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Float Bags?


toddn.robinson

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Todd:

Here's how this works... If you do a wet exit (aka go swimming), your boat will get a lot of water in it. You will not be able to self rescue (can't get back in and paddle it). By the way, it's a very good idea to practice rescues. If you're paddling with other people, they may be able to help you. If you're near shore, you may be able to swim there. If the water is warm enough, you may be able to float with your PFD (of course, you always wear one) and wait for someone to come along and rescue you. If none of these conditions occur, you die by hypothermia and/or drowning.

Fair winds, Andy

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What they said, I think they are as important as a  Life Jacket/PFD. It will greatly limit the amount of water that gets in your boat and that is not to keep it from sinking.

 

You have to really try to fill one up with water even so they will still float, but lets say it has 6"-8" of water inside. That is probably over 200 lbs. You climb up on the back of the boat to get back in. When you lean it the water is slow to react but starts to wash to the low side, the center of gravity shifts, the boat leans and there is nothing you can do.  You are probably going to be dumped right off the boat. The boat may end up back upside down. 

 

It's fun to try under safe conditions and I highly recommend it so you know what to do when it happens. But water moving around in a boat is an unstoppable force and makes reentry EXTREMELY hard. So you have to get as much out as you can before you try to get in. Float bags limit the amount of water that gets in and the amount you have to get out.

 

I can get most of the water out in deep water but I have practiced it in shallow water with someone around. It is something everyone should know how to do because you never plan on accident happening, but they do.

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