Four skills were practiced by 9 club members at Mariner’s Cove, led by Jane Hardy. Click on the photos to enlarge them.

The “Heel Hook” Re-Entry

While your boat is being emptied of water, hang on to the other boat and your paddle. As you face your boat before the re-entry, whatever side of you the bow is on, that is the leg you but in the boat first. But before you do that, reach across the boat with that same-side hand and grab the deck lines of your boat and the other boat, then swing that leg in.  More info on this is in the other skills report, located by scrolling down on this home page.

The “Bow Lift”

This a good way to empty the water from your boat if someone else is not near you. Grab the boat about 1 ft to 2ft from the bow, kick your feet as powerful as you can, and push the boat up by straightening your arms and hold up the bow for a few seconds. You may have to do this a second time, then while holding the bow up, flip the boat over. You can use your paddle to perform this also.

The “Draw Stroke”

A great way to move your boat sideways, practice this stroke until you are comfortable with it (without capsizing). The trick is keeping your paddle as vertical as possible while moving it back and forth, changing the blade angle each direction.  Two paddlers are using this technique in the far right photo.

The “Hand of  God” Rescue

This is a fast way to get an unconscious person who is still in their boat back upright, or helping someone who cannot roll up. Place your paddle on your deck and reach across the capsized boat and grab the cockpit coaming. With the other hand push down on the bottom of the other boat in the area right next to you while pulling up the cockpit holding hand to start the roll, then use both hands on the cockpit coaming and pull the far side toward you. There are several good videos on the web to learn the details of doing this, along with the precautions you should consider.