Howzit guys. i'm kinda new to OC1 paddling been doing it for about a month now. i pretty much got my balance thing down, got hte brace on the right and everything but i keep hearing how ppl say to get back on the right side of the canoe. I have tried numerous times and every time i make the attempt the canoe almost flips over back on me. so what i do is take my leash of go to the left side, climb in, then put my leash back on. any help could be greatly appreciated. thanks a lot.
Submitted by Kaiahua on Wed, 08/08/2007 - 9:10am
You have to be more forceful with your kick to get enough weight out and over the hull to prevent the ama from coming up. It's more about legs kicking than arms pulling. Based on your profile, the fusion will be a more difficult boat due to the volume and high sides. I have a hurricane and pegasus. Both have a relatively low profile and it's easier to get up and over. But that's the key, getting up and over. Another factor is physical strength related to your body mass. Unless you are physically able to do several pull-ups, pushups, and situps, it will be that much harder.
I am an expert on the huli, so I know about this stuff.
Ken
#1 Wed, 08/08/2007 - 10:52am
What I find works for me getting back in on the right is to swim/line up my body as level to the water surface as possible towards the boat, then reach over to the left side edge of the hull deck across the seat area with my left hand and push/pull myself across the seat till my belly button is essentially over the center of the boat seat. Once you get that far it's easy to swivel yourself into the seat and upright.
There is a great link on surfski.info on how to remount a surfski here, you can apply the techniques here for mounting an OC as well. Great pics and info:
http://www.surfski.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=421&It...
It does help to be reasonably strong to pull yourself forward and up and kick hard with your legs to get across the boat as said by kdkoors.
Choke Aloha!
#2 Wed, 08/08/2007 - 4:09pm
There's no right or wrong side to get back on the canoe. If you're leashed to your boat, however, the only way to get back on without taking it off is to climb back on from the right. You can mount your boat from the left side but you'll have to unleash yourself and adjust the leash once you're back in. I don't recommend unleashing yourself while you're still in the water.
#3 Wed, 08/08/2007 - 7:32pm
strength wise i'm relatively strong but i am a big guy also (6'4" 280lbs). i do have the upper body strength but i'm guessing my problem is like u guys stated kicking hard enough so that i can get i guess my belly button at least on the canoe to balance out the weight. Pitt, i get on the side saddle way like the surfski, but actually on the left side so i'm trying to work just just getting back on the right. thanks for all the help next time i paddle i'll spend some time trying to get back on. SHOOTS
#4 Wed, 08/08/2007 - 9:45pm
Aloha from Seattle!
I'm new to the forum and started paddling in January this year, OC6, and just started paddling an OC1 on-and-off for the last two months. What a blast, and a challenge!
I recently bought myself a leash after reading here that it's a good safety measure no matter what the conditions or where you paddle, and after paddling on a pretty windy day recently.
Well during another windy paddle this weekend huli'd. Yeah, I probably could've prevented it if I'd practiced bracing more, but in my un-seasoned experience it happened in a blink. After floating there in the water contemplating this thread, leashed to the canoe, I tried a right-side remount. No way was it going to happen. I contemplated disconnecting the leash but then realized it IS coiled and will stretch. So I went to the bow, flipped my leg over it and voila! I was on the left side and easily remounted, with the leash still attached. Perhaps not blazing speed but it worked.
The leash surely added a measure of safety and piece of mind. I'm looking forward to paddling OC1 more, even thought it's here in Seattle :)
#5 Mon, 08/27/2007 - 2:02pm
Since nobody else has mentioned it, the fast way to recover after a huli is to pull yourself quickly over the (then upside down) hull and grab the front iako as you slide down the other side and your momentum will bring the ama over, you will then be on the ama side ready to mount.
Obvisously your weight and hull size factors in. I tried this on an old boat and it nearly cracked, but for huricane, pegasus etc your golden.
#6 Mon, 08/27/2007 - 3:30pm
AmaFly,
No chance of screwing up the hull of your boat this way? It seems anything hard like a metal rivet or even the bow knot in your board shorts could cause a pressure dent in the bottom of the hull. I'm fairly light, but I would think a 200+ lb. person could really screw their boat up crawling across the bottom of the hull like that.
Ken
#7 Mon, 08/27/2007 - 3:47pm
As a self appointed crash test dummy for the outrigger canoe industry (hahaaa) i feel I'm appropriately qualified to speak on this matter.
As the canoe is supported along its length by the water, rolling over it as described by Amafly would not put much stress on the hull. Sure a belt buckle or such would have to be identified as a possible scratch or dent maker but you're not going to break your canoe in half. I do this all the time and never have any problems and I'm back on the canoe in 5 seconds flat. It's is definitely the quickest way i know of the remount with a leg rope when the canoe is upside down. I don't grad the iako, just the side of the hull as i slide over.
All the warnings about "don't carry your canoe on your shoulder" etc are referring to soft to touch canoe layups (usually coremat compressed to buggery by vacuum between two layers of carbon) as against Divinycell layups that are hard shell finish like Hurricane, Peggy etc but retain a dent if hit hard.
The soft layup canoes usually crack just adjacent to a stiff edge or sharp corner and need extra care with handling.These are ideal layups to incorporate Kevlar as one of the skins, so if it does sustain a knock and crack to the outer water proofing, it won't break open and often goes unnoticed.
I have no problem with either layup construction, but you need to be aware of which yours is and treat it accordingly. There are advantages to both types which is one of the reasons I'm compiling the Oc1/2 Buying Guide so paddlers have info to make an informed choice.
Know your canoe .. ask your canoe maker questions, he will gladly give you the info because it shows you care and it's in his best interests.
Cheers Rambo
#8 Mon, 08/27/2007 - 9:01pm
See, you learn something new everyday. Can't wait until my next huli to try it out.
#9 Mon, 08/27/2007 - 4:47pm
I would not recommend climbing over your hull as a solution to avoiding entanglement if you own a carbon boat. The hull is not designed to take localized pressure in one or more spots caused by knees, ankles, elbows pressing into the hull. If you climb over your canoe, you will end put stress cracks in the gel coat and soft spots or dents in the hull. Even the act of righting the canoe after a huli can cause cracks, softs spots or dents. Once when I flipped over, I reached over the hull, grabbed the iako and pulled the iako/ama over to right the canoe. My elbow pushed into the hull, cracked the gelcoat and put a dent into it.
#10 Mon, 08/27/2007 - 5:06pm
Swell Paddler, I also paddle up here in Seattle. I hate to be Grandmama, but I just wanted to let you know how much harder it is ti right your canoe when it get's colder. The cold water can literally knock the wind out of you, so get a farmer john wetsuit, a dry top, booties, a PFD, and leash of course. You'll find all this at the Kayak shop at Sand Point, among other places. I can't stress the danger that the cold presents too much. This past winter, we had a couple close calls in the Sound due to not being properly equipped. That being said, I hope you are able to enjoy some winter Seattle paddling. There's some fun downwind runs in the lake and the Sound when those Fall southerlies come through...Jim
#11 Mon, 08/27/2007 - 5:12pm
Snarfy, i wouldn't recommend doing it on a "soft layup" Oc1, that's why i pointed out the difference (as I said, know your canoe type)
Just slide over like a seal would do and you will have no probs. I do it all the time ... no damage. .... my other maneuvers? You should see my "back flip with pike half twist remount" ... very impressive ..hahaa
Rambo
#12 Mon, 08/27/2007 - 5:37pm
Hey Grandmama! Thanks for the tips. Send me a PM and perhaps we can link up sometime.
We huli'd an OC6 earlier this season in Lake Union, before it got warm, and it was definately a shock to the system. I do some freediving in Puget Sound and know it gets pretty freakin' cold. Certainly not for the faint of heart! Any sport with the right gear makes for good times, whatever the weather.
I'm hoping to try a few races this winter so all I gotta get is a dry-top and a better PFD before then. Woohoo!
#13 Mon, 08/27/2007 - 7:16pm
Seriously, why bother even trying to find a different way to do it? The way that works every time for every boat, is to get on from the right. Just practice until you can do it.
Sheesh!
#14 Tue, 08/28/2007 - 11:43am
Yep, I started thinking about it and I can usually get in from the right rather painlessly. I doubt that I will risk my boat during what would be the inevitable learning curve.
#15 Tue, 08/28/2007 - 4:22pm