Safety Check

The Lap no. 37 - D-Day - 3 months

Mar 22, 2023

“…it’s not what’s in your pack that separates the quick from the dead. It’s not even what’s in your mind. Corny as it sounds, it’s what’s in your heart.”
― Laurence Gonzales, Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why

Foul weather continues, and there’s not much worth writing about training-wise. So, it’s time for a safety check. Here’s a look at the safety gear I carry every time I put to sea, whether I’m going for a local time trial or a multi-day adventure.

My Kokatat Neptune Lifevest with safety gear.

Kokatat Neptune Lifevest (PFD)*

This is the only non-negotiable piece of safety kit. You have to wear a PFD. Mine is purpose-built for sea kayaking with pockets and lash points for most of the safety gear mentioned in this list and a few snacks. Kokatat provided me with a PFD for this trip as part of their sponsorship package. It’s made out of a non-PVC foam that’s better for the environment.

A key feature of any sea kayaking lifevest is a retro-reflective strip to be seen by search lights in the dark. In testing by the RAF, a small patch of retro-reflective tape on the top of a helmet resulted in a 400% increase in the likelihood of being found in the water at night (Sea Kayak Safety and Rescue, Gordon Brown). You can also get strips of retro-reflective tape for your boat and paddle.

I’ve seen how this works first-hand in Lifeboat training. A man overboard with these patches on their kit is easy to find at night. They’re invisible without them. Bright colors are grey in the dark.

*Note: Though “PFD” (personal floatation device) and “life jacket” are used interchangeably, there is a key difference. A life jacket will keep you upright if you’re unconscious or unable to swim, whereas a PFD requires the wearer to be conscious. Life jackets are bulkier so a PFD is better for kayaking. For sailors and boaters who don’t expect to end up in the water, inflatable life jackets offer the best compromise.

Throw tow, paddle leash, and knife

Designed by expedition sea kayaking legend Jeff Allen, the HF Throw Tow has a bunch of uses, from emergency to every day. I use mine as a quick-release tether to stay attached to the kayak at all times. When I’m on shore, I use it to secure the kayak or as an extra guy line for the tent.

I keep my paddle lashed to the kayak with a Whetman paddle leash.

Like divers, kayakers must always have a knife within reach. After going through several cheap knives, I splurged on a Spyderco Salt that doesn’t rust.

A whistle

The human voice is not a reliable means of attracting attention on the water. On group paddles, we use whistles and hand signals to communicate.

While a whistle is technically a backup means of communication, you’d have to be pretty desperate to rely on one--as Ricky Gervais points out in this bit about flying.

Day & night flares

I carry a handheld flare with two sides, one is a smoke flare for daytime use, the other is a red nightime flare. I keep a bouquet of additional flares in a ditch kit within reach.

Disposing of an expired flare, with Coast Guard permission. Photo/ Tamela Maciel

Comms

I carry a VHF radio (provided by CH Marine), with 3-5 mile range, for communicating with Coast Guard Radio stations and other vessels. I’ll be using it to check in regularly and file my daily transit reports.

I also carry my phone in a waterproof case. Though phones are less reliable than VHF on the water, search and rescue can track your location from an emergency call (“112” in Ireland). There are also apps that send tracking info and float plans to the Coast Guard.

PLB

The ultimate piece of safety gear is my PLB (personal locator beacon). Radios can be out of range, flares can go unseen. But if I press the button to activate my PLB it sends my exact location to rescuers via satellite, and I get a helicopter rescue from one of Ireland’s brave Coast Guard crews.

Here’s Jon Hynes of Kinsale Outdoor Education Centre & Kinsale RNLI talking about how PLBs work and why you need one.

I have a backup rescue beacon on the satellite messaging device I’ll be using to chat with my family and send progress updates.

“If it isn’t attached to you, you don’t have it!”

In On Celtic Tides, round Ireland kayaker and U.S Navy diver Chris Duff reminds paddlers, “If it isn’t attached to you, you don’t have it!” To keep all my safety sear attached to my PFD, I use these micro carabiners from Paddle & Pitch.

The talisman effect

Risk management is full of paradoxes. Thanks to the talisman effect, safety gear provides a sense of security that can cause you to take risks you wouldn’t otherwise.

Studies show that airbags, seatbelts, and insurance all contribute to faster and riskier highway driving.

I have no doubt that I would be much more cautious on the water without a PLB and radio to summon a rescue. But, like seatbelts, the value of these safety devices is in reducing the consequences even if they increase my risk tolerance and exposure.

People may drive faster with seatbelts on, but they die, even in fender benders, without them.

“…accidents have to happen, but they don’t have to happen to you and me.” - Deep Survival

Safety doesn’t come from a boatload of high-end gear. The purpose of all this equipment is to save my life in the event of a total breakdown of safety. Flares and beacons and all the rest are tools of last resort I hope to never use.

Safety is an attitude and way of operating.

My main safety tools are the seamanship and skills I practice on the water and hone with experience. Safety starts before I put to sea, with planning, preparation, risk analysis, and COMMON SENSE!