A Selection of Open Canoe Rescue Techniques

[rancid badger]

Some very useful stuff about canoe self rescue, all put together by Kim Bull, a local ( to me) top level coach and instructor.Unlike almost every other demonstration video I've seen on the following techniques, Kim's are done under very realistic conditions
[video=youtube;4a5xTX-OBfQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a5xTX-OBfQ[/video]


Hope this is of use to one or two open boaters on here.

Steve

I can highly recommend Kim's website too, full of information relevant to open boaters:
http://kimbull.co.uk/category/canoe-and-kayak-skills/open-canoe/

 

[mrcharly]

Missing one.

It's not uncommon for people to lack (due to exhaustion, cold or shortage of muscle power) the strength to lift themselves into a floating canoe from deep water.

If your canoe has lots of bouyancy, try this. Completely flood the canoe until it is as low in the water as it will go. Now try entry into the canoe - it may in fact be easier to get in the end, because as you pull down on the end of the flooded canoe, the end will sink below the water's surface.
Once in the canoe, sit in the middle on the bottom. Start bailing as fast as possible - you only need to keep up the fast bailing for a bit until the canoe is definitely floating and water isn't coming back in. Then finish bailing, taking rests as needed.

If you have two people and one is weaker, then the stronger person can force the canoe down while the weaker person climbs in. In this case on remains inside and bails out while the other person stays in the water until they can do conventional re-entry.

 

[rancid badger]

I get the idea of the technique you have mentioned, do you know of any video of the method by any chance?

I think you'd need a fair bit of added flotation and buoyancy ( maybe more than just flotation blocks anyway)

Cheers

Steve

 

[mrcharly]

Never seen a vid. I've practiced it with people and it is surprising how little bouyancy is needed. The amount in the canoe in the video above would be more than ample.

 

[dwardo]

I was freezing cold just watching that.

 

[John Fenna]

Good video
Good techniques in realistic conditions
For the solo deep water re-entry I find that I always get folk who really struggle. If you hang your gear bag off the far side of the canoe, from the centre thwart, it acts as a counter balance stopping the far gunnel flipping over as you try to thrutch over the near gunnel. In really desperate straights I have had folk get their canoe pole extended out from the canoe, wedged alongside the centre thwart, with the gear bag at the far end either as a counter balance or as an outrigger.
Personally I would have made the guys in the inflatable rescue me!

 

[andibs]

Good demo. Why can I never do it as easily as they make it look !!