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The All-Forgotten, All-In Rescue
An updated look at the all-in rescue, by Mike Falconeri.
Let's just imagine you're out paddling with your kayak partner. You're both very
sensible paddlers of intermediate skill. You both know how to T-rescue if you had to and your rolls are
not really tested yet. There's a pretty decent chop on the sea and an afternoon wind is beginning to
pick up. You both decide to make a short crossing to cut out some time on the paddle back in, about half
of a mile across.
So about half way across your partner falls in, nothing really serious just a simple lack of
concentration. After a couple attempts at his/her roll he/she has to bail out. Now things seem to be
happening. Your adrenaline seems to be flowing a little faster, your pulse quickens, you get your
thoughts together and prepare to do a T-rescue. You line up the kayaks 90 degrees to each other and get
ready to lift the bow of your partner's boat to empty it, but to your surprise you fall in. Since you're
not set up to roll, you decide to bail out. Now both of you are floating around in the middle of a
half-mile crossing, which brings us to the point we would like to discuss. What we are talking about
here is the all-forgotten, all-in rescue.
We would like to discuss a different method for the all-in rescue that we think is faster and easier
than some you may have seen. First let me review the original rescue. This method will work fine if
needed. It involves getting the kayaks at 90 degrees to each other, pulling one kayak across the other
to empty it (both still upside down). Once that is done, it is flipped right side up and both kayaks put
side by side. The kayaks are held in this position while one paddler climbs into the empty kayak. Once
in he/she performs a standard T-rescue. Now this method will work very well, but it doesn't hurt to
develop faster and easier methods and have at least one other method under your belt. What we have been
using and teaching (along with the standard method) is an all-in rescue technique that we like to call
the Urban Eskimo Desmond Dump method.
Once in the water, the first step is to get the kayaks side by side (bow to stern is best but bow to bow
works fine, too) with a paddler at each end. Next one paddler pushed down on the stern of one of the
kayaks while the other paddler lifts the bow up thus emptying the kayak. The kayak is flipped while it's
in the air. The process is repeated for the second kayak and you now have two dry upright kayaks. Both
paddlers move to the cockpit area, one on each side and jump across both kayaks. While one paddler
steadies the kayaks by laying across the decks and the other climbing back in the cockpit, you will both
be in back in your kayaks and paddling on your merry way.
With this method, as will all of the rescue techniques it takes practice to become both comfortable and
efficient. We have been able to accomplish this rescue in under 40 seconds and have had brand new
paddlers within a minute and 20 seconds.
Just remember that it is good to practice all the techniques that you can because you never know when
they may come in handy and be a matter of life or death.
(c) Mike Falconeri |
