Towny said...

After reading Johnathon's Port philip bay post and seeing his safety equipment list i was wondering what most people take on downwinders these days, As i often do solo downwinders up to 10 km no more than 1 km offshore with just a camel pack of water and a leggy. Thoughts, lists and recomendations fire way

We do 20+km with what you have; if less than 2k offshore. You only need to worry if you are going to be over 2k offshore for most of your paddle. Then PFD and flares or epirb if way out.

Even with the wind turning to the worst possible angle I have laid down and paddled about a k into the beach really easily.

Hope I didn't freak everyone out! Towny we were a bloody long way off shore, out in the middle it was 20k to land - if you got the direction right that is!

I think a phone in a good quality waterproof case is a good idea, I always take my SPOT plb when I do a downwinder - it's small enough to just put in your pocket.

pfd? IMO that very much depends how good a swimmer you are if you are within a k offshore. There are bum bag Type 1 pfd's that are very easy to carry, or the gas cylinder inflating lightweight ones. If you were a k offshore in strong wind/waves and got separated from your board, would you make it to shore? That's the question you honestly have to ask yourself and if you aren't sure, take one, even if you are sure what happens if you cramp up, or cop a wack on the head or any of a hundred other things.

As someone wise said, in open water everything is fine.....until it's not.

If it is a backpack style camelbak you can turn it around so that is on your chest and blow back into the bladder to give you some flotation - surprisingly effective.

I never used to use pfd's, now I almost always do. I always have a leg rope, I'm careful with my gear and check it regularly, but if you have a pfd that can take a camel bak bladder and has a pocket for your phone you hardly notice the thing, just becomes part of the routine. They also act like an impact vest - I broke a rib last year falling onto the gas cylinder on an inflatable pfd, so now I wear the padded ones.

I'm guessing that if DJ hadn't had his pfd on last year when he became separated from his board on a big day he would have drowned, he has copped a lot of $hit for that day but he was actually very well prepared, pfd, phone, leggie, paddling with friends, wetsuit. But things went wrong, as they do sometimes and he survived because of the pfd.

Towny said...

After reading Johnathon's Port philip bay post and seeing his safety equipment list i was wondering what most people take on downwinders these days, As i often do solo downwinders up to 10 km no more than 1 km offshore with just a camel pack of water and a leggy. Thoughts, lists and recomendations fire way

BTW its not "BAY" lol.

I understand your faraway.
Just trying to educate.....lol.
its PORT PHILLIP
as in PORT ALBERT
as in PORT STEVENS
as in PORT KEMBLER
PORT JACKSON etc. etc. etc.

quote from BIG LEBOWSKI.....
"Am I the only one who gives a **** about the RULES!"

rant complete goodnight.

JonathanC said...


pfd? IMO that very much depends how good a swimmer you are if you are within a k offshore. There are bum bag Type 1 pfd's that are very easy to carry, or the gas cylinder inflating lightweight ones. If you were a k offshore in strong wind/waves and got separated from your board, would you make it to shore? That's the question you honestly have to ask yourself and if you aren't sure, take one

I think that's the golden rule. If you know you can't or don't want to swim the distance back to shore, then take a PFD. Don't be a hero. No prizes for being the dead guy who over estimated his abilities.

planesailing said...

@PTWOODY ????????

Yes yes, it's not a bay. Riiiiiiiiigggghhhhhhhhhhhhhtttttttttt

worrier said...

did one 2 days ago. 11kms and a touch over 2kms offshore at the futhest point. Just wrapped a phone in a plastic bag.
Cool paddle though (Greenough to the lighthouse)
W

Where is the photo of the phone man? It wasn't just a plastic bag was it?