Inflatable Kayaking for Fat People - Part 5: Strategies

This is the final part of this series, and I hope that maybe the articles will help get someone into inflatable kayaking.

Heavy people have some advantages and some disadvantages when inflatable kayaking. The biggest advantage is that weight means momentum. You can often get through holes and waves that would cause problems for other boaters. The main disadvantages are having to move more weight on the river, getting stuck more often that lighter people, carrying heavier boats and equipment, and struggling to get back into the boat after a flip.

A long paddle will help some with moving the boat, but don't go overboard. Most larger people are still going to do better with a 205cm-210cm paddle than with a 230cm paddle because quickness still makes a difference. Your best asset in this area is your brain - look at the whole rapid in front of you and try to figure out the whole route so you can start moving your boat in advance. Take advantage of the fact that you can plow through larger holes and use them to slow you down. This will give you time to decide where to go next.

Getting stuck on a rock is not much fun, especially if it leads to a wrap (this is where the boat basically sinks and gets squished onto a rock). You need to do as much as possible to avoid this situation. One important rule is to hit things straight on and not sideways. If you do get stuck, don't panic. You may need to get out of the boat, but make sure to hold on to something on the boat so you can either drag it off the rock or stay with it while waiting for someone to throw you a rope.

As a larger person, you'll need a larger boat, which usually means a heavier boat. This can be a problem when you have to portage or hike in or out of a run. At first, you'll probably want to avoid runs with these problems, but eventually you'll want to do new runs. Make sure that the people in your group understand your limitations. If they are smart, they will realize that it's important to help keep you safe, since carrying an injured or weak heavy person is a lot of work.

There are people who will say that the #1 thing for an IKer to learn is getting back in their boat. Personally, I put learning to stay in the boat above that, but getting back into the boat is very important. The larger your tubes are the harder it is to get back in. You are likely to flip the boat back over. My trick is to get my paddle on the far side of the inside of the boat, right on top of the far thigh strap. I then let my feet float up and I pull myself on top of the boat. I then bring the bow-side leg into the front of the boat, flop into the boat, and then get back into paddling position as quickly as possible. If you do this right, you will not have expended a lot of energy and you will be ready to continue.

One final thing: Don't be scared to walk away from a run you don't feel like doing. There's always another run.