Buoyancy Aid / Lifejacket Question.

I have both Canadian open canoe and a normal closed in kayak. I am clarifying this because some posters are clearly confused between the two. I am going to sell the Canadian as it is too unstable, and I can imagine that to have 6 people in it would make it very prone to capsize. You cannot wear lifejackets in canoes or kayaks because splashing sets off the gas canisters. This would also most probably affect your balance and possibly cause you to capsize if the canister did go of unexpectedly when you were still on board.
There is no doubt that to use a Canadian on the sea without 2 flotation bags, fore and aft would be foolish, if it capsized it would probably sink unless it had in built flotation.It is very difficult to right and get back on board a Canadian canoe, especially in the sea if its at all rough.I don't know much about the Gairloch tragedy so I am not prejudging, just offering advice.
 
Clarky said:
I have both Canadian open canoe and a normal closed in kayak. I am clarifying this because some posters are clearly confused between the two. I am going to sell the Canadian as it is too unstable, and I can imagine that to have 6 people in it would make it very prone to capsize. You cannot wear lifejackets in canoes or kayaks because splashing sets off the gas canisters. This would also most probably affect your balance and possibly cause you to capsize if the canister did go of unexpectedly when you were still on board.
There is no doubt that to use a Canadian on the sea without 2 flotation bags, fore and aft would be foolish, if it capsized it would probably sink unless it had in built flotation.It is very difficult to right and get back on board a Canadian canoe, especially in the sea if its at all rough.I don't know much about the Gairloch tragedy so I am not prejudging, just offering advice.
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Only sets em off if they are automatic LJ's.
Shouldn't affect manual ones.
 
alant said:
Only sets em off if they are automatic LJ's.
Shouldn't affect manual ones.
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Personally, I wouldn't think manual LJ's were a good option for young kids.
The things that stop them turning the right way up in a BA (cold shock, panic etc) are going to be an issue in terms of them pulling the toggle.
 
Clarky said:
I have both Canadian open canoe and a normal closed in kayak. I am clarifying this because some posters are clearly confused between the two. I am going to sell the Canadian as it is too unstable, .......
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I don't have that much experience of Canadian canoes, but I thought they were reasonably stable?
Not exactly ocean going, but should be OK anywhere a family should be paddling?

Let's face it, all craft have limits, particularly in inexperienced hands, people have managed to capsize RIBs for instance.
 
lw395 said:
Personally, I wouldn't think manual LJ's were a good option for young kids.
The things that stop them turning the right way up in a BA (cold shock, panic etc) are going to be an issue in terms of them pulling the toggle.
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Which is why many people choose the ones with permanent bouyancy so they will always do the job intended.There are quite a few designed specially for children
 
lw395 said:
Personally, I wouldn't think manual LJ's were a good option for young kids.
The things that stop them turning the right way up in a BA (cold shock, panic etc) are going to be an issue in terms of them pulling the toggle.
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Didn't say I would use em with small kids, simply commenting on water setting them off in a canoe/kayak as suggested by Clarky.
 
Clarky said:
I have both Canadian open canoe and a normal closed in kayak. I am clarifying this because some posters are clearly confused between the two. I am going to sell the Canadian as it is too unstable, and I can imagine that to have 6 people in it would make it very prone to capsize. You cannot wear lifejackets in canoes or kayaks because splashing sets off the gas canisters. This would also most probably affect your balance and possibly cause you to capsize if the canister did go of unexpectedly when you were still on board.
There is no doubt that to use a Canadian on the sea without 2 flotation bags, fore and aft would be foolish, if it capsized it would probably sink unless it had in built flotation.It is very difficult to right and get back on board a Canadian canoe, especially in the sea if its at all rough.I don't know much about the Gairloch tragedy so I am not prejudging, just offering advice.
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Thanks, that was what my experience tells me from using my brother's on Bala lake. Despite the flat bottom it does feel really unstable. With two or more aboard you get more than one person reacting to any wobble & hence it's easy to over correct & fall in the other side!
 
Always best to have built-in buoyancy in Canadians.

Canoe.jpg
 
Searush said:
Thanks, that was what my experience tells me from using my brother's on Bala lake. Despite the flat bottom it does feel really unstable. With two or more aboard you get more than one person reacting to any wobble & hence it's easy to over correct & fall in the other side!
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Presumably thats what caused the extermination of the red indians.
 
budgester said:
Most Sea Kayakers will either have a roll, or will have practised a variety self rescue techniques. The amount of built in floatation in a decent Sea Kayak is also pretty good. There will usually be a member of the group with a VHF as well.



If you've have practised it, righting, emptying and reboarding a canoe is actually pretty easy. The problem as usual comes from inexperienced people, not equipped correctly.
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Don t forget that this was a Canadian open type canoe. !!!!
 
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