Kayak Man Overboard - the Do's and Don'ts

[Joser]

Last year I bought the Stearns I810 as there was a super deal on them online. It has a relief zipper as well but I paid less than $300 and I can't find them for under $600 now

 

[fishyhands]

I've had both a Kokatat and a NRS. Loved them both and they never leaked. But I've split the neck gasket on both (kids call me Megamind and the family insult is Fathead, so you can see why). There was a gent out east who was excellent at suit repairs, but moved to Nevada. He did offer to do a repair if I mailed it but then I never took him up on that and they're sitting on the to-do pile while I try to find someone local. Try it on if you can before buying, the first one was a real bear to get in and out of. I still don't know how but I was really cold once and got stuck with an arm up in the air and I was contorted in the suit, dealing with exhaustion, BO and what I hope was festering spilled Gulp liquid. I had someone nearby who was doing his best not to laugh and offered to help, but after that I made sure to try it on in-person and forget the online sale.

I too hydrate and account of working lousy hours, slam a lot of coffee so the zipper is essential. I did a long session in Jamaica Bay late season wearing the suit and while away from the JFK exclusion zone, I was close enough to get a visit from the Port Authority or whoever does the marine patrol out there. Well off the beaten path I found a sand bar in knee deep water, so I clipped the anchor line to my waist and got out and stood, letting the cold water cool off my knees (mine are wrecked). At one point I was slugging coffee from a small thermos and was filling a bottle with the other. They wanted to gig me for landing on a island (not permitted in J-Bay in most areas) and for whizzing in the water. They drifted up on me from behind and hailed me. I wish I hadn't turned around so quickly but I did, and they lost it when they saw the bottle sticking out of my relief zipper. I tidied up and was holding the bottle out to show I was just filling up my "hand warmer", and then after they regained their composure, they gave me a verbal warning (sand bars still count as landing) and to watch out for turtles bites. The zippers are great also for venting the suit. Mine are supposedly "breathable" but I still get hot inside them and having the zipper is HUGE when you can let out the heat in a calm water.

 

[pequa1]

Way too expensive for me lol. I am a piker. I had SWMBO put a zipper in an old cabelas neoprene waders. But then i just stuck to warm weather kayak fishing. Surfcasting or deer hunting or shooting or archery the colder months.

 

[jpd]

If this happened to me, my kayak would be on Craigslist before I got back to shore...

 

[longcast]

If this happened to me, my kayak would be on Craigslist before I got back to shore...

Frightening moment!! Vey lucky man.

 

[Joser]

Yeah that's a spooky one. There is no question that was an unprovoked bite. Didn't see any fish being caught or something that would draw interest. Would love to see more video on either side of the clip.

 

[pequa1]

And i typically have my feet in the water when it’s warm, lol. I have had blues(?) cut in half snappers for livelining that i had on a stringer. But i stay in the backbay !

 

[Joser]

I watched that video a couple more times and realized the way that guys fiberglass paddle was attached to the kayak, it was slapping the water. Tigers do eat turtles and I guy I have to play devils advocate here for the shark and say from that angle the shark could mistake the kayak for that.....

I found a version of the video that wasn't quite zoomed in as this one and you get a better view of whats going on.

 

[Leprechaun]

Jeez, I flinched when that thing bit the kayak. That guy is very lucky the shark wasn't all that interested, as he couldn't have done much more than he did.

Two seasons ago on the offshore fluke grounds we had what looked like a monster tiger or great white swim under the boat, no more than 12' down. Clear as a bell we could see him. A freakishly large head, like the one in the video, except this one was much bigger. I cannot imagine what could happen with these knuckleheads that jump in the water offshore - "to cool off" from the Summer Sun's heat. It looks like it could end very badly for those guys.