Native Ultimate 14.5 Deep Water Reentry - A Successful Test

[Manning]

After tarpon fishing this morning Shamus, Uncle Tommy and I stood on the beach discussing the shark Tommy fought. During the conversation we talked about being out in open water in a Native Ultimate and what would happen if you swamped it. I got thinking about this on the drive home and decided to do a little testing in my pool. To make the test as realistic as possible I tried to do everything in the deep end of the pool and kept my feet off the bottom of the pool. I put on my PFD for this test. To be truthful, I started the test without the PFD and quickly learned how much easier it was maneuver and hold myself in position with the PFD. In the spirit of full disclosure, I am 65 years old and weigh just under 200 pounds.

I put the Ultimate 14.5 in the pool with seat and seat riser, but no fishing equipment. The kayak also has a front spray skirt on it which will be a critical element to my success later on. I then leaned on the side and swamped it. Once it was filled with water it floated with maybe 1 inch of freeboard on each side. Filled like this the kayak was incredibly unstable. The slightest pressure on either side would make the kayak list over into the water. I tried getting in the kayak once with it fully swamped, but it was pointless since it was so unstable.

My first order of business was to see how I could get the water out. First thing I did was try to use my pump. I found this very cumbersome and not very effective. If I reached over the side to pump it just listed over and took on as much water as I was pumping out. I could reach in over the stern with the pump, but the slightest pressure on the boat would cause it to list over again. Next I tried something I had heard people do with swamped canoes. I went to the stern of the kayak and pushed it down into the water as far as I could which raised the bow out of the water slightly. I then pushed the kayak forwards in a quick thrusting motion. To my pleasant surprise this took about 20% to 30% of the water out of the kayak. It was now floating with a few inches of freeboard on each side. I tried this a few more times, but really gained nothing more in these subsequent tries.

I again tried to see if I could get into the kayak, but it was still too unstable. I had to find a way to get more water out. I went back to the pump. Again I found that the best spot to pump from was over the stern, but it was very difficult and very slow. I decided to try bailing. I got a plastic 2lb Folgers coffee container. I tried bailing from the side, but again the instability of the boat 2/3 full of water became an issue. Bailing at the stern seemed to work best. As the bailing progressed I could put pressure on the stern, which would sink it a little and make the water flow back there. This way I could get a full bucket full each time bailed. In just a little more than 10 minutes I had almost all of the water out of the kayak.

Now the task was to see if I could figure out how to get back in. First, I tried to just climb over the side. I could not find any way to do this without swamping the kayak all over again. Next I tried to use my kayak cart strap to make a stirrup. I attached the strap to one side of the kayak and then tried to get into the other side by putting my foot in the strap loop. Again, I could not figure out how to make this work. Then I had an idea. I would try to get in over the bow where the spray skirt was. I pushed the bow down and the skirt prevented the water from flooding the kayak. I then reached up and grabbed the back edge of the skirt and pulled myself part of the way up out of the water. I next grabbed the cross bar just behind the skirt and slithered into the kayak. There I was, back in the kayak with only a minor amount of water in the boat.

Conclusion: A deep water reentry can be done. However, I don’t think I could have done it if I didn’t have the front spray skirt. Also, I did it in the dead calm of a pool. If I were in water with any waves or chop I think I would be SOL.

[mauso1]

I put the Ultimate 14.5 in the pool with seat and seat riser, but no fishing equipment.

what fun is that? Good thing you now are aware of the limitations

[Rik]

Makes you rethink launching off the beach on sloppy days, doesn't it?

[Manning]

Makes you rethink launching off the beach on sloppy days, doesn't it?

Absolutely! My next project is to see how I can simply improve the boat's flotation. My thought is garbage bags filled with styrofom peanuts. One for the bow and one for the stern.

[Rik]

Look up canoe float bags.

[MarkM]

Good report, but I see this wasn't as easy as we thought. Do you think you would have had the same success in the gulf with a 1-2 foot chop? Seems like it would be nearly impossible as compared to doing it in a pool.

[DirksFishin]

I'm glad you older guys have plenty of time to perform these experiments so I don't have to. That sounded like a hell of a workout man. I love the Native but since it's not self bailing it won't be my next investment for fishing at least.

[Pirogue]

Makes you rethink launching off the beach on sloppy days, doesn't it?

Absolutely! My next project is to see how I can simply improve the boat's flotation. My thought is garbage bags filled with styrofom peanuts. One for the bow and one for the stern.

Beachballs

[Heywood]

This post is useless with out pics.

Just sayin........

[Rik]

If it happened in the gulf, I'd tie my wade tether line to someone's kayak then start swimming to the beach.

Make you a deal Steve, I'll tow yours if you'll tow mine.

[Manning]

Beachballs

Thanks for noticing. Yup, us Native pilots are real brave for taking those things out in the gulf.

[Manning]

If it happened in the gulf, I'd tie my wade tether line to someone's kayak then start swimming to the beach.

Make you a deal Steve, I'll tow yours if you'll tow mine.

You got a deal.

[SnookBait]

I have a U12. I have thought to myself many times about how I would get back into the boat if it swamped. I really enjoyed reading this write up. Makes me realize that I really need to practice this and be prepared if it ever happens.

Thanks,

[bluebill]

Good posts. I am an older guy also but lighter and more agile. But, I have been using my sit-in Pungo until I do a bit of plastic repair on the sit-on-top Mini-X. This will push me to repair the sit-on which floats high and like a cork no matter what.

[JoeS]

" I could not find any way to do this without swamping the kayak all over again. Next I tried to use my kayak cart strap to make a stirrup. I attached the strap to one side of the kayak and then tried to get into the other side by putting my foot in the strap loop. Again, I could not figure out how to make this work."

Steve you were on the right track all you needed was a Paddle float to counterbalance the boat step into the stirrup and climb aboard....I posted a video of this a few years ago on this forum I will see if I can find it again.....also I reccomend getting a Atwood Portable D cell Bildge Pump about $40 it pumps about 200GPR plenty fast enough to empty a canoe or Ultimate in an emergency......I am pretty sure I have showed Uncle Tommy, Dave R and a few others this pump.......again great post.....

[DonS]

Loved my native ultimate 14-5
Love my native magic 14-5 more. It floats when swamped. I don't.