Paddle presentation

Also called a Paddle Bridge Rescue

Rescuee

After capsizing, signal the rescuer for an Eskimo Rescue, by WHACKing your hull loudly 2 or 3 times loudly with your hands.

You will not know whether your partner will rescue you with the paddle presentation or bow presentation, so expect either.

After whacking the hull, sweep your hands forward and backward in large sweepng arcs. You want to make as wide a target as possible, so lean forward and backward as you sweep to cover an even larger area. Holding your arms out 6" away from the hull will keep your hand from getting pinched if the rescuer comes in a little too quickly and bumps your hull--the space will give you time to get your hand out of the way. Holding your hands with the thumbs pointing towards each other will reduce the likelyhood that your hands will get hit.

When your hand contacts your rescuer's paddle, grab on and use the support to bring your body to the surface. With both hands on the paddle, bring your head to your hands. Keeping your head on your hands, hipsnap up; then bring your body and head upright. Once upright, you can raft up with the rescuer and use their support to regain your blance.

Rescuer

When you hear your partner whack their hull, it's their signal for you to get moving quickly! Reach your partner as quickly as possible--4 or 5 seconds spent getting to them will seem like 4 or 5 minutes to the rescuee with a nose full of water. If you are perpendicular to their boat, use the bow presentation. If you are parallel to their boat, continue with the paddle presentation Eskimo Rescue.

If you are positioned so you are in front of or behind the rescuee, paddle at full speed forward or backward to them. You can grab their boat to slow your momentum - leaning over onto their upturned hull is not an unreasonable technique. Once in position, lay your paddle across your cockpit and across the bottom of their hull. The sound of your paddle striking their hull is a signal that you're in position for the rescue. Reach down and guide their hand to your paddle - it is critical to grab their hand; if you don't, they may grab your paddle on the wrong side and that makes it virtually impossible to right themselves.

When their body comes up, give them room to lift up between your boats--you don't want them to come up and smack their head on your hull!! If they're struggling a little, you can also grab their PFD shoulder strap and pull them up. Alternatively, if they are relatively relaxed but not coming up cleanly, pull them up till their face is above water for air and let them get organized and then drop under and roll up - this can be useful if, for example, they are coming out of their seat.

Allow them to raft up with you until they get their bearings back, and make sure they're OK. If necessary, assist them in pumping out their kayak.