Self Rescue in canoe

It was time for me to practise a bit of self rescue (no I didn't fall in.... no). I like to do a bit every year to keep myself fresh. There are lots of methods but this is the one that works for me at this point in my slightly heavier life.

Boat has been turned back upright and a heavy duty dry bag is used as a counter weight for me to get back in. Yep is is slower than than some other methods but it, importantly, works for me. I have practised in waves and wind and I am happy with that.

A lot of folk don't use airbags in their boats other than in big white water but I tend to moving from white water to big open water so the airbags stay in (bit of a British thing).

[SAM-ztuy]

Really liking that idea! Time to start leaving a spare dry bag under the foam buoyancy block.

[Voodoo_Ray]

Love this method Ray have tried it and It worked for me very well. I also adapted the idea for trimming my boat when paddling alone as I'm not that good so half filled a bag and put it up front to provide a counter to my weight .... once I become more proficient I'll take it out.

Thanks for sharing

[Thespinningwoman]

I hadn’t seen this method before - I had wondered about the opposite, filling a dry bag with air and using it to buoy up the side where I’m climbing in. Will definitely try this one, thanks.

[outdoorsqc]

be careful he has flotation balloons on each tip of the canoe. a regular canoe would sink if you try to enter it while full of water.

[khomol]

Sick bruv. Didn’t know you had a channel Ray. Subbed!

[mr.shellcracker]

Wow good job. I’ve held off on getting a canoe because of deep water reentry. Do you know of any good resources on how to use float bags? Those seemed to really help. From my Boy Scout days the canoes always seemed to swamp more

[greatscottoutdoors]

If you don’t mind me asking, but what drysuit is that your using ray?

[Snowalker]

May I ask what size is that dry bag 30 liter? Thanks

[jacobtaylor]

do you hold any courses for beginners, i am 60 similar build to yourself, and in need of a good teacher.

[Sirrehpotsirch]

Dreadful! Instead, get yourself a paddle float. It fits on the end of your paddle, which you can then use as an outrigger. This is generally used by kayakers. Also, for heavy people who may not have the arm strength to hoist themselves up and over the gunnels, have a rope ladder or a rope with some loops to use as steps. Set your paddle with the paddle float, then step up into the step on the rope ladder. You can keep both these items in a dry bag attached to a thwart.

[barnaclebill]

That was horrible! First off… the only reason it’s still on the surface is those floatation bags. The water goes on the outside not in the canoe!