Just had my first experiene wiping out in shore break. Unfortunately I hadn't attached my leash yet either, so the boat made it's way back to the rocky Nova Scotia (cold!) shoreline. The boat survive just fine, broke an Iako though. It was a pretty big swell (5meter), I new getting out was risky but thought I could have made it on a lull. Ironically, had I not paused to try and attach my leash I would have made it out. Guess I should have put the leash on first. I am still a relative newby.
Any one got any good advice when it comes to surviving wipe outs?
Submitted by watersledder on Fri, 02/09/2007 - 5:34pm
When it's that big go surfing instead!
#1 Sat, 02/10/2007 - 4:22am
5 Meters? Holy Sh*t. Are you talking paddling out through 5 meter (16 foot) breaking waves. If so, lucky it was just a broken iako.
#2 Sat, 02/10/2007 - 2:19pm
What brand canoe you have?Where is your Iako broken, Ama side? hull side?
#3 Sat, 02/10/2007 - 7:53pm
It's a Hurricane. The Iako broke on the Ama side, right at the apex of the bend.
I think the suggestion to go surfing instead is good advice. I may keep my paddling to under 2m swell, surfing over 2m. I discovered swimming is really tough in a drysuit too.
Just wondering if anyone has any experience with leashes on wipe outs. Do they fail in a bad wipe, or can they cause the boat to stay dangerously close to your head/body. Would I have been hulled back to the shore with the boat?
#4 Sun, 02/11/2007 - 4:09am
I too wiped out on a shore break this past summer on a Hurricane, and snapped both my iako...ALSO right at the bend. I was wearing a long leash, however I was able to hold on to the canoe. I was kind-of pissed when it happened, however looking back, I was glad it was just the iako that broke. The rest of the boat was fine. I think a replacement set.. set me back around $250. I still have the old ones. May try to do a down and dirty repair so I have a back-up set. Anyone out there done a repair on iako? If I can recall.....I don't think it was a centimeter over 4.5 meters :)
#5 Sun, 02/11/2007 - 4:52am
Doe you have a photo or can make a draw maybe??
Every documented breakage and damage on a canoe helps to makes OC's better and safer, that why I'm asking.
Have somebody out there more experiences with broken Iakos or other parts?
#6 Sun, 02/11/2007 - 7:41am
Attached a photo (I hope) May try a dirty repair with some carbon fiber, we will see how it holds. Also learned Duck Diving is easier on a surfboard then on an OC-1 :)
#7 Sun, 02/11/2007 - 4:59pm
only a broken 'iako in big surf?
Very lucky indeed. Be sure to check the hull and 'ama for structural damage that is not visible (soft spots). I've had a couple of wipeouts in surf, both with and without leashes. My experience is if there is a sandy beach, no leash is okay since the canoe won't impact sharp shoreline like rocky or reef shoreline. I've been dragged behind the canoe by the leash after a substantial wipeout and think the anchor (me) may have contributed to the damage on the canoe (also a broken 'iako) since the canoe has stress on it. Good idea not to surf on a canoe, unless it was made for surfing, or its a back up canoe that can handle some abuse and repair work.
#8 Mon, 02/12/2007 - 6:32pm
for fixing ur iako...maybe put some silicone in both of the broken ends and then put a segement of coathangar in it...then u can bend the coathangar to the shape u want and fill around it with a cabosil mix and then glass around that...that make any sense? where were u surfing a canoe in 5 METER?!?! surf?
#9 Mon, 02/12/2007 - 6:46pm
mumbojumbo
just sent you a looooooooooooong answer...now I can't seem to find it....did you get it?
#10 Tue, 02/13/2007 - 4:37pm
Thanks Mumbo. Got it.
That was just the kind of feedback I was looking for. I was curious as to how people have dealt with dangerous situations whether it be shore break or open ocean. I was curious as to the safety of a leash. As swell size rises, they may becoming less safe, or perhaps the length of any average OC-1 leash is not adequate for larger swell. Thanks for the feedback.
#11 Wed, 02/14/2007 - 4:05am
WEAR A LEASH IF ITS BIG...it saved my boat and possibly my life...I was with a bunch of guys who had done the solo and they were all saying that it was the windiest they had ever seen it and that the run we were doing was more intense than the solo (we were dropping into waves just by using our paddles as sails...i flipped(go figure)...and had I not had my leash my boat would have been gone and the wind was to strong for anyone to paddle against so I would have had to swim to shore alone...i had no problems with length I attached it to the iako with a piece of cord and it was fine...but at least in my experience the leash saved me...just my 2 cents
#12 Wed, 02/14/2007 - 1:10pm
Nice idea nb1376,
It's not so easy at all, you can use a spoonful of cabosil as a permanent gap filler on your surfboard or fix a buckle on the fender of your car, but don't you dare repair a dynamically stressed high-tech composite part with it.
It's just to dangerous.
#13 Thu, 02/15/2007 - 6:51am
Definitely wear a leash on downwind and open ocean runs.
The wind and waves will make your canoe surf pretty well without you, and for sure waaaaayyyy faster than anyone could swim. If you have an escort boat they could pick you up and chase down the canoe, however, if it was in a race, you may have to go back to the area where you lost the canoe in the first place.
#14 Thu, 02/15/2007 - 8:49am