Photo : Greg Spencer
The side airbags make it far easier to clamber back into a canoe as they support your weight during the re-entry .
SIDE AIRBAGS
Fitting side airbags , common amongst canoe sailors , make self-rescue much easier ( main photo above by Greg Spencer ). These can be side bags typically sold for dinghy use . My own are custom made by Tribal Bags . I have then cut , so they don ’ t interfere with my kneeling positions for paddling ( above ).
USING A COUNTERWEIGHT TO ASSIST RE-ENTRY
Turning the canoe back upright may not be easy , but that is the start of the process . The side airbags will allow for a drier boat after the righting . This may be enough for the more agile , and they can scramble in with a relatively dry boat . For some of us , it still is not easy . So I set my canoe up for using a counterweight ( below left ). A loop of strong cord is preplaced around either end of the central thwart : not too long because of a creating a snagging hazard . Then I can use a heavy kit bag or a flooded drybag as the counterweight .
ThePADDLER 19