| About the Kayak |
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My Kayak I was fortunate enough to find a used kayak for sale locally that was exactly the model I was after having researched the market. For £280 I got an 'as new' Ocean Kayak 'Scrambler XT', back-rest and paddle, bargain! My research had lead me to prefer this model as it was designed with diving in mind, and did not have some 'extra features' that would have made it less than ideal. Some sites don’t rate the XT much, but by the looks of it they want the opened stowage compartments, and a lot more deck space than I need. Let's go through what attracted me to the Scrambler XT: Firstly it's no small kayak - at 12 feet long it is longer that the zodiac boat I used to have, so all that length means there is plenty of room for me (6 foot tall) and my freediving/scuba/photography kit. It is also very wide which makes it very stable and therefore easy to get into and out of while on the water. The sitting position has been lowered in comparison to other models so that your centre of gravity is well down, again adding to the stability. This lowered sitting position is actually below the waterline so you'll see what I did in the next section to make it more comfortable. The space behind the seat is moulded into a U shape to carry your diving cylinder, and it's a perfect fit for a 10 or 12ltr cylinder :-) (Though for lightness I use a 7ltr) There were only two 'extra features' I was keen to avoid that would have compromised the usefulness of the kayak. On later models the rear carrying section has a bungee mesh over it that is not removable which makes sliding a cylinder into the kayak almost impossible! The second feature is the storage containers that are built into the moulding of the kayak. The one I found had not been sawn open to fit these containers so I was well pleased! I think they may compromise the integrity of the hull design and provide weak-spots, I also am keener to have a sealed hull rather than cut holes into it which could (and I know at least 1 instance where this had happened) lead to the kayak filling up with water! Some websites love these compartments, but I just use a dry-bag for extra storage. The Kit I Carry Torbay is a shallow, flat bay and the reefs that I'm interest in are obvious lumps sticking out of the sand/mud. I managed to get a tiny, battery-powered fishfinder/echo-sounder on ebay for £30 which is just superb! Unlike the really cheap ones that just give you a false representation of the bottom, this one is a proper echo-sounder and gives a graphical reading of the echoes so I know if I'm over sand or rock. I've got a small Garmin wrist mounted GPS to get me to the right spot, then I switch on the sounder to confirm that I'm in the right depth of water or watch the reef appearing out of the flat sea-bed :-) I also carry a small 1.5kg anchor on 20m of 4mm climbing rope with a 50cm leader of of light chain. I was a little worried about the lightness of the chain and anchor, but even in strong currents, wind or swell I have never drifted. It also helps that I can snorkel down to check the anchor every time. Having such a small anchor means that it is easy to carry and use the kayak as my SMB. In my dry-box (a small Otter-Box) I have a hand-held VHF radio, personal flairs and a compass, a bit o.t.t some might say, but for the sake of a few quid I'd rather be able to summon help in the event of a problem! What Modifications I Have Made I have added tow lines at the front and rear of the kayak that also double up as grab lines to clip 'stuff' onto. They both have a small float on the end just in case I un-clip it and drop it in the water - with the float it doesn’t sink out of reach. The front one is the line I attach the anchor to, which I have added a length of bungee to just to smooth out the 'jerks' when at anchor in choppy surface conditions. The rear line is necessary for clipping to my buddy's kayak. There are also grab loops near the seat to aid climbing back into the kayak at the end of a dip. I have a dedicated clip line that dangles down from the seating area with a large clip on the end. Essential for hanging equipment off when kitting/de-kitting. For example my camera, goody bag with mask gloves etc, or indeed my whole scuba set. Finally back to that lowered seating position in the XT. Well if you’re out to get wet then it’s not too bad, but if you’re just out for a paddle it can get very uncomfortable sitting in 2 inches of water for any length of time! So to raise my back-side up out of the water, and also add extra padding to the affore-mentioned area, I have resorted to a rather cheap solution in the form of a folded up foam ‘carry mat’ from a cheap camping shop! It does the job perfectly. And that's about it! With a little thought it's easy to create a safe, stable diving/snorkelling platform out of your kayak. And if you are wandering about how far you can go in one, I can cover a mile quite easily in about 20mins - a pace I can keep up for a good while without needing a rest. So pack water and a lunch and you can happily stay out all day and take in several dive sites. I tend to snorkel the first site or two and dive the last one, but that's just me. I am no expert in kayak diving, I just do what I do so please don't take anything I have written here as best practice or necessary or rely utterly on my safety kit list. I have previously qualified with the BCU so was proficient in paddling techniques before I got my kayak. I would recommend doing a course with your local club before venturing out on the high seas! |
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