Life jackets

[jackp]

Hi guys .Last winter I had several goes at surf kayaking in big 12ft swell it was fun but the last time it put me off for a while as I was trying to turn around quickly for the wave and then quickly capsized loosing all control .the sit on top washed up further down the beach and felt like being in a massive washing machine for a few minutes before I could breath again .I had a 70n buoyancy aid on but wasn’t enough for sea conditions like that .I am keen to try again but thinking it’s a good idea to get the highest rated life jacket with the most buoyancy (non automatic type) but no one seems to make one over 100N?
Perhaps sit in surf boat with spray deck is the answer but I might struggle to roll it if caught in the waves and i wouldn’t feel that confident
The sit on top boat is probably one of the most sturdy versatile ones available .ive not seen another with the same hull,
Jack

[Chris Bolton]

I think the reason they don't exist is that they become too bulky - a big BA will get in the way when you're trying to climb back on your SOT, as will a lifejacket (the difference between a BA and a lifejacket is that a lifejacket will support you face up if you're unconscious, a BA is more compact but won't turn you the right way up). It will also be more difficult to swim in, and I'm not actually sure the extra buoyancy will help if you're being tumbled in breakers, as you're just giving the waves more to push on.

Try practising surfing on smaller waves until you learn how to handle being thrown about. I do understand your thoughts; whenever I try a new sport I find I'm thinking of ways to solve a problem, then I think "what does everyone else do?" If BAs with over 100N buoyancy were needed, they would be made, but the fact that they're not means people have found a better way round the situation.

[jackp]

Hi ,Yes good point with life jackets getting in the way but I was finding the boat disappears long before I had a chance to get back on .hence why I’ve only been out with onshore winds and incoming tides so I don’t loose anything
I can cope ok on smaller waves and not had this problem but in my experience it doesn’t prepare you for the big breakers and the force of them.
Maybe it’s just a dumb idea anyway for a semi novice at surfing
Also headed out today not surfing but general training session and the fog got a lot worse once further out .took a guess where I was going and luckily it paid off .bit scary though only being able too see about 5m ahead

[rockhopper]

May be an idea to have a rudimentary compass with you in future. Depending on where you are, paddling in the wrong direction could be very hazardous to health.

Rog.

[DaveB]

...... it put me off for a while as I was trying to turn around quickly for the wave and then quickly capsized loosing all control ....

Offering a novice's question rather than an experts opinion, but does this sugest you need to get further out before atttempting to turn and catch a wave?

[Northern Blue]

@jackp Just a thought, but have you considered using a leash to connect you to your SOT, which in the event of being wiped out would keep you connected to your boat.

It’s many years since I surfed wave skis, but always made use of a leg leash. Many occasions in the big North Sea winter swells and even bigger Cornish Atlantic swell, I’d get wiped out, but never got separated from my ski. The ‘stand up’ surfers usually used leashes too.

I’m not sure if the size of your SOT could be an issue though, a big heavy boat crashing towards the beach using you as a sea anchor, might prove to be a bit more uncomfortable than a smaller wave ski or surf board ??

[charleston14]

If your out of your boat in big surf I would have thought the last thing you would want is to be attached to a big lump of plastic that will drag you, wrap a leash around your neck etc etc. It’s mass is much greater than a surfboard ! Potential for a horrible joint dislocation injury on whatever limb you attach it to.


As for inflation life jacket in the surf..bad idea if you ask me, do you see surfers wearing them ? Too much bouyancy is bad, it helps if you can dive under a wave rather than be rag dolled by one. You can barely swim in an inflated life jacket and are at the total mercy of the waves, and climbing into anything is downright difficult or impossible.

A life jacket is designed to keep the head of an unconscious person Above the water.thats all.

[jackp]

Reading the comments here made me wonder maybe it’s better not to have any buoyancy aid on so then swimming under the waves would be easier ? In that case what are you surpose to do when when chucked out the boat in a big set of incoming waves

[Chris Bolton]

Like everything else, it's a compromise. You don't want no extra buoyancy, but you don't want too much. People have been paddling kayaks in surf and whitewater for years, and the BAs that are sold are designed around that compromise.

[jmmoxon]

Are you using a wetsuit? As that is what provides surfers with buoyancy - along with being attached to their board...

Mike

[Dyllon]

I'm not seriously suggesting this as a solution but I think you will find the big wave surfers do use buoyancy aids, see https://www.quiksilver.co.uk/highline-pro-airlift-vest/.
Kite surfers commonly use impact jackets, which provide a small amount of additional buoyancy to that provided by their wetsuit.

R.

[jackp]

Not wearing wetsuit but typhoon multi sport drysuit most of the time .that buoyancy vest looks intresting.a friend of mine has been trying to find a solution for people stuck under /in there boat in white water this looks like it might have enough upward lift possibly to get someone out? say i.e scenarios where someone is stuck under there boat lodged under a fallen tree and has no chance of being rescued in time

[jmmoxon]

Think it would most likely make rescue more difficult in a pin situation.

Mike

[Chris Bolton]

If you're stuck under a pinned boat the only way out is to push down to get clear, so you don't want too much buoyancy. You will get some buoyancy from a drysuit, although it has been suggested that if you don't make sure you let out excess air (by venting at the neck seal after putting it on) you can end up with air in the legs not the body, making you float head down.

[john.ruston]

Harsh realities. Strainer Danger.

https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/lac ... 52955.html