Kayaking safety tips to know before paddling out

Kayakers should always check the forecast before paddling out, safety experts said, and be especially wary that whatever the weather conditions are, they can change in a hurry. 

The experts provided that advice and other safety tips to Newsday after the bodies of two kayakers washed ashore Wednesday morning near Shinnecock Bay. An investigation is ongoing, police said.

The first thing kayakers should check before going out is the weather, said Mike Matty, safety and training coordinator for Long Island Paddlers, a nonprofit kayaking and canoeing organization. People need to pay attention to wind gusts and water temperatures.

“Once you get into 12, 13, 14 miles an hour, and now you're starting to get some waves in the water, maybe some whitecaps forming, and now you're at risk at capsizing,” Matty said of the wind gusts. “Once you capsize, you have to know how to get yourself back in the boat.”

Getting back into a kayak is “harder than you think,” he said. And when the water’s cold, the clock starts ticking for survival.

Breanna Boardman, a spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard, said in an email that "Boaters should always check NOAA marine forecasts and local weather conditions before departing and continue monitoring conditions while underway."

Boardman noted that "Weather conditions on and around Long Island can change rapidly, creating dangerous conditions for kayakers and paddlecraft operators." 

The three biggest safety concerns for kayakers are lack of experience, lack of ability, and cold water awareness, Boardman said. "If winds begin gusting above safe limits for your skill level or storms are approaching, stay off the water," she said.

Here are some other safety tips:

Dress for the conditions

Kayakers should wear wet suits or dry suits, even in warm weather, because they extend the time that a person in the water can survive, Matty said. There’s not a hard and fast rule what temperature is too cold, he said.

That advice echoes guidelines from the American Canoe Association that says to avoid cotton clothing when paddling because it accelerates body-temperature loss when wet. The ACA also recommends wearing a wet suit or dry suit.

“You need to be dressed for that water temperature,” Matty said. The first thing that happens when capsizing is there’s a reflex to gasp, which can bring water into your lungs.

“You're going to start to panic. You're going to start hyperventilating,” Matty said. “Once you have to get your breathing under control, then you probably have — depending on the temperature of the water — about 10 minutes to save yourself.”

The challenge is that the body starts shutting down its extremities to protect core functions, he said.

“You're just going to lose your fine motor skills that you're going to need to save yourself," Matty said. "You're not going to be able to hold on to your boat.”

Wear a life jacket

The ACA says paddlers should always wear a life jacket — also called a life preservation device — and make sure it fits properly. 

Make and circulate a float plan

Making sure that people on shore know your “float plan” is important. The float plan should include the names of everyone paddling, the route including where the vessel is to be put in and taken out, the estimated launch time, and a plan for what to do if the kayaker doesn’t check in as scheduled, including when to contact the authorities.

Have lights at night

Paddling boats traveling at night are required to have lights that are either always on or can be turned on in order to prevent collisions, according to Coast Guard regulations.

Take communication devices

Other things to take include a whistle, a cellphone in a waterproof case, and a waterproof VHF marine radio, Matty said. “The Coast Guard will always monitor channel 16” on VHF radio, he said. “That's the hailing and distress channel.”