The Safety List Every Kayaker Should Start With

“What do I have to have to be safe on the water?” The canned answer for most places is a PFD (personal flotation device also known as a life jacket). Should the talk just stop there? Is that really all we are going to say?

Kayaking and safety are an eye roll topic for some and a grand stand soapbox for others. Regardless of the carnival barker or the live and let live attitudes, a more defined set of information is needed. Frankly, some of the internet is really good for information and a lot of it is copy and paste mumbo jumbo. You do understand The Onion is a satirical website, right?  I want to cut through all that. I want to get past the “well it’s different here” debate or the “I fish in 18 inches of water” argument.

I am not writing this to implore you one way or another. Safety needs to be talked about without drawing battle lines. Each person has to decide for themselves. To make the best decision some of the new folks may need some education on all the different things out there. After all, you don’t know what you don’t know.

So let’s get to it. What do you need to know first?

A Little Background in Stats

Yes, it is true that people die in kayaks every year. In 2010 52 people died while kayaking. In 2014 58 people died while kayaking. While on the surface that seems like too big of a number (which isn’t any number above zero?) it is relatively small. And that increase you see? Almost two million more kayaks were on the water in 2014 as compared to 2010 yet only six more casualties.

Ok, but how do people get hurt and/or die while kayaking. It’s all drownings right? The answer is a little more vague. While deaths are almost always classified as drownings (more than 80% of the time) how they got to that point is more distributed. When you look at non-fatal accidents you see some changes in the landscape of reasons and even a market shift.

In 2010 the leading causes of kayak accidents (92 reported) were:

Hazardous Water 45%

Operator Inexperience 8%

Alcohol 8%

In 2014 the leading causes (131 accidents) shifted to:

Operator Inexperience 22%

Hazardous Water 21%

Alcohol 9%

Just at a glimpse it looks like the increase in inexperience has followed the curve of the kayak sales boom and our warnings to be careful when the weather is rough is being heard more often. And alcohol is pretty steady as a cause of accidents with little increase or decrease.

Another key factor to look at that is changing with the boom is the age at which the deaths are happening. In 2010 Only 10 people under the age of 30 died (less than 20% of fatalities). In 2014 as kayaking becomes a cooler thing to do, 24 people under the age of 30 died (more than 41% of fatalities). This also supports the idea that operator inexperience/ knowledge is a growing problem.

Ok, that was kind of boring but I needed to lay the groundwork for the safety list. This list will have several things on it and is by no means all inclusive but should better prepare new paddlers and serve as reminder for more experienced ones. Most of this will apply better to public waters but some of it is transferable to private ponds and lakes.

The Safety List Starts Here

PFD

You need a good life jacket. The best life jacket is one you will wear. They make super light ones in inflatable styles, they make breathable fabric ones that have lots of pockets and everything in between. It is always more safe to be wearing it than just having it around.

Float Plan

Float plans are not just for river trips. Tell someone not going on the trip where you plan to go, how long you plan to be and takeout spots along the way should something happen. I’ve been on trips and not known where I was. If I had to tell the Coast Guard where to come find me I couldn’t have. An EPIRB might also be a good investment. If you’ve never done one before, here is a guide from the Coast Guard: Float Plan

Take A Buddy

It’s not always possible to travel in big groups or even pairs but when it is, your safety increases. Solo trips can be dangerous, even on known bodies of water if health problems arise, if other boaters are in the area or even the wildlife gets a little wild. Buddy trips are more fun anyway.

Watch the Weather

A good weather forecast is often hard to find. I recommend utilizing apps and sites like WindGuru, WindFinder, RadarNow and others. I like to keep an eye on clouds and if I see a bank building, I’ll pull up my radar app and see what I am in for. I made a bad mistake and almost died once because of weather ignorance. The story is on page 55 of the Summer Issue of Kayak Bass Fishing Magazine if you want to read it. Never again.

Dress for the Water

This can be particularly tricky. There are often days I have fished in December when the air temp is 80 degrees and the water temp is 55 degrees. The temptation is to dress in shorts and a long sleeve shirt. If I were to fall in, hypothermia would sink in very quickly. Find out what the water temps are like where you are going and dress for that.

Head on a Swivel

Rarely am I the only one on the water, especially on lakes. I have to always keep my head on a swivel. Power boats are often running channels while looking at their graphs, not the upcoming traffic. Find the quickest route to cross traffic lanes on the water and treat it like defensive driving. You have to watch out for you AND the other guy. Don’t assume they will see you.

Rivers and Tides Need Special Attention

Rivers can rise with rain, fall with drought and modulate in between from dam releases, sometimes without warning. Keep your wits about you when on the water. The float plan with multiple take outs is a good prep tool. You can also find scheduled releases for many water bodies. Do some research. Check out the speed of the flow (cfs) and take a friend as long as it’s safe. When water is added to a river, it rises much faster than a lake. Don’t get caught.

Tides are more predictable but knowing when it is coming in, going out, and water depth can be key. I’ve known a lot of folks get stuck dragging through mud to try to get out of a marsh. If you aren’t prepared things can get bad.

Radios and First Aid Kits

Radios aren’t just for the guys on the coast. A good VHF radio will allow you to call for help or even just communicate with a buddy if you get separated. Cell phones don’t work in a lot of areas but that radio will serve as a life line. First aid kits are a saving grace as well. I’ve often sliced my hand or finger open. A good kit can be only $15 or so and you can disinfect, bandage and treat a lot of on the water situations. A pair of side cutters is a good thing to add to that as well.

 

Final Thoughts

I’m going to continue to talk safety. It is important to make sure everyone knows how to be safe and that we help each other, especially with the new guys. What we don’t need is name calling. Each person gets to make their own decisions and as crazy as that may sound, if they are within the law, all we can do is plant the safety seed and hope it one day takes root. If you have things you would like to add, please leave a comment!

 

 

Stats:

http://www.uscgboating.org/library/accident-statistics/USCGBoatingStatistics2010.pdf

http://www.uscgboating.org/library/accident-statistics/Recreational-Boating-Statistics-2014.pdf

http://www.americancanoe.org/?page=Statistics