PA12 Capsizes offshore - check this video out & learn!

[arpie]

Hi guys

Personally, I would not recommend PAs as an offshore craft - it was really designed for inshore use - but people obviously DO take them offshore.

I just found this video on Youtube - it happened in a flash! I am sure he got heaps of water in the hull too - which may have contributed to his 2nd capsize. With PAs, the remount is from the rear.

The initial wave that dumped him didn't seem that big - it was the wind gust that got him simultanesouly that tipped him.

It has happened before - and will happen again - this bloke forgot that he had his GoPro on the whole time - and filmed the whole lot.

OK ..... so WHAT do we learn from this video?

1) At the first sign of really bad wind & rough seas, particularly if you are in a PA - get back to shore as quick as you can! Even MORESO if it is an electrical storm.

2) Leash EVERYTHING or secure it in the hull or lashed to the deck, or you WILL lose it. He was close enough to shore to get his floating stuff back. He was lucky. Further out, & it may be gone forever!

3) DON'T try & swim for floating stuff to retrieve it - you will be separated from your craft very quickly. The floating stuff quickly drifted away from the yak.

4) Make sure your phone is in a secure waterproof bag, on your person, in case you are separated from your yak & need to contact emergency services - or have a waterproof VHF attached to your PFD for the same reason

5) It is better to fish with a buddy - so that someone else is aware of what is going on. THEY may call for assistance if required.

6) .... add yours here .....

[Catchin Jack]

I gotta ask, WHY didn't he head straight for shore instead of hanging out there like he did when it started to turn bad?

[Paul]

The boys sent this around on WhatsApp last night. Scary! Lucky the Adventure Island has arrived this week

6) Reentry from the rear was shown in the video but it should still be practiced by all owners before hand. If you're having problems, exercise and strengthen the required muscles to elevate yourself. This guy did it quite well given the circumstances. While you're at it practice flipping the yak over too. This video shows how:

7) Get an offshore rig for offshore. Keep the PA where it belongs, luxuriously inshore. I took it for a trial and went towards the heads of Botany once and it was anything but pleasant so didn't proceed any further.

8) .....

Edited February 4, 2013 by Paul

[Paul]

I gotta ask, WHY didn't he head straight for shore instead of hanging out there like he did when it started to turn bad?

He was waiting for his father to get back.

[arpie]

Good vid there, too, Paul - but there is a MILE of difference between a controlled flip & and uncontrolled one and attempted righting & re-ntry. It happened to me a few years back near the mouth of a major northern rivers River & luckily I had a buddy close to me who grabbed my rods & pretty well everything he could from the top of the yak - but I still cooked my FF, Phone fell from my pocket sank (which was just in a ziplock bag - not good enough!), my cash purse fell out of my pocket ($80 gorn) & other bits went to the bottom including my flag - so it still cost me a few hundred bucks even tho I didn't lose much actual fishing gear. It all happened within 10secs of that 'ooops' why am I feeling unstable here ........ and I was in the water, hanging onto the yak. My buddy then started towing me back to shore whilst a friend on shore asked a tinny at the boat ramp to go out & help (as she realised we were both in difficulty at that point!), as the weight of the water in the yak was making it difficult for my buddy (in a PA14) to get any momentum. Luckily the tide in the estuary was coming IN, not OUT or it could have been a different tale of recovery! The boat then picked me up & tied the yak to the back & we headed for shore/boat ramp.

Even how you wear your PFD can affect how you actively rectify the yak & get back on it. If your pfd is too loose, it can be up around your ears & extreme upper chest instead of where it should be. It should always be 'snug' - I am probably a bit lax here as well!

Where you factor in Big WInd, Big Seas, probably Shock & possible hypothermia as well ..... it is a whole new story. If it takes more than 2 or 3 goes to 'right the yak' you will become exhausted pretty quickly too.

If the first guy had let go of the yak - he would have been swept away from it too & then had to swim for it ......

He should have headed straight back to shore, as his father wasn't in difficulties - he was!

The old rule - Save yourself first, only then you can help others really does hold true, no matter how good a swimmer you are, etc. So often 2 people often end up drowning thru one of them making the wrong decision. It happened just 2 weeks ago in Hawaii. An Aussie guy went to the aid of a friend in need & they both died. Not sure if they ever found the 2nd bloke's body (the one who went out to help.)
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/adams-drowning-tragedy-loud-and-proud-aussie-dies-trying-to-save-best-friend-20130123-2d6hr.html

Make sure you Practise deep water re-entry onto your yak (without your gear) & all going well, you'll be fine if it happens with your gear (hopefully not!)

Cheers

Roberta

Edited February 4, 2013 by Roberta

[Paul]

Definitely agree on the huge difference between a rehearsed version and the real thing. I've also wondered about the ziplock bags too. Can put that one to rest now.

Although I wasn't there, about 10 years back I had a mate swept off the rocks at Avoca Beach and his mate jumped in to help him only to get swept out as well. Helicopter came to their aid and they were both lucky to make it out alive! It was a different story back then too as safety information and the internet wasn't as widely available as it is today.

I'm really glad you've started this thread as it's given me a lot to think about as I will embark on a few offshore trips soon.

Cheers

Paul

[arpie]

Another tip is to

Have a back up "return point" if things do go sour. I know that I have had to do that when I got caught in a storm. It was safer to return to a different location. You can then simply rang friends to come and collect your keys and go and pick up your car - or do as I did, hoof it all the way back to the car with the yak (it took AGES) - I even had to climb up onto a private jetty & up a hill, lugging the yak behind me & go thru a private backyard to get back to the road ..... it really WAS a hard slog. That was up Fisherman's Reach, near SWR! The sky was being lashed by lightening & it was really scary being out in the middle - it came over SO quickly!

He was lucky not to lose more gear, really, as I am not sure how strong those rod 'hooks' are, when upside down in strong conditions with the weight of the reel at the 'bungee' end!

[rjc123]

Great vid Roberta!

Haven't had a capsize yet (Haven't been out the heads yet) but on rough windy days on the harbour i've gone pretty close. I've found having a net in an upright position to be a real problem. It acts as a sail and completely stuffs up the steering and has nearly caused me to tip on more than one occassion. I'd only go outside on a really calm day in the PA. They aren't Ideal for offshore use if you ask me. Perfect for the estuary and bays (harbour). Wouldn't want to capsize while shark fishing off the yak that's for sure! Seen people sharking from their yaks around longy... Pretty brave if you ask me.. Was a really big white out there a few weeks ago! Around the time i saw them!

Cheers, Tom