become useless . It is not easy to fill the drybag with water , and care has to be taken as a water-filled drybag can sink ; keep hold of it . Fill about three-quarters full and then roll down and fasten the bag , as usual , using the plastic clips . It needs to be closed to prevent the water from being squeezed out during the re-entry . A karabiner is then used to clip the two cord loops on the bag ( above ) before clipping to the central thwart . Once all of this is done , and it takes time and effort , it is back around to the far side for the clamber in . Some would criticise the time taken , but it works , which matters to me in a survival situation .
Again , the canoe will be unstable , so I leave the flooded drybag in the water and generally put my weight slightly to the opposite side .
For many of us , self-rescue is not easy , but it is a vital skill to have . By its very nature , a solo accidental capsize is shocking . If it is into cold water , it will be many times more shocking . We need a well-practised plan that will work . The counterweight methods I use are by their nature slower , but for me , they are sure , and that is what counts .
ThePADDLER 21