NORTHSEAKAYAK - The Self Rescue Training Drill 

Thank you! Glad this was usefull to you. Be safe and enjoy the water!

Thank you Brian, glad it is usefull to you. It is a drill you can build up at your own pace. On flat calm, then on choppy. You can add a time limit if you want, ..... Cheers 😊💦👌

Trust me it aint as easy as he made it look😂

Cheers Thomas, glad you like the video! Never heard of what you are saying before. I know that in Nieuwpoort harbor every pontoon has automatical switches to prevent this, and these are maintained. Gonna ask around for this, cheers. 👌😊

Thank you for watching, and for the compliment! All the best! Dimitri

Thank you Gary, I'll pass it through to her! Best regards! Dimitri

Thanks for the lovely compliment Anton!

Thanks Jean-Luc!! Dimitri

Capó gran video

Cheers! Have fun (you will)! Besides extra confidence for a self-rescue, this particular exercise made it easy for me to attach my long tow line to the bow without getting wet. You can see what I mean in our most recent video ( Rescue Training Dredger Rio, part 3).

Me and Mick tried the drill this morning, harder than it looks after a few attempts we managed to get the first part done and nearly the second but had to do lots of rescues so really good fun and great practice. Also could you tell me what you are doing with the paddle when the kayak is upside down emptying the water from the cockpit? Thanks again Dimitri

@@gw6797 great to hear, keep up the good work and both of you will master this very quickly. We do this drill on open water, with waves as well. The paddle leans on my shoulder, between shoulder strap PFD and my neck so it stays in place . Then the paddle blade needs to make a sculling, infinite motion for pressure on the surface. That way I avoid getting pushed under water by the weight of my boat when lifting it up to empty the cockpit . This works good if the boat isn't expedition laden and if conditions are not too rough.

@@Northseakayak good info, thanks

Have fun! We did them today on open water! :-) Cheers, Dimitri

So glad it worked out for you!! Thumbs up for that!!

Thanks for sharing your story Rob, and the compliment! Do not worry about capsizing sometimes. In our team we have a saying. "If a kayaker never capsizes, he (or she) is not pushing his (or her) limits. :-) So in our team, no one is afraid to capsize, it's all part of the process! Cheers, Dimitri

Cheers Samaras!!

Thanks for the nice comments! Sorry, but I didn't get a notification for this, hence my late reaction. All the best! Hope you are fine and healthy?👍😊

@@Northseakayak Thanks to you, Dimitri. Well yes, the virus still didn´t find me here in Spanish nature. Although because of all the restrictions it has been a quite year for the kayak. Hope you and your beloved ones are well too.

Thank you so much for your kind worlds Tony, much appreciated! Always welcome to paddle along with us, should you ever be in Belgium. A happy New year to you and your beloved ones to! Cheers, Dimitri

Hi Lance! So great to hear that you and your group have tried this. On the matter of the high volume kayaks, the best advice I can give is to send an email with your remarks to the local kayak builders. It can take some time, but if they are really willing to improve they will listen to customers advice. I'm doing the same over here and they really appreciate it. Best regards to you and your group! Cheers, Dimitri

I learnt how to do this today and had the same issue. One tip that may help. I had two 10 litre dom bags and filled those up with water and added these to the bow / stern compartments. It really helped to lower and stabilise the kayak slightly. After some practice nailing the drill, I cut it down to 5 L in each bag, before going all the way down to nothing. Even after doing over 30 drills for practise, I managed to get back into the empty yak a couple times before my muscles gave out and had to resort to a stern cowboy. It's a heck of a lot more strenuous with a rounded deck!

Hi Elliot! Thanks for the compliment and for watching our videos. A big hug from the Belgian West Coast! Cheers, Dimitri

Love watching you're videos. Learning alot from them 👍👍👍

Thanks, glad it proves usefull!👌

Hi Klaus, So great to hear, and thank you for sharing (both the video, as the sea kayak vibe)! :-) It's a great drill and you will see that everybody in your group can do it after some training. If it's succesfull, then try it in the circumstances you paddle in. Have fun! Cheers, Dimitri

A healthy and sporty New Year to you to ! Let us know how training works for you? Cheers, Dimitri

Good job! Don't expect this to work from the first time, same for building up to rougher conditions. But if you keep doing what you do, you will manage!👌💪😊

@@Northseakayak thanks will keep trying each week when the tide is in anyways haha

Thank you Osvaldo! Merry Christmas! Dimitri

Hi there, thank you for watching and commenting. Have a try, the first times on flat water will be a bit shaky, so make sure that you do all the movement very slow. That way you will get a feel on how the boat behaves. After that you can try to beat your previous time and if that is succefull, then go for a bit choppier conditions. And don't forget to have fun! :-) Cheers, Dimitri

Let us know how it goes! Have fun!😊👍👌

Hi there! Thanks for the compliments, just went back from the hairdresser, so couldn't affort to get my "coifure" all wet again! :-D Have a good and healthy New year! Dimitri

Hi, and thank you! Yes it works on rough seas as well. It will become difficult in surf conditions, where I would opt re-entry and roll. This self rescue works in the conditions we filmed the series "The Run", to be seen on our channel. Cheers!

Glad you like it! It is theoretically easier without PFD.... but: dangerous as well! As a (sea) kayaker you should always wear your PFD, and thus train with it. Best of luck, and have fun!

Hi Martin, Thank you. We got the same question a few years back and we decided to test it out with a few of our team members. It doens't work very well. I would advise you to test it out on occasion and see for your self, but the best way to empty it very fast and easy (if the kayak is not fully loaden) is the way in the video. Have fun! Cheers, Dimitri

Cheers! Have a try! 😊👌

Hi Soren! You're welcome, and thank you as well!! Yes, please, feel free to use this. Consider it shareware! Please mention about us to your students? Greetings!!

@@Northseakayak Great, I will make sure to mention you! :)

You're welcome! It certainly will come in handy and it's fun to do this with a couple of friends. We're always enjoying those moments with the team members, lots of laughter! :-)

Your lessons help me a lot in preparation for the big expedition. Used kayak, sea kayak now. When he sat for the first time, was sure

Hi Beth, Always make sure your clothing is adjusted to the water temperature, that is the mist important rule. Wheter you use a wet or a dry suit, field test it in a safe environment to see if it is sufficient. In the video, water temperature is only about 5°C, so I'm wearing a few base layers underneath my dry suit. I'm using TYPHOON dry suits as the are high quality, yet affordable. All the best!😊👍

Hi Jill, We are an advocate for short tethers between paddler and kayak during the rougher conditions. However, this is to be sure not to loose your kayak right after the capsize and wet exiting. Once there, we detach in order to empty the boat. In rough conditions, we will keep paddle and boat together for this. A longer line can entangle you. So, we need to make choices. If you prefer a re-entry and roll, then the short tether can stay put. Choices, and knowing what you're doing is key. Cheers!👌😊

Hello Jon, Thanks for your kind reaction! Yes, this helps us, and a lot of others, perform a swift cowboy-scramble self-rescue. Balance and timing is everything when out there in rough conditions.👌😊 Cheers!

@@Northseakayak The question I am raising is: can YOU at your skill level perform a cowboy scramble self-rescue in conditions big enough to knock YOU over? Especially, can you do it after fighting to stay upright, having your roll fail and wet exiting the boat at which time you are, almost by definition, a bit disoriented? At your skill level, I would presume the conditions under which you would come out of your boat would be horrific. Could you do do this self-rescue at that time? A paddle-float re-entry and roll can compensate for a lot of disorientation and flawed trolling technique. It then gives you a much more stable platform to get your spray deck on and pump out the water from the cockpit.

@@judithcons7695 hmmm.... difficult to answer that. On the water, it is never black or white. I don't believe in so called bomb proof rolls, neither in other rescues. Everything can fail if conditions are totally against you. That is why we train on several rescue techniques, including rolling, re-entry and roll and self-rescues with and without paddle float. In breaking surf (see conditions in Schipgat series) I will choose the re-entry and roll but without pumping out. In force 7 but open sea (see our The Run series) I perform the cowboy-scramble. No need to grab a pump as I empty the kayak before climbing in. As for that, I don't believe in pumping out in the really rough stuff. In our team we train on doing or trying a self-rescue 3 times tops before calling for help. First times mostly without paddle-float, third time with paddle-float. If that doesn't work after 3 times and exhaustion kicks in: call for help. Never had to do that before myself so I manage to perform a solid self-rescue in the conditions I paddle in. Let's hope it stays that way. Hope this is an answer to your question? Cheers!😊👌

@@Northseakayak Thanks for taking all that time. We both have obviously thought about this over the years, in my case (I’m 75) a lot of years. I just worry that variations on the cowboy-scramble type of rescue are what I see more of these days. It has the advantage of not having to fool with extra equipment, which the paddler may not have or may lose when everything is going wrong. Also, because there is no extra equipment, it is simpler to teach. A paddle float type of rescue may be more reliable for the novice, who is most likely to find themselves in the water unexpectedly, which is why I still think it should be taught first.

You're welcome! I'm using a P&H Cetus MV in expedition kevlar-carbon infusion lay-up. 😊👌

Hi Kjetil, So nice to hear how you are doing with the rescue techniques. Well done!! Keep on training and have fun. All the best! Dimitri & Sylvie 😊👌👍

Hi Frank, Cockpit is 80cm. Shoe size is EU41. Check if seat is not positioned to far to the front. If you cannot perform this rescue due to smaller cockpit, or any other reason for that matter, I would reccommend the heel hook self-rescue with paddle-float. Works every time if trained enough. Hope this helps?

Merry Christmas Richie, we wish you also lots of quality time on the water the coming year!! Dimitri

Dankjewel Jeffrey. Nee er is geen echt merkbaar verschil bij deze oefeningen tussen beide boten. De Cetus is zo wat het composiet broertje van de Scorpio. Doordat ie wat langer en smaller is, is ie een klein tikkeltje sneller. Het verschil in breedte is echter voor dergelijke oefeningen verwaarloosbaar. Veel plezier! Dimitri

I consider that as a compliment! 😉 But indeed, it take some energy but it's important you can do this in the conditions you paddle in. Have fun! Cheers, Dimitri 👍👌

I need a whole Lotta hep with flexibility. My yak is a 1984 recreational boat and very wide. I will aspire to being this fit. Great stuff.

Thank you Liam! It works in swell, but with training and timing.

You're welcome! If you find it too difficult to scramble on the back deck right behind the cockpit, maybe you should move a bit to the rear. The kayak is less wide and for some people better to scramble onto the deck. It is a bit in between cowboy-scramble and the ladder technique. Hope this helps? And training, lot's of training! Have fun!😊💪👌

Hi, Yes, this needs training... but have a try. It will pay off, better agility and safety. And it's fun if you are dressed for immersion.😊👌

@@Northseakayak Oh absolutely and I admire the skill, my fitness just sucks hahah. Core strength really helps with this stuff.

We don't use a paddle leash, we do use a safety line when op open water in rougher conditions. Personal choice of course. Cheers!

Good question, and you cannot see it in the video: kicking with your feet/legs! In rough conditions my heads also goes under for a seconds, so no worries . It will become a habit when you keep training. Good job!😊👍

@@Northseakayak OK thanks for the reply I'll keep trying👍

You're welcome. We do our videos in English for a few years now, because someone asked for it. That way we can reach a larger group. The more you do this drill, the easier it gets, for sure! :-) Cheers, Dimitri

Yes, you are absolutely right. That is why we build up our skills, in the conditions we paddle in. There can Always happen something, but that is in every sport... Every trip we do, we train on rescues and other skills, no exceptions. Thank you for watching and commenting! Cheers, Dimitri

Have a look at this video at 7min10sec.... ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-EH2q6zHVfJo.html

Reason for this, filming in calm water for instructional purpose is easy to show details. Please understand that we are not a professional film crew and that we do our best to share our knowledge via this way. Cheers!👌😊

Hi Karl, Give the kayak a small twitch to one of the sides so air can flow into the cockpit. Then it will be easier to lift. Good question! Cheers! Dimitri

Hi Dimitri, I successfully performed the capsized drill as you advised. I flooded and capsized the boat in the sea under training conditions. Twitched the capsized boat to one side, followed by an upward move and rotation to bring the boat afloat draining about 80% of the water in the cockpit emptying the kayak from the water and rendering it more stable. This is followed by the cowboy drill to re-enter the cockpit. Thank you once again for your excellent videos and advice.

Oh so great to hear that kind of feed-back!! Always good to hear that there are other paddlers that train on those techniques, makes you a lot more comfortable when paddling in the rougher conditions. All the best! Cheers, Dimitri

Hahahaa, give the grumpy man a big hug from us, and you too! Merry Christmas and a good and healthy 2018!! Dimitri & Sylvie

Yeah, that would be an inventive idea! :-D :-) Cheers, Dimitri

One of our team members has such a kayak and he trained specifically on the heel hook self rescue with paddle-float. Re-entry and roll is also an option. Have a look, and have fun!😊👌

ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-_LLNATL6BdQ.html

Thank you! Watched linked video and will practice.

Hello Beth? I do moderate stretching every now and then, mostly after running sessions, which helps a lot for this kind of practice!👍😊

Augh, sorry to hear that. Hope you will be all right!😊👍

@@Northseakayak yep I will be fine thanks . i just ned to practice to get my balance back . I noticed last time i went paddling my ballence was getting better . so it should just be a matter of time and practice

Cheers John! When I'm alone at open water I do use a short tether between myself and my kayak, and I carry a spare paddle as well. 😊👌👍

Hi Greg, Good question!😊👌 We used a paddle leash during the first years. Then we saw that it was sometimes more in the way, and we always train wet exits while holding the paddle with one hand, and the kayak with the other hand. If you use one, check and try where it fits best: on the PFD or connected to your boat. We are not against the use of a paddle leash, we consider it a personal choice. All the best!😁👍

Hi! You're not the first, it is the cockpit itself that is too small for you. When buying a sea kayak, it's best to try this out. That way you are sure about the cockpit-size. It has nothing to do with the overall size of the boat. So don't buy a HV model just for that. Look for a brand that has a larger cockpit-opening. Cheers!👍👌

Yes indeed, but that is for a lot of sports the same.👌😊

@@Northseakayak True. Excellent video.

Hello Jay, Yes, this VE floats, no worries. 👍😊

Me and Sylvie are using the MAgic Marine Ultimate boot with a zipper. Perfect when going in and out with dry suit socks. Here you can find the details; Cheers, Dimitri www.magicmarine.com/product/footwear/ultimate-boot/

Hi Tomek, I used to tether my paddle with a paddle leash. I stopped doing that because no I can use my paddle more freely when doing self rescues. In this case there is no good and wrong, it's more a matter of personal prefference. So I would advise you to do what feels best. Cheers, Dimitri

First thing I do, but it's never all gone. 😁👌

Hi! This is a P&H Cetus MV, expedition kevlar-carbon lay-up. Cheers!👌😊

@@Northseakayak thanks, Cheers!👌😊

Hi D.Allan, have you checked if you have the right size of boat/cockpit? If you have a keyhole cockpit than you should be able to perform this kind of action. If so, maybe do some agility training (I'm doing this on a regular base). I hope this helps? Best of luck, have fun on the water! Dimitri

NORTHSEAKAYAK I’m definitely lacking in the flexibility department so I’m working on it. I pretty sure it’s the correct size although there isn’t much clearance. It’s fine sitting on the shore doing that when the boat is braced but as you say, you need the flexibility and core strength to do it when the boat is in water. Cheers, subscribed !

Haha, you are doing me too much honour! But thank you!

Hi! If one does not have the stenght to lift the kayak (emptying), you will need to pump out the remaining water once seated. This is also the case with a fully laden kayak. Hope this helps? You can see the pumping in our video "Paddle-float self-rescue". Close the spraydeck and leave a small gap for the pump. All the best! Please let us know how it goes.😊💦💪👌

@@Northseakayak I go out in my kayak all the time. I love it out there and I live in a kayakers paradise so all I want to do is get out on the water. I have no interest in any other kind of boat. But I'm a 68 yr old female and not confident of my ability to self rescue. I've managed it twice but with great difficulty and in calm water. I carry a locator beacon. As soon as the weather warms up a bit more (it's winter here) I hope to practice self-rescue until I get better at it but its hard to learn new tricks at my age. I keep looking at videos like yours to help me learn what I need to practice. You are an inspiration. I am very careful not to fall out of my boat but I know it will happen some time so I'm determined to learn. I did fall out once coming ashore in surf but as it was a beach no need to self rescue. Today I paddled alone again and sometimes I think I must be crazy but I just love the fact that at any time out there I could meet up with wildlife. Today it was a big stingray. A week or so back I was in my double kayak with a friend and a big pod of wild bottlenose dolphins took us in their slipstream and towed us miles off course. It took hours to paddle home again. My young crew was tired from a head injury so I had to do a bigger share of the paddling. I was shattered by the time we got in, but I wouldn't have missed that amazing experience for anything. BTW I see a boat behind you with RNZYS. That's the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron. Did you film it here in New Zealand? Or has that boat sailed to the Northern hemisphere?

Hi Tui, So great to hear your story. Must say that I put my hat of for people like yourself, always eagar to learn no matter what the age is. Our "oldest" team member has turned 72, and he still loves beeing in the water, even if he strugles with his rescue techniques. That boat that you saw must have sailed here, we filmed in Nieuwpoort harbor which is in Belgium, Europe. All the best, have fun and be safe!😊👌💪

Hi Allan, Is it because your cockpit is too small, or because it's physical impossible?

@@Northseakayak I just realised I commented on this last year ! Yes, I think it’s because the cockpit is a bit short, I’m not very flexible and the seat leans me back a bit

@@DAllan-lz3lg ah, yes indeed, that can be the problem. When one buys a kayak, make sure to ha e a seat in it. Then try to get legs in and out whilst sat. That way you're sure that a self-rescue isn't a problem. Happy paddling!! And if your cockpit is small, try rolling or the paddle float self rescue (heel-hook). Cheers!👍😊

@@Northseakayak Can you link the videos to those types of exercises and re-entry? My seatback is pretty high. I can not lift myself over it at this time. Our lake bottom is like quicksand. We had a fellow drown after sinking in it and unable to extricate himself from the reeds.

@@Northseakayak How do you not get water up your nose while rolling? I fail every time.

Thanks! :-)

God film... og god inspiration.🇩🇰

Hi there, so sorry to hear. Are you sure you have the right size of boat/cockpit for you? Maybe that is where the problem is.... Have fun and be safe! Cheers, Dimitri

@@Northseakayak I have several kayaks. The cockpit size doesn't tend to block a size 13 foot, but the clearance between the deck and the bilge does. My primary sea kayaks are an Epic 18x and a CLC 17. I can manage self-rescues and rolls in both, but my toes have to be pretty pointed to clear. Once I'm in wearing a shoe with any volume, my feet get pinned. I still manage to complete a couple of 500 km trips a year, but i never manage to get in and out with the same grace as someone with smaller feet.

Haha, I'm certainly not an Olympian! I wish I was! But this should work, with enough training. Have fun!

Wouldn't be so sure ... It's a great balance exercise, also to get to know your boat's behaviour better. And we do this up to force 7 in open sea.