Paddle Float Re-enter & Roll Kayak Rescue

So when we're working towards the ultimate self-rescue, the re-enter and roll, we can use a paddle float as a really good stepping stone because there's lots of support on the paddle, and it makes rolling a lot easier. Get into the water.

To set up for this, we'd have the paddle float at the front. Then holding my normal grip, hold the cockpit there, hand on the other side of the cockpit. I'm going to slide my legs into the cockpit, and pull my bum all the way into the seat. To allow me to do that, I'm going to put my feet beyond the footrest. And then, step into the boat, pull myself back into the seat, pushing hard on the footrest, and then set up for the roll.

When I'm up here, I've got lots of extra stability with that float as well. You don't have to be able to roll to be able to do this self-rescue as well, and it's a really good stepping stone towards being able to roll.

We're going to have a look at the ultimate self-rescue now, a re-enter and roll. It's pretty much the same as we did previously with the paddle float re-enter and roll, but now we've just got to do the roll part. So, I'm turning the kayak onto its side, holding the paddle in my left hand in its normal grip. My fingers are under the cockpit rim and my thumb's inside. Holding onto the cockpit with my right hand, and then floating back in the water, putting my feet into the cockpit, going beyond the footrest, bum all the way in the seat, feet in the footrest, then roll up.

Once I'm up, I've got the boat full of water. I just need a pump to pump it out now. So lastly, what we're going to look at is the re-enter and roll, boat on its side.