A good PFD should have a proper fit , so make sure to buy and use one that has your size . There are a lot of straps on a PFD ; shoulder , side , and waist . You must make sure that the strap or belt around the waist is adjusted enough to prevent the PFD from coming up when in the water . This strap is probably not adjusted well enough if the PFD hits your chin immediately after hitting the water . Once this waist strap is adjusted , you can check the other straps to make sure the rest of the PFD has a good fit . Check this regularly and certainly when switching from clothes in between the cold and warm season .
During the cold season , one tends to wear more layers , which results in a way too loose fit of the PFD when changing to warm-season kit and clothing .
POCKETS You will need pockets ! Pick a PFD with enough pockets so you can put safety gear in it . Make also sure that those pockets ( when filled ) don ’ t hinder your movement when paddling or when doing self or assisted rescues . Here is what I carry in my PFD ( whatever the conditions ); VHF radio , PLB , two whistles , three carabiner hooks , two litres of drinking water ( Camelbak ), ODEO distress flare , flashlight with built-in strobe , piece of cord , one pyrotechnical handheld distress flare , neoprene hat , nose clippers and a watch .
Of course , you can decide for yourself what should be in it , depending on the paddling venue , skills , or conditions . I choose to carry everything and always . That way , I cannot forget about some essential piece of equipment , and if I need something , I can even find it blindfolded . I recommend having a look at the video ‘ Sea Kayak Safety Equipment ’:
http :// www . youtube . com / watch ? v = 8ooxwC6pu-I .
CLOTHING ! The best tip I can give , try your kit IN the water ( near shore , and in a safe environment , for example , on the slipway in a harbour ). That way , you will immediately know if your clothing is sufficient or not ! I could write an entire article on this one concerning cold shock , but I ’ ll stick to the essentials . Always dress for immersion ! We have seen people hesitate to do deep water exercises , mainly because they already know
SEA KAYAK SAFETY EQUIPMENT
https :// youtu . be / 8ooxwC6pu-I they are underdressed . So , field test this regularly ! A dry suit is no luxury during the colder days , but make sure to wear good , technical layers underneath . Same for neoprene Long Johns or full wetsuits . Make sure the thickness of the neoprene matches the water temperatures . A wind stopper jacket won ’ t hold you warm once in the water .
THE COAST GUARD – LIFEBOAT R6 ORKA This time we conducted a rescue exercise with the Coast Guard ! Slightly different in every country , with sometimes other names and other rescue boats , but all operational with one goal ; saving lives at sea ! The Belgian Coast Guard has a few rescue boats , but we trained with the R6 ORKA lifeboat !
The R6 ORKA is a 20m long , jet-propelled lifeboat . The two jet nozzles can turn 360 °, which makes this boat very manoeuvrable . The draught is less than 1 meter , perfect for the shallow North Sea with its many treacherous sandbanks . Jet propulsion means no danger when moving close to a victim that is in the water . The all-weather lifeboat is self-righting , which means it can be deployed in the harshest conditions .
In comparison with the Coastal Rescue Services with their RHIBs , the R6 ORKA is fully equipped . Besides the standard boat equipment , they have two VHF radios , one ECDIS radar ( Electronic Chart Display Information System ) with plotter and a Rhotheta PLB detection system . It also has a winch on both sides , but more on that later .
THE R6 ORKA is manned by the captain , one sailor / lifeguard and one rescue diver . The crew is on standby near the boat , day and night . THE R6 ORKA is always dispatched by the MRCC ( Maritime Rescue and Coordination Centre ), or the Coast Guard , like most , would call it . This ship primarily works together with the rescue helicopter and other rescue or salvage vessels . The R6 ORKA can be deployed within minutes after the call .
RESCUE SCENARIO Thanks to rescue diver Alex and his lifeboat crew , we could conduct a rescue scenario that happens all too often ! Most sea kayakers are still not tethered to their craft when going offshore . So , we trained on what to do after a capsize and loss of your sea kayak ! Conditions were relatively calm , but the water temperature was only around 11 ° C . We were with a three-person crew , and I was going to be the victim . We already asked permission for this rescue training to the R6 ORKA crew via VHF .
Before hitting the water , I made final arrangements with my team . They needed to move away from my position far enough to make things realistic , but not too far if anything goes wrong . This gives me the feeling of being alone and separated from both my team and my kayak . Although we are frequently tethered to our boats , we keep training this particular scenario . In a real-life incident , due to this kind of training , one will remain calm , tick all the