Kayak Diving

[Nemrod]

I am surprised no one on this board kayak dives or that there is not a seperate section for it. I will be going into my 4th summer of this type of diving. Of course, since I live so far inland I only make a few dives a year now but still I have found kayaks to be a blast.
My first kayak was bought at a sporting goods chain when on sale for only 250 dollars. It was a generic looking SOT (sit on top) of the typical molded polyethelene. It had a shallow tank well, about 12 feet long and about 34 inches wide. After considerable rerigging which is easy to do I had a cheap dive yak. It is always amazing how after you use something several times you begin to discover the weaknesses. Well, it was only a cheap little yak and it served well but it was slow and could only carry one tank.
So, I bought an OK Scupper Pro TW last summer and used it a few times. It is a much better boat, it is faster by far and has more glide and punches through surf. What is so good about the OK Scupper? Well, the front hatch is huge and can take a dressed out 80. The rear tankwell is huge as well. The fishform hull design just short of 15 feet long allows the yak to track well and really get going without much effort. No mattter what yak you buy it is going to have to be rigged for diving--some clips and bungees will have to be added and some removed or relocated. Additional clips will be needed for rigging drift lines, anchor lines and equipment lines, tethers.
One word of advice, tether everything--ESPECIALLY the paddle!!!
I am far from being expert on this but one well known website now recommends against the OK units in favor of Cobra yaks. The shop I bought from had both. In my opinion and that of the shop owner, the OK Scupper Pro TW is THE diveyak and everything else is a second placer. The Cobra unit closest to the Scupper has two small hatches instead of one big one making it difficult to bring a second tank. The quality of both brands--OK and Cobra is similar, the materials are essentially the same--molded polyethelene and no matter which you get there is going to be a bunch of rigging required--neither is perfect. I have used my new Scupper for fishing and general paddling as well as diving and it is holding up nicely, I expect many years of use. The Cobras are nice units as well.
If you shore dive now a yak will make you a boat diver. Your range and safety is increased, you can make two tank dive trips, you can travel several miles effortlessly. You can punch through surf and you have a resting place that remains visible to steer boat traffic away. You can carry more equipment and visit remote areas. You can bring water and food! Also if diving gives your legs a workout then yaking gives you some upper body workout so it balances well with diving.
Launching can be done using a homemade set of wheels with a PVC cradle to get the boat to the water off your truck or sissy Volvo. The boats weigh about 60 lbs but the equipemnt adds to the weight of course.
I also carry a GPS, handheld VHF and I sometimes run a small sonar unit great for finding rocks and reefs and whatevers. You also need a PFD, flares, signal mirror, bilge pump, first aid kit, small horn, yak rescue float, safety sausage etc which all stow in the front hatch with tank number 2 except for the PFD. You should wear that or bungee it nearby.
Well, if you are currently shore diving, you need a yak, plain and simple and talk your buddies into it also, they really are fun, cheap and add greatly to your dive options. These yaks can make three or four times the speed of a surface swimming diver, they are fast, imagine the implications of that! Well, good luck. N

 

[gussys]

Im a kayaker thats just getting into diving. We are as land locked as you can get here in New Mexico and you should se all the funny looks we get when we pull up to any of the local lakes around here with the Perception sea yacks on top of the ole jeep. There realy going to be looking at us funny when I start sliding tanks and bcs into the front and rear hatches.

 

[HBDiveGirl]

I am surprised no one on this board kayak dives or that there is not a seperate section for it.

I strongly agree! Just joined ScubaBoard this month and have been looking for kayak info. thanks Very much for sharing your experiences.
I'm just about to purchase the Cobra Tourer kayak. Have you found a rudder system to be useful for coastal diving? The wind and chop sometimes come up quickly and I'm wondering if it would dramatically improve tracking in a cross wind or chop. Hate to add one more thing that could break unless it's really advantageous.

I also carry a GPS, handheld VHF and I sometimes run a small sonar unit great for finding rocks and reefs and whatevers. You also need a PFD, flares, signal mirror, bilge pump, first aid kit, small horn, yak rescue float, safety sausage etc which all stow in the front hatch with tank number 2 except for the PFD. You should wear that or bungee it nearby.

Thanks for the useful list. It's longer than I thought, but I can see it's all needed and on-task.

Well, if you are currently shore diving, you need a yak, plain and simple and talk your buddies into it also, they really are fun, cheap and add greatly to your dive options. These yaks can make three or four times the speed of a surface swimming diver, they are fast, imagine the implications of that! Well, good luck. N

My best dive buddy already has one and is waiting with 'bated breath for me to gear up!We're diving Palos Verdes in SoCal every weekend...but decent shore access is limited. I really appreciate you sharing your enthusiam and knowledge. I'm going to look into the OK boat, too, before deciding.
Many thanks, N!

Claudette

 

[Nemrod]

Yes, thanks for the enthusiasm. I have never been so excited about diving as since getting into this 'yak thing!
Yes, the Cobra Tourer is a great boat, good luck with it, I know it will serve you well. It is the Cobra that compares with the Scupper. Truth is I could be just as happy with it as the Scupper. Yeah, I think you need the rudder. I do not have one but several times I have wished for it. The department store yak did not track worth a darn. It wandered about to much. The Scupper tracks like an arrow by comparison and goes like a rocket but several times I have had wind one way, waves another and the current do something else and this made the boat behave oddly. I think a rudder could definitly help. And, the further you are likely to travel I think the more important a rudder becomes. Yes, I can do without but I think they can be useful.

I am still learning all this and figuring it all out. When to anchor, when to drift, how to do it, how to pull and set the anchor, how to get in and out of gear etc is all a learning experience on these little boats--but--fun! They open up new possibilities.

Yeah, I imagine there in NM you get even stranger looks than me. Funny thing, I took my yak to a nearby lake and I used my wife's white Jeep Liberty since my Toyota is getting some mods and darn if another white Jeep passed me going the other way with what certainly appeared to be another lime green OK Scupper just like mine. I was looking at them looking at me--SO--we are not alone out there, lol.
I don't know how many more scubayakers are on this borad to warrant and support a seperate topic heading but kayak diving is a growing sport and the use of kayaks for diving has it's own particulars that could be discussed at least as much as the correct bungee material for DIR diving. Could you imagine if DIR guys took up DIR scubayaking---holy cow--the issues are endless!!! (just teasing you fellers--lol) Y'all have a good evening. N

 

[DennisS]

I have an OK Drifter and enjoy diving off it. When you have your kayak as your surface float, you never have to worry about getting back to the boat, when the current kicks up. Some places are kayak accessible here in S Fla while others, life guarded, don't permit hardshells, inflatables are OK. It's a great way to dive and really extends the range. I use a Mako scooter to beachdive and I tow the kayak, it's nice to know that I have a backup in case of scooter failure.

I don't know if your familiar with this link, his book is the one that got me started

http://www.kayakdiving.com/KayakDiving.html

 

[Nemrod]

Dennis, I believe there is a scuba club or what have you don there in sfla that dives kayaks called Kayuba. They have an interesting website if you don't know about them.

I don't think that under good conditions I would think much of paddling 5 or 6 miles or more to a divesite and back and within that range I imagine you can find "putins". At least you don't have to pay a dive boat (not that there is anything wrong with that --Sienfeld). I have managed on several occasions more than that distance. Must watch the weather of course. I left out of an area once near the Destin Jetty a couple of summers ago and then went out to an area I think called Amberjack reef. I then paddled over to a second place called the Liberty ship. I used my handheld GPS and a small sonar to locate the reefs and of course having a dive boat over the reef also helped me locate it! I held off for about 30 minutes while the diveboat finished retrieving it's cattle--er--customers. I dropped anchor in a sandy spot--per my sonar up current. When I got on bottom I picked up my little anchor with a puff of air in my BC and away I went. This was actually one of my first real dives with the department store unit. I may have the names of those reefs wrong but anyways--that is what I did. On the ship wreck--intentionally sunk hull--I set my anchor securely and explored around the whole wreck. I was tired when I got back in. The tide started out and I really had to work getting back in. I had to "tack" and also paddle across the current from the inlet to eventually get back to my Toyota. The Scupper would handle it much better!
Good luck, that scooter sounds fantastic, where ya get it?
N

 

[HBDiveGirl]

Yes, thanks for the enthusiasm. I have never been so excited about diving as since getting into this 'yak thing!
Yes, the Cobra Tourer is a great boat, good luck with it, I know it will serve you well. It is the Cobra that compares with the Scupper. Truth is I could be just as happy with it as the Scupper. Yeah, I think you need the rudder. I do not have one but several times I have wished for it. The department store yak did not track worth a darn. It wandered about to much. The Scupper tracks like an arrow by comparison and goes like a rocket but several times I have had wind one way, waves another and the current do something else and this made the boat behave oddly. I think a rudder could definitly help. And, the further you are likely to travel I think the more important a rudder becomes. Yes, I can do without but I think they can be useful.
I am still learning all this and figuring it all out. When to anchor, when to drift, how to do it, how to pull and set the anchor, how to get in and out of gear etc is all a learning experience on these little boats--but--fun! They open up new possibilities.

Thanks partly to your enthusiastic information, there's now a Cobra Tourer in my garage, awaiting Saturday for it's first put-in!! It's banana yellow, and shall be christened the S.S. Chiquita...I am soooo excited!
I'll be trying it without the rudder system first: The Cobra system puts control lines on top of the deck, which could get in the way while exiting and entering the boat with dive gear. I'll try to learn to paddle correctly first, and only go for the rudder system if I feel I Really need the extra help. I can't wait to try it out...just paddling first and free diving until I get to feeling comfortable enough to add scuba to the equation.
I installed the Yakima Mako shelves and Hully rollers on the roof of my car hoping I could load the yak on the roof solo (Honda Element), but I'll be returning it because it doesn't work for this boat. 50 pounds of weight and the softness of the narrow central hull mean that the rollers dent in the hull and the boat won't slide along straight. So it's a two-person lift to invert the boat, and place it on pads wrapped around the factory rack. I'm a strong, 5'8" weight-lifting diver, but 15 foot/50 pound combo is more than this girl can handle alone.
I guess the Yakima racks may work better for shorter, lighter sit-on-tops, or for more rigid sit-in kayak hulls.
Question: How do you keep small items from sliding around inside the hulls into hard-to-reach corners? Is there a specific book on Kayak diving that you have found helpful?
Thanks again Nemrod, for your advice and encouragement. I'm sure I'll be coming back to you with questions and to share the fun!!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Claudette

 

[rjens]

Is there a specific book on Kayak diving that you have found helpful?

If you haven't seen it already, check out Gilligan's kayak diving site http://kayakdiver.com/kayakdiving/index.htm

There is a ton of excellent info.

Good luck on your Yak, I am still looking myself.

Rob

 

[Nemrod]

Claudette, didn't you say you have a friend who kayak dives, if so be sure to have him/her guide you. Oh, a congrats on the new kayak!!!!
I have the Yakima rack on both my Toyota trucks and on my wife's Jeep Liberty. The kayak "cradle" which holds the kayak on it's side works great even over long distances and will not damage your boat. I store it in my basement tied to rafters and slung on it's side against the wall using old motorcycle tie downs. Do not store your boat flat on it's keel for long periods. At least lay it up on it's side. Do not drag it needlessly on rocks, gravel and concrete.
Everything in the yak needs to be secured and stowed in a logical arrangement. I added a second set of bungee straps on the bow of my Scupper forward of the hatch for more storage--this may not work on your boat. In any case, you should be able to find plenty of room among the tank well and your fore and aft holds. I usually stow my fins up in the front hatch or secured and teathered under the forward bungee I added. These are usually fisrt on and last off. Once you get your fins on you can hang your feet over and use the fins to steady the boat. I drop the rigged BC and yank over with it teathered and get in and out of it in the water. Most sporting goods store have a variety of clear ziplock bags that can be used to stow loose items and then be tied off. I would avoid adding clips and to much to your boat until you use it a few times and get an idea of what is needed. It is a piece of cake to add "inchworms" (the plastic clips, to the boat for additional tie down and tether locations. Yes, I agree, in most cases if not all cases I imagine you will do fine without the rudder. That is not tosay the rudder is not helpful but I think you will do fine without. The Scupper has internal rudder routing and I thought the Cobra Tourer did also? Well, no big deal either way.
When you open a hatch--remove the item or stow the item and then close the hatch--each time!!!! per item. Do not leave a hatch open while you fiddle around or put on gear or if you roll the yak it will flood and you will loose stuff and you will need to deploy your rescue float and safety sausage and maybe use your bilge pump!!!
I suggest you get into your dive wet suit but leave the top down if you get hot--if front zip fold it back and if rear zip then fold it forward. Depending on what kinda suit you will have to figure all that out. The places I have used mine have been warm enough for the most to do without exposure suits. Let us know how it goes. N

 

[HBDiveGirl]

If you haven't seen it already, check out Gilligan's kayak diving site http://kayakdiver.com/kayakdiving/index.htm

There is a ton of excellent info.

Good luck on your Yak, I am still looking myself.

Rob

Thanks for the good tip, Rob. I'll check it out for newbie advice. Ah, the exciting period of being really bad at something for a while so the learning magic can begin.....
I keep trying to visualize the various sequences of getting gear in/out of the boat, (and getting me in/out of the boat,) and I end up laughing because it seems comically complex. Can't wait to start doing it and let the physics teach me. Stay tuned!
Good luck with Your yak selection.
Claudette