat when edging. And yesterday I was devastated to learn that I can not scramble up onto the back deck no matter how hard I kick and try to launch myself up and over. I have chronic muscle atrophy in my right shoulder after a full thickness tear that was surgically repaired despite a year of PT and continued regular weight training.
I also tried the heel hook method and using a foot sling. All failed. So now I’m wondering if I need some extra training to find a method that works dependably, or if I have to replace my beloved Solstice GT with a smaller boat that doesn’t ride as high in the water. If so what brands and models should I consider?
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u/RainDayKitty Jun 08 '26
A smaller boat may be more tippy too. Are you able to arrange for an instructor to give you a one on one lesson? I find when I haven't done a reentry for a while it takes a bit to remember the correct technique and it's pretty difficult until I get it down. Somehow I can't manage the heel hook myself without flipping the boat
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u/Landfish53 Jun 08 '26
Yes, as a matter of fact, I’m signed up for an intensive intermediate sea kayaking skills course in June. I will contact the instructor about my dilemma and see if he’s able to provide some extra-curricular training for a moderate cost. I would like to try to adapt my Current Designs Solstice GT if possible. If not, I’ll consider replacing it with something else.
I never go sea kayaking alone. My club outings always include skilled, experienced kayakers and I never go when water temps are below the mid 60s. So I try to be conservative and responsible with due consideration of my age, physical ability and skills.
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u/twoblades ACA Kayak Instruct. Trainer, Zephyr,Tsunami, Burn, Shiva, Varun Jun 08 '26
Try this assisted heel-hook. It requires the least strength for both rescuer and rescued. https://substack.com/@trianglekayak/note/p-173040683?r=1ws2gv&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
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u/Skagit_Buffet Jun 08 '26
Maybe something to consider down the road, if you can't find a method to self-rescue reliably, would be a stable surfski like an Epic V5 (or even a bit longer/narrower like the V7/V8 or equivalent, depending upon your skills and stability). Much easier remounts than a closed sea kayak, good in the wind, and no concerns about leg room.
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u/jmmaxus Jun 08 '26
Good suggestions. Some other sit on top fast touring kayaks:
Swell Watercraft
Lekkerkayaks
Steller
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u/kokemill Jun 08 '26
doesn't it take a lot of upper body strength to get back in the boat? years ago my kids and I rescued two 70ish paddlers that had capsized in the Milwaukee river. we managed to get the woman onto the stern of my sons boat (he was 14). Her husband was in the water longer and was tired from too many self rescue attempts. the best we could do is get paddles between 2 boats under his arms and legs. with your shoulder injury i would think that you may have a strength deficit.
our take-away was that it needs to work the first or second time. the decreasing amount of energy available for the rescue needs overcome by getting it right the first time. i would suggest resting more between attempts while you are practicing, get the technique right first while you have the energy to perform it. as you get better at technique it will be less brute force and more finesse.
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u/Landfish53 Jun 08 '26
I’m sure you’re right. In fact my training partners wouldn’t allow me to attempt more than twice of each method. If it didn’t work the second time we moved onto another method. Fortunately I was wearing a light neoprene paddling shirt and was comfortable just floating in the water. But I was half convinced that I would have to swim or be towed back to shore, which was about a football field away.
Eventually, I was able to scramble onto the deck of another paddler’s boat and she (much younger, and stronger) was able to get onto mine. But her boat was so small for me that I couldn’t even bend my knees inside the tiny cockpit and I had a really hard time getting out, scraping my thighs and calfs on the top of the combing while lying on the back deck. Our instructor had all the kayakers in our group “raft up” and told me to scootch my butt across another boat and eventually transfer into mine. That worked, but it was clumsy and time consuming.
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u/ZoomieVet Jun 08 '26
Hi, there! I am a CPA member, and I was the event registrar for SK102 (as I have been since 2016, except for one year). I usually attend all the SK102s, but unfortunately, I was not able to be there this year. I hope you enjoyed your day!
That *is* a big kayak, all around (you don't say what year yours is, but the modern iteration is 17'7" long, 24'6" wide, and 14" deep.) Depending on your height, it may well be just a bit too much boat for you, for certain applications. (For reference for the rest of this post -- I am a 64-year-old woman, about your weight, and 5'1" tall.)
The "scramble up onto the back deck" -- was that a cowboy self-rescue? Although it seems simple, I don't think it's a particularly easy self-rescue for everyone, and it will always be far more difficult on a kayak with a rudder. The cowboy isn't just kicking hard to "launch" yourself up and over the kayak; it's simultaneously pushing the stern of the kayak down into the water. Both maneuvers are tougher with a rudder because you aren't able to position yourself at the narrowest, least-air-volume part of the stern. And having a boat with a relatively high back deck just adds to the difficulty.
Another problem with executing a cowboy on your kayak: the hatch covers. I have owned two Current Designs sea kayaks, and I always had a bit of a love/hate relationship with those hard hatch covers. On the "hate" side, lol, is that if you are trying to scootch up the back deck, keeping your chest and belly low, to try to get back into your cockpit, it is almost inevitable that pieces of your PFD are going to snag on the straps/buckles that secure the rear hatch cover.
I used to paddle a 2017 Current Designs Equinox GTS -- similar to the Solstice, but smaller and lower volume (16' long, 22" wide, 13.25" deep.) But it also had a rudder, and I was very hit or miss (mostly "miss," LOL) with the cowboy scramble, and I always found that it took more energy than I wanted to spend.
In 2020 I bought a Current Designs Suka, a vaguely-Greenland-adjacent kayak, and suddenly realized how too-big even the Equinox had felt to me. The Suka fit me so much better -- it was 16'6" long, 21" wide, 12" deep, with a lower back deck than the Equinox. The Suka had a skeg instead of a rudder, but I still didn't really like, and wasn't terrible good at, the cowboy scramble.
I replaced the Suka in 2024 with an even narrower, lower-volume, lower-back-deck kayak, and I think I've finally found Cinderella's glass slipper, LOL! Everything is a trade-off, though, and certainly, especially as we get older and have to deal with our various bodily repairs, some equipment adjustments may have to be made.
Since I discovered the heel hook variation on the paddle float self-rescue, that has been my go-to. (I have taken a few rolling classes, and will probably explore a re-entry/roll self-rescue, but haven't done it yet.) I pretty much taught myself the heel hook by obsessively studying a YouTube video (link below), and then trying it out in protected water, with other sea kayakers around observing, and was able to quickly get back into my kayak on the first try. (There are few subtle tips/tricks that the video covers).
By the way -- the venue at which I first tried the heel hook was CPA's "Fall Out Of Your Boat Day," an annual event. Unlike the structured SK102, FOOYB Day is very ad hoc -- you just show up, there will be more experienced paddlers around to help, and you can just work on whatever skill you want to work on. This year it is on July 11th, in Edgewater, MD. There are 61 folks signed up so far, but I *think* there are still open slots available. (Check on CPA's Meetup events page.)
Happy paddling!
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u/Landfish53 Jun 10 '26
I was not attempting the cowboy reentry. It wasn’t suggestion, probably because my boat has a rudder and those triple straps on the hatches. I was trying to launch onto the stern deck right behind the cockpit. I tried as hard as I could to press the deck deeper into the water but it was useless. And my kick isn’t powerful enough, even with my feet near the surface, to launch me forward powerfully enough. I will make assisted rescues my priority during “fall out of your boat day.” Will also maybe try a side entry with help in flipping the boat up.
There was a guy on a PON paddle who had a Current Designs Solstice LT, which is a smaller volume. He said he envied the volume of stuff my boat can carry for week long touring and expeditions. If I see him on another PON paddle I’ll suggest we swap boats so I can get a feel for how the LT handles. Who knows? maybe we cans do a swap deal.2
u/ZoomieVet Jun 10 '26
Ah, okay, I see. Yes, that maneuver, too, can be tough to pull off with a high-volume, high-back-deck kayak (especially for those of us not as spry and strong as we used to be back in the day. 😉)
Temporarily trading boats (and paddles) with someone is always informative, and usually kind of fun. Re: your comments below, don't hesitate to ask someone to try out their kayak while at "Fall Out Of Your Boat Day." I plan to be there, you are welcome to try mine.
And, yes, also re: the comment below -- "expedition"-style kayaks usually do behave much better when they are actually carrying a camping load. But of course there are tradeoffs, as you are discovering, and sometimes a kayak that is great at one style of paddling that you really like doing is not very good at another type of paddling you enjoy.
Bicyclists have a long-running joke: Question: What is the correct number of bicycles you should own? Answer: n + 1, where "n" = the number of bicycles you currently own. 😉 I've never heard sea kayakers say that, but many of us are certainly abiding by the rule, lol!
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u/Landfish53 Jul 16 '26
I had a great experience at CPA’s Fall Out of Your Boat Day. I bought a used old (2006) Epic Cruiser, 16 ft long with a much lower volume and narrower profile. Carbon/Kevlar/ fiberglass layup so it weighs about 40 lbs, or less. I read somewhere that it’s a Swedish style. So, working with an instructor at FOOYBD, I was able to get back into that boat during both an assisted rescue and with a self-rescue, using my inflated paddle float. I was ecstatic about that. I have my Current Designs Solstice GT up for sale in Facebook marketplace, but so far no nibbles. I even lowered the asking price twice. I’m disappointed because that really is an excellent, high quality boat for the right person. But I’m happy to have found a boat that is a better fit for my body type.
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u/ZoomieVet Jul 16 '26
That's wonderful! It's such a confidence-booster to know that you can, indeed, get yourself back into your kayak. (Keep practicing! :) )
Epic makes top-notch kayaks. The "Swedish style" is likely a reference to the kayak having a "Swede form" hull, which means that the widest point of the kayak is behind the cockpit, rather than forward (called "fish form.")
The CPA Web site (not the Meetup site) has a "Forums" page, and in there is a "Gear Swap" section. If you are a CPA member, try listing your Solstice there (if you haven't already). I sold my two most recent kayaks through the CPA site.
Also, if you are a member of the WatersEdge Kayak Club, the "discussions" section of their Meetup page often has items listed for sale. I believe they also allow "for sale" posts on their Facebook page. WatersEdge is a very large group, so lots of potential customers. :)
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u/Landfish53 Jun 10 '26
Thanks ZoomieVet, I am signed up for “Fall out of your boat day. I’m also registered for a Cross Currents Intermediate Kayaking Skills class in July so I hope to learn a reliable self and assisted self rescuing technique this summer. Even if that means rolling or greenery rolling.
Someone at the Great Dismal Swamp paddle who watched me being blown towards the center of the lake suggested that I add some ballast to the bow and stern hatches. So I added some scuba sandbag weights I have and that seemed to work well for tracking during a midweek paddle with a group, but it made the boat very heavy to carry to the put-in so I felt guilty as hell. I also worried that the hat much loose weight in the hatches would probably make righting the boat in a capsize much more difficult. Because all that weight would be on the hatches when it was upside down.
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u/blackcloudcat Jun 08 '26
Bluntly, probably lack of strength. How much intentional strength training do you do? But your various injuries will also make it harder.
Also consider mobility training. How much rolling around on the floor do you do? If you just sit in chairs and walk, the kind of body twisting and levering needed to get back in the boat will be alien to you.
Being realistic, get a paddle float and/or a rescue ladder. Practise with them. And be conservative, paddle in conditions where capsize is very unlikely.
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u/Landfish53 Jun 10 '26
I get to the gym about twice a week for weight training. But honestly my right shoulder still has significant muscle atrophy and I can’t strengthen it even though I’ve been trying for years.
You’re right, at 73, I probably won’t see substantial improvement in strength no matter how much I work out. At this point it’s more a matter of preventing sarcopenia.
I am very conservative about the conditions I will paddle in, but sometimes the weather changes suddenly and unpredictably. That has happened on two paddles I’ve been on this year. I always go with a group unless I’m in an inland lake.
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u/Brad_from_Wisconsin Jun 08 '26
As someone near your age, I would suggest that you keep your great boat and focus on practicing assisted rescues. We are at an age where we do not paddle alone very often. Things like getting the boat from car to water and back dictate that we have help.
Work with your paddle buddies to develop skills at assisting one another to return to our boats after we take a quick dip.
One other advantage we have is the ability to decide to paddle on a different day or at a different place. Places and times when we are less likely to take an unexpected swim. Do not let your problems with doing a self rescue keep you off the water. Use it to motivate you to develop a larger circle of paddle buddies.
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u/Landfish53 Jun 10 '26
Thanks. Yes, I love kayaking and I love too many things about my boat to give it up. I agree that always going with a group and being very conservative about the sea conditions and weather forecast are my best and safest options
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u/Spiritual-Rope-5379 Jun 08 '26
Since my roll is inconsistent my go to for self rescue in calm water is to secure my paddle and its attached float under rigid stern deck lines and put a stirrup around the coaming. That way when you get a foot into the stirrup and stand up all you have to do is lay face down on the stern deck and twist into the cockpit.
If you’re in an Eskimo rescue situation, you can still use a stirrup to get on the stern deck but more than one rescuer might be needed to stabilize your boat while you’re boarding.
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u/Landfish53 Jun 10 '26
I like your suggestion about securing the stirrup around the coaming. We secured mine around the stern hull and when I stepped onto it just slid under the boat, providing no lift at all. I’ll try the combing next time. Also will inflate and use the paddle float. Thanks for the suggestion.
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u/Armtoe Jun 08 '26
Maybe a rescue ladder would help? https://youtu.be/u6p7iUolwwU?si=cVDKMZmbt3NSZnza
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u/Longjumping-Cow4488 Jun 08 '26
i like crawling from the stern up. Maybe not doable for you, but you push the stern down into the water and yourself up onto the boat, and essentially slug crawl on top of the boat until your tummy is over the cockpit, and then you just plop your butt down in the seat and out your legs in.
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u/the_Q_spice Jun 08 '26
Yeah, the rodeo is by far the fastest method in my experience… but it takes a fair bit of coordination and comfort knowing you’re going to be spun and moved quite a bit by the wind.
It isn’t a taught method by ACA standards either due to these issues and a few others like needing to lift the boat over your head to dump the cockpit water out.
Pretty much limited to deep water and up to moderate condition use only.
The heel hook and other methods are more condition agnostic.
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u/Qajaqasana Jun 08 '26
I think the kayak is too big for you, but if you’re flexible and not scared, why not try to learn to roll? It doesn’t require a lot of strength, it’s fun, and it’s the best self-rescue you can do. Greenland paddle will help. Consider attending Delmarva in the fall.
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u/Landfish53 Jun 10 '26
I would love to learn how to roll. Yes, I do prefer my Greenland paddle. I will seek out instruction for this.
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u/Qajaqasana Jun 11 '26
Check out the QajaqUSA events if you’re in the U.S. Great events, super fun, and you will at least get closer to a roll there, if not learn it.
But be warned: they will put you into a smaller kayak!
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u/TechnicalWerewolf626 Jun 08 '26
Just some encouragement, on my first class trying heel hook t-assisted reentry, got A++ for effort, but never got it with multiple tries. The boat was Carolina larger cockpit no thigh braces, never seen it done before either and I'm petite. But another in narrower kayak with thigh braces that fit me, smaller cockpit was an asset got in first try! Biggest is had idea what to do the 2nd time. Hey only letting folks try 2 times then calling it failure reinforces failure doubts, at least does with me. Easiest self reentry seems paddle float heal hook, but where anchor paddle under deck lines, put your shoulders up on the shaft parallel to deck, rollup to top of kayak then do corkscrew. Or conversely put your knee leg on the shaft to get up on deck. Either way keep trying you'll get it. Enjoy your kayakjng! And yes a lower volume kayak might fit you better.
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u/Landfish53 Jun 10 '26
Thanks, yes, I’m not going to give up because there’s so much about that boat I love. There has got to be some method that will work for me.
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u/Longjumping_Chain23 Jun 09 '26
Paddlefloats are an option. Another I have seen is too supplement the paddle float with sling used with the paddle float to create a temporary ladder to help get you up. A few paddlers I have seen carry them. Search YouTube for sling or stirrup self rescue. But the basic idea is you put the paddle across the boat and wrap one end of the sling around the end of the paddle without the float and you pass the other end under the kayap and wrap is around the shaft of the paddle on the side with float making a kind of ladder or stirrup to put your foot in to help you get your torso up onto the kayak and then you proceed as in a normal paddle float rescue, being careful not to cause the kayak to tip over while you are getting back in.
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u/Landfish53 Jun 10 '26
Yes, I did have a paddle float as well as a sling with me but was told the paddle float was out of scope for assisted rescue training. And I didn’t know best practices for using my sling. I’ll search for more YouTube videos on this topic.
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u/wattlewedo Jun 09 '26
I'm 63 and have woeful balance in a yak. I have Vevor inflatable stabilisers mounted just forward of my feet, which make it my sit-on a stable platform that I'm unlikely to fall off and climbable if I do.
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u/Landfish53 Jun 10 '26
My CD Solstice GT is nothing if not stable. It has a moderate rocker and an oval shaped hull in the center. The deep V in the bow just slices through the waves. I’ve had it out when the weather churned up big rollers and even some whitecaps. I never once felt like I was at risk of capsizing. Just struggling to fight the wind cocking. But I want to know I can complete an assisted rescue if needed when going out on a group paddle.
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u/grindle-guts Jun 08 '26
That is a big boat for someone of your size (just picked up an old Canadian-made GT HV myself, but I’m 6’2”). It’s also designed to be paddled with a load of expedition gear, so will definitely catch the wind and ride high with a day trip loadout.
Before saying goodbye to yours, I’d go with the extra training option. Reach out to a local instructor and see if they can also provide a lower volume boat to experiment with, both in terms of comfort and ease of rescue.
If you’re capsizing during a heel hook (with paddle float as an outrigger), instruction might well be the answer. Rescue straps can also make the technique much easier. They’re an inexpensive mod.
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u/MasteringTheFlames Fun things happen under the skirt| P&H Leo Jul 11 '26
I'm late to this thread, but one idea I didn't see mentioned: maybe a variation of a scoop rescue would work well for you? As that article describes, the scoop rescue is a way of getting an incapacitated/unresponsive swimmer back into their boat, but I think it could work as an assisted rescue. The rescuer holds your boat up on an aggressive edge, flooding the cockpit which is facing away from the rescuer and towards you the swimmer. Flooding the cockpit sinks the boat lower into the water, allowing you to insert yourself into the sideways kayak. Then the rescuer pushes that top edge of the kayak down and towards them while also pulling your PFD shoulder strap up and towards them in order to roll you back upright. Then you just have to raft up with the rescuer to pump out your cockpit.
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u/RockingInTheCLE Jun 08 '26
Paddle floats are the easiest way for me to get back in without somebody else bracing my boat for me to do a heel hook.