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Paddle Safety


topwaterjoe

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The nice weather has been fantastic for paddling. Just a refresher of the regs:

http://www.smartboater.ca/public/paddler/kayak/required_equipment/

Basically you need the following on-board::

- PFD

- one sound-making signaling device (a pea-less Fox-40 whistle is plenty enough)

- 50' floating rescue rope (they come in orange/red bags)

- bailing bucket, or manual bilge pump -- for canoes/rafts, it is as easy as a plastic jug cut into a scoop, kayaks should have the bilge pump.

* sundown to sunup only: globe/360 degree white light.

Please wear and properly fasten your PFDs in cold water regardless of how deep. I took a safety course that involved up-righting swamped canoe and it takes a lot of energy. In cold water, your energy wears out quickly making the risk of drowning imminent when hypothermia sets in. PFDs can be as small and thin as you want, as long as your head stays above water. Personally I wear the sports style and do not find it uncomfortable or geeky-looking.

Enough preaching, back to paddling!

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