Skillset
The case for
Rough water will complicate any rescue. If you can’t get back into your kayak alone, the skills and coordination of two people will be necessary, so you will want to keep things simple. That makes the PPP a good fail-safe rescue.
The Triple-P
I
n some cases, the simplest solution is the best. A case in point is the ‘Parallel Park and Pump’ assisted rescue. There is nothing sexy about it, no glitz or fancy moves, but the bareboned, stripped down nature is exactly what makes the PPP such a robust rescue technique, especially in the most challenging conditions. Performing the PPP is straightforward. The rescuer comes in parallel to the swimmer’s capsized kayak and then drapes himself across the boat’s upturned hull, fully committing his weight onto the overturned kayak and gripping the cockpit or perimeter lines on the far side of the boat. Paddles can be secured by being tucked under the rescuer’s arm or stowed under deck bungee cords. The swimmer must stay in contact with the boats at all times to avoid becoming separated. The rescuer flips the overturned kayak 60
COAST&KAYAK Magazine
It may not be the prettiest assisted rescue, but the PPP may be the best for rough water
back upright by pulling with his far hand and pressing down on the near side of the boat’s hull with his other hand. The rescuer then has a choice of a solid grip on the perimeter lines or coaming. Gripping the coaming increases the risk of getting kicked in the hands spring 2014
when the swimmer re-enters, but it is otherwise the most secure handhold. Either way the rescuer must hold the two kayaks together to form a stable raft. His weight continues to be heavily committed onto the swimmer’s kayak, with his armpit in contact with the deck of the boat. Once the two boats are stable the swimmer can re-enter. Maintaining contact with the raft, he moves to a point just behind his cockpit. With a good grip on the boat and a powerful kick of the legs the swimmer hauls himself up onto his kayak’s stern deck, staying chest-down and low to the deck. With his head toward the stern, he lifts his legs into the cockpit and then slides in while twisting into a sitting position. Staying low throughout maximizes stability. Once the swimmer is back aboard, the rescuer continues to provide stability. The kayak can now be pumped out. Or