So today was may maiden voyage on my OC1. For the newbie, is there a forum, publication, video, or whatever out there to set someone like me in the right direction? I went out about 5 miles off shore today and just couldn't get the timing down let alone know which side to paddle on depending on the swell. I had a Sea Otter (male) jump on the back of my rig and later I flipped the boat over going up wind (happened fast-and still can't figure our how it happend).
I've kayaked before, but it seem like with the ama I'm always leaning to the left in swells as well as paddling on the left to redistribute my weight as to not flip.
Anyway...I realize I'm a beginner, and after just one session I have so many questions on how to distribute my weight as to not flip the boat over, I was wondering if there is a source or dvd out there for some tips.
Thanks,
Vids
Submitted by Vids on Thu, 11/26/2009 - 5:16pm
Vid- 5 miles off shore? Being that you are new to this, try to stay near shorline to work on skills. Do not put yourself in a bad situation especially when a sea otter decides to hop on ( maybe running away from a big fish ).
Be safe.
#1 Thu, 11/26/2009 - 8:34pm
Five miles offshoe!! Now that's the problem with OC-1's, for they are initially very stable and paddlers don't realize how far off shore they've paddled until they turn around and try to paddle back. If you were on a surfski, you'd probably venture no more than a quarter mile off shore? Anyway, don't re-distribute the weight. Learn to paddle the canoe squared away and centered, because that is what you want. Don't worry about the tippiness, your inner ear and brain will adjust your balance eventually, and you will have developed great paddling skills that others haven't mastered because they are always compensating by leaning, sitting or adjusting their ama so they won't feel like tipping. So give your body a chance to make the adjustment, if you don't, you'll never learn to paddle with full force on the right side because you're afraid to huli. Go check out the foam cushion seats of most paddlers and then compare them to those of the top paddlers. Notice the difference?
#2 Thu, 11/26/2009 - 10:11pm
Vids
time on the water . is definitely the way to stop riding the ama. stay close to shore if you can find a lake. maybe practice a few tips now and then , get back on the ama side...... wear a leash and keep track of your paddle while tipping. also when tipping watch out for the ama coming over. ideally what you want is the canoe balanced and the ama at the top of the water just barely in. congratulation on the solo. Have fun.
safety in numbers
#3 Fri, 11/27/2009 - 6:01am
Sorry, I meant 5 miles round trip. 2.5 out and 2.5 in (a familiar trip I used to do on a sea kayak). Pretty glassy day at that. Thanks for the responses -
Forgot to mention - My paddle is Black, and disappears pretty quick in the deep blue. What's the protocol for solo trips? - Put some bright tape on it, a leash, carry an extra paddle along?
#4 Fri, 11/27/2009 - 3:36pm
"Forgot to mention - My paddle is Black, and disappears pretty quick in the deep blue. What’s the protocol for solo trips? - Put some bright tape on it?"
-really?? lost for words
please go find a local outrigger club and any protocol for solo trips is common sense.. plan for the worst possible things to happen
#5 Fri, 11/27/2009 - 6:03pm
Really? Thanks for stating the obvious PRICK. Even if I was at the olympic level like you, I don't think that question is too far out there. Was just looking for some new ideas like tape, paint or whatever. I always had a leash on during my open water trips with my Kayak, but that is when using a kayak paddle. Since I'm getting used to switching hands, I was just asking. I am very familiar with survival at sea and am using the same common sense - the only difference is I can't eskimo roll and when rolling a kayak, you use the paddle to flip back over. Really sorry to bother your post with such a elementary question - I'll make sure to go find my local outrigger club, god knows there everywhere and make sure I use common sense and stay out of your way in this very small ocean. Mahalo
#6 Sat, 11/28/2009 - 6:07pm
whoa there angry pants.. the way you wrote that just made me laugh, sorry I struck your type-a chord.
enjoy our ocean, no harm meant. but I am glad you're getting used to using two hands, don't want the other one getting lonely
#7 Mon, 11/30/2009 - 11:39am
Vids,
FYI, for the safety part to your question, there have been a few blogs on this site that have addressed this, I think within the past year, so you might try to search for them.
Best advice is to paddle with a partner. If you can't, stay within about 1/2 mile of shore, unless you're a strong swimmer and your canoe is expendible. Also, a lot of guys bring a dry-box or dry-bag with a cell phone in it, just in case. Previous blogs have mentioned also bringing a whistle and something shiny to get the attention of someone on shore if need be. Definitely wear a leash if you're by yourself... trust me on this one, I have personal experience... suffice it to say that the boat is better than you at catching waves if the two of you get separated.
don't worry about leaning on the ama, keep paddling and you will find yourself leaning on it less and less.
cheers.
#8 Mon, 11/30/2009 - 12:41pm
Right on Vids for getting out their in the water and trying a new sport. It's hard to try new things sometimes. But I would recommend you joining a club to help with your paddling technique and just learning about the culture. But if you are into it for fun go out and just paddle, but like everyone said stay close to shore, also get a dry bad and put some rubber around your iako for an emergency.
Ask someone to show you the proper technique to paddle would really help you in keeping the ama down or later up. You can read about how to paddle, watch videos but nothings is better then learning it first had from someone. Just post where you live and ask for any good clubs around, people would love to help you and even go out one-manning with their club. If anything just keep practicing.
Aloha
#9 Mon, 11/30/2009 - 1:04pm
Have fun and be safe!
#10 Tue, 12/01/2009 - 6:47am
Vids,
I am a newbie too and thought your questions were very appropriate.
I have a Hurricane just bought used in September. I live in Cleveland, Ohio next to Lake Erie and there are no outrigger clubs, nor to my knowledge, any other outriggers within several hundred miles. So I have to figure things out myself.
Like you I have previous small hand-powered boat experience, in my case canoes instead of kayaks, so I have, like you, some sea sense.
For safety I take a spare paddle - a simple, plastic telescoping one - not expensive and not terribly good, but it will get me back to a dropped paddle or all the way back to shore in an emergency. It's secured under the rear deck bungies. I also use a leg leash. I wear a lightweight wet suit top and bottom (Hydroskins) and thicker booties. I have a dry bag with a paddling jacket, paddling pants and a hat secured to the front deck bungies.
And I always practice capsizing. Every time I go out I do at least one practice capsize before I go back in. Lake Erie is cold now, and it takes a grit of the teeth to deliberatly dump over, but that's the discipline. I try to flip the boat upright, swing around the stern to the ama side and step on the ama to reboard. My goal is to be out of the water in 30 seconds or less. I know some althletic folks can just hop on board from the right side, but I haven't mastered that yet.
One reason I bought an OC1 is because I can rescue it easily. No roll sessions, no special training, just a bit of grunt work and I'm right side up and out of the water. Which allows me to wear a light wet suit instead of some clumsy dry suit. It works 100% of the time. And practicing it every time gives me the confidence to lean to the right a bit, and set the iakos on neutral, and paddle hard on the right and not be terrified of falling in.
I have a little story about a small outing I made last month that turned a bit more adventuresome than I expected.
It's at: Martysmisadventures.blogspot.com look for October. The title: 'Safety In Numbers'.
Marty Cooperman
#11 Tue, 12/01/2009 - 7:14am
Step on the ama? Be careful about hurting the boat, and making a bad situation much worse. Lake Erie sounds quite cold, do you wear just the hydroskin year round? PFDs are way more important in winter, too. Check out Rambo's blog and watch the USCG Cold water boot camp video, it's very convincing. It can be monotonous all these constant safety reminders from codgers like me, but it's good to be real safety concious, 'specially solo in winter.
#12 Tue, 12/01/2009 - 11:43am
Hi,
I got some questions about huli with a leash and recovery.
Although you would idealy climb back in on the ama side. If you fall over on the right side with a leash on
you will have to climb back on on the right side or else you will have your leash wrapped around the bottom of the hull no?
How hard is it to climb back on on the right side if there is weather, wind and waves on the ama side?
Thanks..
#13 Tue, 12/01/2009 - 1:17pm
waterwich
I would guess wind and waves ,,on the right side of the canoe. it could be hard to get back on. how cold is it there , where you are?. I fell in on the right side one winter in waves and it was near freezing . I went in and out so fast there were parts of me still dry. I don't remember how, I just did it.
if its worm you could just. climb over to the other side and start there.
I would imagine if you put your right hand on the center of the canoe, just in front of where you sit. and the other where the ama enters the canoe and lift your self up and swing your butt into place it could be done on the right side.
hang on to your paddle. that would be my main concern. as people stated it's a good idea to carry a spare.
and lets have fun out there kiddies.
#14 Tue, 12/01/2009 - 4:09pm
Waterwitch if you can't get up the right just ignore the leash, get up ama-side, release and then reattach leash. Eventually you will learn to get up on the right. Think of it not as you pulling yourself up but pulling the hull under you while kicking. Grab the opposite gunwhale, keep a low profile and slither on like a lizard with a low point of gravity. Once your torso is over the right gunwhale slither your left lizard leg up and over and off you go.
Not always a graceful affair but you end up with a dry head, something to consider in the colder climes.
#15 Tue, 12/01/2009 - 7:29pm
Learning how to get back on from the right side after a huli is something everyone should try to learn to do. It takes lots of practice, but once you've done it successfully, it becomes second nature to you when you need it. Plus you don't need to worry about undoing the leash when you won't have to.
Someone else posted a link to a Surf Ski Info page on two ways of getting back on and it has the same principles to remount an OC-1 from the right side after righting it. I've been able to do both ways described without really thinking of which one to do to get back on. Start out in the shallow to get the hand placements and technique before moving to deeper water.
Here's the link and shows it step by step on how to do them along with some still shots.
http://www.surfski.info/content/view/421/155/
In regards to the paddle, it has become second nature to not let go of it whenever I huli. Once I come up, I either climb back onboard still holding it or I stick it under the bungy cord in front of my foot pedals to free up my hands if I need them to get back on.
#16 Tue, 12/01/2009 - 10:01pm
Seems to me that when you huli, odds are that you're on the right side. Painteur's description works. In some ways I think that getting on from the right is easier. In really rough conditions, getting on from the left its easy to flip ama over canoe if you're not careful.
#17 Wed, 12/02/2009 - 3:38am
Fellows,
In response to the above:
It goes without mention that I wear a PFD in Lake Erie, cold weather or not. It's an excellent one with both built in floatation and the ability to inflate additional floatation. I can determine my state of anxiety by how much extra floatation I add by blowing into the valve.
I wear the Hydroskins when the water temperature is cool or chillier. During part of July, August and some of September Lake Erie is nearly bathtub warm and the Hydroskins are unnecessary.
Stepping on the ama when it is supported by water is not a problem as far as I've seen. I wear soft sandals or booties and there is not even a wear mark on the ama where I step.
The leash does get in the way of a left side recovery and I remove it once I get to the left side of the boat when the iakos are within easy reach, then re-attach it when comfortably aboard.
The paddle: I use a 2-sided broom stick spring clip (sold by Huki and modified by me) that is attached to the rear iako. After capsizing I clip the paddle to the spring clip, then right the boat and re-board. I pull the paddle free of the spring clip once I'm comfortably seated again. Before this I used to stick the paddle handle under the rear bungie deck cords before flipping the boat upright, retrieving it when seated again.
I've seen Rambo's blog and the Cold Water Boot Camp video. It was shot in Fairport Harbor some 25 miles east of me and a place I often paddle. Very convincing.
Thanks for the advice as to how to board from the right. I'll give it a try.
Boarding from the left provides great stability. You can lean on the ama's buoyancy all you like and take your time about getting back in the seat, gather gear, and compose yourself before starting out again. Several times I've eaten lunch on board sitting side-saddle with my legs in the water on the ama side (warm water). Very stable even in choppy conditions. Not so easy to do in a sea kayak. I paddle mostly with sea kayakers who've never seen an OC1 before, not even a photo. I call it a sea kayak with training wheels (actually training wheel) to make it seems more acceptable - more like a 'junior' or 'kids' version of a sea kayak.
Marty Cooperman
#18 Wed, 12/02/2009 - 6:00am
Any surf over there?
#19 Wed, 12/02/2009 - 8:18am
"Stepping on the ama when it is supported by water is not a problem as far as I’ve seen. I wear soft sandals or booties and there is not even a wear mark on the ama where I step"
I would be more aware of the connection between the iako and boat then looking for a mark on an ama which is trivial. Think of the forces that are exerted on that connection if you are pushing your weight against the ama, and looking at the hurricane connections lead me to believe you could wear out the collars, but time will tell I suppose. Curious to see if your iako to boat connection gets loose/sloppy over time
#20 Wed, 12/02/2009 - 1:46pm
Dude. Don't step on your ama. Just learn to get on from from the right side. It's the correct way to do it.
#21 Wed, 12/02/2009 - 2:25pm
Props to all you mainland paddlers in that cold water. It's been cold here in Hawaii, well for me, keep paddling.
Aloha.
#22 Wed, 12/02/2009 - 2:44pm
40s and sunny today in Seattle, beautiful paddling weather. Little bumps from the ferry and N. winds and a fat male sea lion lounging nearby. I wish I could've actually gotten in the water.
#23 Wed, 12/02/2009 - 4:28pm
Sunny in Vancouver Canada today everything was frozen ice on puddles and we could possibly get snow tomorrow . haven't been out lately but its been raining cold for the past month . possibly this weekend, if I get lucky. But...but wish I was in Waikiki.
#24 Wed, 12/02/2009 - 4:39pm
Surf: There is surf on Lake Erie but not quite like in the ocean. With an onshore breeze some surf will develop, but it take a strong wind to get the windsurfers and surf boarders out. Also the Lake is very shallow, averaging 60 feet deep in the central basin off Cleveland. This on a Lake that is 250 x 50 miles. So the wave period is very short and it's only when the waves are from the NE, running about 150 - 200 miles from Buffalo that we get 'normal' long period spread out ocean-style waves. These are the waves on which I've tried to fly the ama. That usually leads to a capsize practice.
Thanks for the note about the iako to ama connection and the collars. I'll keep an eye on that. There is some force that I apply to the ama with the tip of my foot as I boost myself onto the seat. Next year as it gets warmer I'll try the right side entry.
Marty Cooperman
#25 Thu, 12/03/2009 - 5:49am
Wow that shallow? Short period waves are kinda easier to ride, IMO. Like the Columbia River Gorge...real easy to ride.
#26 Thu, 12/03/2009 - 6:52am
They are fun, but they cant push you like a big wave can. The bigger the wave the bigger the fun.
#27 Thu, 12/03/2009 - 6:56am
Don't step on the ama. Turn your back to the canoe. Your left hand grabs rear iako, right hand grabs gunwhale and you "back up" your okole on the boat without touching the ama at all.
#28 Thu, 12/03/2009 - 7:28am