Why you should wear a buoyancy aid whilst kayaking.

Why you should wear a buoyancy aid whilst kayaking

Not wearing a buoyancy aid:

Picture this, it’s a beautiful sunny day, you’re out on your kayak soaking up the sun. You aren’t wearing your buoyancy aid, because it’s such a warm day, and besides, you have it right there beside you if you should need it.

You go to rearrange your sitting position and whoops you have fallen in the water!

You pop back up to the surface and think “brr!” and you think now maybe it’s a good opportunity to put your buoyancy aid on, which will help give you the floatation you need to get back into your kayak. But forcing that buoyancy aid on, when you are already in the water proves to be more difficult than you thought.

So instead you are left in a panic hanging on to your kayak and swimming ungracefully back to the shoreline, hoping someone will spot you and come and help and spending far longer than you would like emersed in the chilly sea.

Wearing a buoyancy aid:

Now picture this instead, it’s a beautiful sunny day, you’re out on your kayak soaking up the sun. You go to rearrange your sitting position and whoops you have fallen in the water! You pop back up to the surface and think “brr!” and you grab hold of your kayak, you are able to take a moment to float there laughing at yourself before you haul yourself back into your kayak as you’ve practised ample times before, then you carry on with your day no worse for wear.

This is just one of the hundreds of examples of why it’s always a good idea to wear a well-fitting buoyancy aid whilst out on the water. Even if you don’t think you’re likely to need it, it could save your life.

Conclusion:

So now we’ve convinced you that it is a good idea to always wear a buoyancy aid, let’s talk about how to ensure that your buoyancy aid is a good fit.

If you would like to learn more about kayaking safely, why not join us on one of our courses, we will help you expand your knowledge and kayaking ability in a safe and enjoyable way.