(David Jones)

Typed in Message-ID:


Since I'm on this side of the pond, I quess I have to ask if he is paddling
with single blade while kneeling, or does he sit and paddle with a double
blade?

If he paddles it like a kayak, yes, it can be surfed if it is set up correctly.
Does the boat have thigh straps? How stiff will it inflate? If he has a decent
boat with a proper set up, has some concept of how the current will react to
his boat and what to do about it, I wouldn't think he would have much of a
problem. Self rescue if pretty easy in an IK, I do it in some pretty difficult
WW, so surf should be that much different.

Just my opinion,
Larry
SYOTR
Larry C.

"David Jones" wrote in message

Any advice gratefully received

At the risk of sounding reckless and unhelpful. What is the world coming
to? - surely we all remember ourselves as small children on holiday at the
beach in our inflatable dinghies playing in the waves with offshore winds
and everyone thought it was great fun.

Make sure he's got some footwear, a helmet, check he can swim and check for
dangerous currents.

apologies if this sounds facetious but I think sometimes it's easy to be a
little too cautious.

(everyone else, think about what I'm saying before you start flaming) )

Thanks

Rich

"David Jones" wrote in message
om...
What do you all think? Is he mad to try it? Could he just be really
careful and if it does not work, then so be it? I really do not know,
but I would imagine the risks are -

The waves catching it too strongly, and not being able to get 'out back'.
The wind catching it too strongly, and being blown out to sea.
The waves breaking over it, and swamping it.

Any advice gratefully received

Those inflatables also do a good origami if a wave hits it right. The most
positive thing I 'd suggest is get him to buy a leash so he can attach the
boat to his ankle and not surface to see his boat setting off for Sweden.
The wind is probably the really dangerous part especially if he's foolish
enough not to be concerned about it. The max offshore wind I'd paddle in
would be under 4 knots and then never more than quarter of a mile offshore,
because that's a distance I can make should the wind pick up, which it does
often typically when you're not expecting it. The very technical way I
measure the wind is to see if any of the kite surfers are out in it, then
it's too damn windy.
I'd give your chum some string and he can fly it as a kite.
cheers,

Try first surfing in an inflatable boogie board. Really great, no problems
like the serious ones mentioned below.

Please note the "water return" channels and keep out of them. The board
surfers use them to get back out. WAY out.

John Adams

"arache" wrote in message
...
"David Jones" wrote in message
om...
What do you all think? Is he mad to try it? Could he just be really
careful and if it does not work, then so be it? I really do not know,
but I would imagine the risks are -

The waves catching it too strongly, and not being able to get 'out
back'.
The wind catching it too strongly, and being blown out to sea.
The waves breaking over it, and swamping it.

Any advice gratefully received

Those inflatables also do a good origami if a wave hits it right. The most
positive thing I 'd suggest is get him to buy a leash so he can attach the
boat to his ankle and not surface to see his boat setting off for Sweden.
The wind is probably the really dangerous part especially if he's foolish
enough not to be concerned about it. The max offshore wind I'd paddle in
would be under 4 knots and then never more than quarter of a mile
offshore,
because that's a distance I can make should the wind pick up, which it
does
often typically when you're not expecting it. The very technical way I
measure the wind is to see if any of the kite surfers are out in it, then
it's too damn windy.
I'd give your chum some string and he can fly it as a kite.
cheers,

(David Jones) writes:

On Fri, 15 Aug 2003, Rich Orford wrote:

"David Jones" wrote in message

Any advice gratefully received

At the risk of sounding reckless and unhelpful. What is the world coming
to? - surely we all remember ourselves as small children on holiday at the
beach in our inflatable dinghies playing in the waves with offshore winds
and everyone thought it was great fun.

Possibly, this is why I was a bit worryed. When I was a kid, one of
my mums pet paranioas (she had plenty ;-) was inflatables in the
sea.

Your mum wasn't far wrong, in that context. One of the big dangers
of those inflatable toys is that they allow someone who isn't a
strong swimmer to get well out beyond his/her depth and the point at
which he/she could swim to shore...carried out by a rip current, for
example. This scenario has played out enough times at beaches that
many public beaches ban them. But a proper inflatable boat -- not a
pool toy masquerading as a boat -- is a different matter.

We were never aloud to get any distance from the beach. So when this
bloke wanted me to take him to the seaside, I thought I would ask the
colected wisdom of this newsgroup.

Make sure he's got some footwear, a helmet, check he can swim and check for
dangerous currents.

Yeah, he has just been out and bought a PDF and a helmet. Should be a
laugh one way or another.

Um. Well. You hope so.

I'd say a lot depends on how sensible this guy is, and how well you
plan to sheepdog him. Common sense keeps people from getting in
over their heads in unfamiliar situations, as do clueful people with
an eye on the situation.

--
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Mary Malmros
Some days you're the windshield,
Other days you're the bug.