Flipped canoe/kayak

[BTaylor]

Spot on.

The cooler the air and water, the greater the risk. Perhaps deep south hunters have more opportunity for safe canoe hunts.

Larger window of less hypothermic risk I would think. That comes with cottonmouths and gators though. Never heard of anyone in a canoe or yak having a problem with gators but it has definitely crossed my mind wondering if I look like a top water bait to one, lol.

 

[Nutterbuster]

Spot on.

The cooler the air and water, the greater the risk. Perhaps deep south hunters have more opportunity for safe canoe hunts.

TBH, we're all subconsciously eager to die before the next summer hits.

 

[Allegheny Tom]

Larger window of less hypothermic risk I would think. That comes with cottonmouths and gators though. Never heard of anyone in a canoe or yak having a problem with gators but it has definitely crossed my mind wondering if I look like a top water bait to one, lol.

Haha, my wife and I just spent a few days canoe fishing in Florida. Encountered several gators on that lake. Some we saw ahead of time and they just laid there as we paddled by. But there were a couple that were hidden back in the weeds that freaked out when got too close. Sounded like all heck was breaking loose from them in a panic to get away from us. Definitely caught us off guard but was no threat to us.
I might be a little more cautious during nesting season.

 

[BTaylor]

Haha, my wife and I just spent a few days canoe fishing in Florida. Encountered several gators on that lake. Some we saw ahead of time and they just laid there as we paddled by. But there were a couple that were hidden back in the weeds that freaked out when got too close. Sounded like all heck was breaking loose from them in a panic to get away from us. Definitely caught us off guard but was no threat to us.
I might be a little more cautious during nesting season.

I have had a couple of encounters during nesting season where it was clear we needed to go around lol. One of those we were in a water scamp. That gator was only 6-7 footer but that was way bigger than I wanted to be tangling with in a scamp.

 

[Nutterbuster]

Haha, my wife and I just spent a few days canoe fishing in Florida.

Where'd y'all go? Panhandle or down in mouseland?

 

[Allegheny Tom]

Where'd y'all go? Panhandle or down in mouseland?

Lake Wales area. Paddling on Lake Ashton.
L Ashton is a golf community with a couple lakes of good size and a bunch of ponds on golf courses. One pond is right outside my sister's back door. Several years ago a golfer's ball landed on the shore of the pond. As he reached for it a big gator grabbed him by the leg and was dragging him into the water. His buddies saw it and grabbed him and were having a tug of war with the gator! The humans won and the gator left go. The guy said his biggest fear all his life was the thoughts of drowning, and there he was, about to be drown by an alligator. He survived but he's had all kinds of issues from infection.

 

[1simplemann]

I'm gonna strongly disagree with this.
We are talking cold water (paddler is possibly already freezing cold from an all day hunt), low light or complete darkness, paddling solo (so you won't have the eyes of a bow paddler to look for submerged stuff). Paddling in the dark when there is little or no current can be very sketchy. Current reveals hazards just under the surface. Flat water/no current hides hazards. Hitting a submerged stump or rock can flip a boat quickly.
I was a member of a paddle club for years. I've seen skilled, experienced paddlers flip boats because of making one wrong move at just the wrong time. It's happened to my wife and I, leading to the "How did THAT possibly happen" moment of confusion.
Packing a dry bag 1 time, and clipping it to the boat each time you paddle under cold water, low light conditions, is not a hassle.
@Blacksmith has only fallen out once in 50 years...it only takes one time in just the wrong conditions, to be life threatening.
We preach tree safety on this site constantly. Double bridges, back ups, no mechanical ascenders, gear inspection, etc, etc, etc,......
But we are nonchalant about paddling solo at night in cold water??

Listen to this man. Voice of reason.. He's seen a thing or to. With that said don't get complacent in a boat either. The other day we were setting beaver traps. I had a facemask on and glasses. My Glasses kept getting fogged up. Anyway we pull up to this island to check it out.. My Partner steps on the bow to get ready to jump off. We bump an under water log 5/6' from the bank that I couldn't see properly. I Didn't hit it hard. Just enough to rock the boat a little but it was just enough for him to lose his balance. Over he goes. It was 1 foot of water so it wasn't too bad. He got a little wet and a little cold. Trip was over at that moment and we headed for the ramp which was 5 minutes away if that. No biggie. However Now think if he was solo and in deep water and long ways from the ramp. Now he's got big issues. Life threatening issues. Don't want to sound like a Debbie Downer. I Just want people to realize that cold water and kayaks/canoes are nothing to mess around with if your not prepared. It's so easy to make a mistake. I made one and it almost cost me my life.

BTW I learned from my mistake. I bought some "over the glasses" ski goggles. Problem solved. The next day we had a nice 40lb'r in one of our traps!

 

[kyler1945]

Wearing a snug fitting good quality life jacket or inflatable is simple and low hassle. Hell, the extra warmth might be a plus in dead of winter.

Putting some sort of waterproof way to start a fire in your pocket, and a lifestraw, and 15’ of tent guy line and a 4x8 ground sheet in your pocket or a hip pouch or skimpy backpack is stupid simple. Hell some of the life jackets have zipper pockets for this.

Now if you fall out and don’t drown, you can warm yourself up in the worst case scenario, for about 100.00.

I carry an SOS button as an increased risk management. Also stupid simple.

I’m not paddling or motoring around crying and shaking in my boots about drowning.

I just know that if I fall out and don’t drown, I can not die in the next phase of getting back to warm dry air.


It doesn’t seem controversial or overly annoying.

 

[kyler1945]

Six seconds of googling. I could easily paddle in this no differently than if I were not wearing it.

Waterproof lighters are 10.00, waterproof matches a couple bucks, fire starter bricks or cakes are 10.00, all go in a couple ziplocks in the pocket. Tarp and guy line go in pocket.


If you have basic concepts of how to start fire and build shelter, the box has been checked.

I think you’re far more likely to die drowning or for hypothermia from having taken a dunk than die falling out of a tree. But that’s just a guess.

 

[Allegheny Tom]

View attachment 99074

Six seconds of googling. I could easily paddle in this no differently than if I were not wearing it.

Waterproof lighters are 10.00, waterproof matches a couple bucks, fire starter bricks or cakes are 10.00, all go in a couple ziplocks in the pocket. Tarp and guy line go in pocket.


If you have basic concepts of how to start fire and build shelter, the box has been checked.

I think you’re far more likely to die drowning or for hypothermia from having taken a dunk than die falling out of a tree. But that’s just a guess.

That little plastic gizmo on the upper left is for attaching a knife. Not a bad idea to have one on there. Lots of uses in an emergency situation but also might come in handy for field dressing critters in case you lose your "real" knife.

 

[SNIPERBBB]

View attachment 99074

Six seconds of googling. I could easily paddle in this no differently than if I were not wearing it.

Waterproof lighters are 10.00, waterproof matches a couple bucks, fire starter bricks or cakes are 10.00, all go in a couple ziplocks in the pocket. Tarp and guy line go in pocket.


If you have basic concepts of how to start fire and build shelter, the box has been checked.

I think you’re far more likely to die drowning or for hypothermia from having taken a dunk than die falling out of a tree. But that’s just a guess.

We lost a trapper several years ago. Died when he slipped at the boat ramp, head hit a rock or the concrete of the ramp, got knocked out and drowned.