THINGS YOU THINK OF AFTER THE FACT ((((UPDATED)))

I took my new outback out today on my first fishing outing . I have had my outback out for a few shake down outings before. This was my first fish outing we went up tp RB for some fluking the wind was blowing and the tide was moving. This wasnt to bad there was four of us and we were all handling the conditions with no problems at all. We were all catching fish and enjoying the day on the water. Me my friend were drifting away from the other two a pretty good distance when bill said he was going back in i agreed and said im going to finish the drift. I Decided to check on my catch and decide to put the fish in the cooler behind me. i turned around in the seat on my knees and put the fish in the cooler all is fine until i turned around to head back to my friends. As i started to turn around and dont ask me how cause i dont really know i capsized my yak. At first i coudnt believe i had done such a bone head move then i thought about my gear then i tried to right the yak which i couldnt at first. Then i look for my friends for help they were so far away i couldnt even see them.i again tried to right the yak with no luck. I could not climb up the side of the outback it was just to high (higher then most other yaks) then i went to the bow of the boat with no luck again all this time.I yet hadnt inflated my pfd i thought about it but i wanted to wait a little at first i wasnt in that much trouble yet . Well i went to the stern of the yak there i was able to grab the rudder and get a hold on 1 of the scupper holes with this i was able to hoist myself up on my yak and then grabing one side of her using my body weight pulling her over and rerighting her. I was back in the water but my yak was upright i went to the bow this time and with not to much effort was able to get back in the yak. I grab my VHF and told my friends i went in the water that im all right and we be heading for them in a few. I lost some gear but most was save by my leashes.(THATS NOT IMPORTANT) WHAT IS IMPORTANT ARE THE LESSONS I LEARNED AFTER THE FACT. Other then the fact that i capsized my yak and trust me my friends will never let me forget it . I was lucky i was able to stay with my yak i didnt panic(AND I MIGHT HAVE THERE JUST WASNT ENOUGH TIME) I able to right my yak get back in and pedal back. But what if couldnt stay with my yak a lot of good that vhf would have done attached to my yak and not me. how come i didnt know i couldnt right this yak unless i got up on her . how come i didnt know i couldnt climb up on her.What if the water was rough or cold. Well i know now 1st i will not wear pfd i have to inflate it might be ok for some but not for me. 2nd my vhf will be attached to my pfd and not the yak .3rd i will attach a rope though my scupper hole and around my boat to give me both a hand hold and also help with righting this yak (this rope will be attach with some device so i can remove it when its not in the water).There will be 4th, 5th and other lessons to learned the more i think about it. But most of all this yak will be in my pool as i train my self not only to sit and fish in her but what to do if im not!!!!!!!!



Well i put the outback in the pool today and found out a couple interesting things.
1st i dont believe i capsized her just by my movements , this yak is so stable its hard to believe. A wave must have caught me from behind plus i must have been a little off center. I tried to capsize her in the pool i was able too but took it alot of effort there is no way i would have leaned that far over.
2nd I cant believe i got on top of her to reflip her when i was in the bay in the pool the only way still for me to get on top of her to reflip her was from the stern where i was able to get a hand hold on the rudder.This was the way i did it in the bay but in the pool it took 3 trys.

I THINK I FOUND A EASIER SOLUTION FOR REFLIPING THE YAK YOU TAKE 12 FT 6 INCH PIECE OF 1 INCH WEBBING.
SEW THIS WEBBING TOGETHER SO YOU HAVE A PIECE 6 FEET LONG THAT FORMS A LOOP (IM GOING TO MAKE 2 OF THESE FOR BOTH SIDES OF THE YAK)) YOU INSTALL THIS LOOP AROUND YOUR SIDE HANDLES. IN THE EVENT YOU FLIP HER YOU CAN FIND THE LOOP COIL IT IN YOUR HAND AND THROW IT OVER THE YAK .NOW YOU SWIM AROUND TO OTHER SIDE GRAB THE LOOP WITH 1 HAND INSERT YOUR FOOT INTO THE LOOP WITH BOTH HANDS REACHING UP TO GRAB THE WEBBING AND YOUR FOOT IN THE LOOP THE YAK THE YAK REFLIPS WITH NO TROUBLE AT ALL. IT WAS SO EASY AND YOU CAN COIL THIS LOOP TO SIT IN THE CORNERS OF THE SEAT OUT OF THE WAY OF EVERYTHING.
I WISH I HAD VIDEO OF THIS THIS SHOULD WORK ON ALL SOT!!! FOR ME AT LEAST I CANNOT FLIP THIS YAK WHILE IM IN THE WATER SHES JUST TO WIDE AND HEAVY SO THIS IS THE WAY IM GOING UNLESS ANYBODY OUT THERE HAS A
BETTER WAY PLEASE POST IF YOU DO

Glad to hear you made out ok, good thing the water right now is warm.
You leaned some good stuff though, most important I think is having that VHF attached to you.
I don't have an Outback, but I have found a lot of dumping has occurred when reaching around to access something in the back of the yak. I always now if I'm doing something more then just reaching around to get at something in my crate, I always will sit side saddle. I usually will grab my side handle with my opposite hand to keep me centered on the yak when just grabbing a plano box or some water in my crate.
My first yak was a Cobra Explorer which had almost zero secondary stability, if I just looked over my shoulder that thing was ready to flip.
Good luck to you, best practice is to try and flip it in a stable environment, you'll see what you can and cannot do. Take in consideration though the conditions you will sometimes find your self in when on the water, Sh@# happens in an instance sometimes, believe me I know
I see your in South Jersey, try and see if you can make the Cape May Tourney, there will be a lot of experienced yak fishers down there, nothing beats BS'ing with these guys, we have all been there and screwed up a lot

Thanks herder the post was long so i didnt really get into my bio . I have been kayaking for about 15 yrs now and fishing in a yak of diffrent types for 3 yrs now. i have owned power and sail boats most of my life. i know or i think i know how i flip her thats not really the point. My point was the lessons i learned should have planned for or all ready thought of. Like for example i should have known that once in the water with this capsized yak im not going to right her just by pulling her over shes to wide. So the lesson for me and hopfully for others is hey new boat new school i should have known that.
SO ITS LIKE I SAID THE THINGS YOU THINK OF AFTER THE FACT

Glad you got yourself righted! It sucks when someone dumps. Yeah, we all make fun of the last one to dump, but you bring up an important point. Each year, Shipwreck (Chris Shoplock), Joe Cambria, and Yakman (Al Stillman) host a free surf launch workshop or two. These are good for people at all levels. As you pointed out, you have 15 years in and didn't panic. I'm sure that you knew that sooner or later you'd flip that beast over.

Many people aren't familiar with re-entry and should practice it in every model they paddle. Another important thing that you brought up was staying with your kayak. People instinctively swim after a windblown kayak only to learn that they can't catch it. Now they are out of energy and can't swim to shore.

Glad you made it through and good looking out for bringing up the issue of re-entry.

Hey Chris to tell u the truth I all ways thought i might get dump but never thought it would be later or even sooner LOL.
To be honest though im glad it happened when it did, it was windy and the current was strong and even some swells but made for a good training mission. But most of all I learned a lesson that could never be hammered though the way this one did. I was not prepared for this and i should have been!! Its like be seasick i never get seasick but it might happen. Well i puked and was not prepared although you cant preprare for every situation I hope this prepares me and others for the what IF's

Hey rubone47, didn't realize you've been around the block a few times
Still hope to see ya at the Cape May gathering

herder guess i have but i think i have to do a few more laps lol

I was just informed a on a other site of a different method i just tried it in the pool it work fine but does not have the mechanical advantage of my method. if your yak (OUTBACK) is capsized and your in the water you can reach over with 1 hand and grab the side carry grip that is on the other side of the yak, then with the other hand grab the side grip that your on and pull on the grip on the far side and lift with the side your on the boat will come right over. i performed this with both a pfd on and off in water over my head just floating in the water.

rubone47

Thanks for posting tips like this. New guys like myself can use all of the help we can get. I didn't even think about attaching the radio to your vest (good idea). Is there any opinion to tethering yourself to the yak to prevent it from getting away?

Thanks
Tim

the thought of tether myself to the yak has crossed my mind im still up in the air about it