Self Rescue
The best and safest 'self rescue' is prevention. Always wear a properly fitted, Coast Guard-approved PFD and dress for the conditions. Paddle your boat within a comfortable swimming distance from shore. If the temperature are cooler, paddle even closer and wear a wet suit or dry suit. Any re-entry type of rescue, whether solo or assisted, can be taxing on the capsized paddler; sometimes to the point of near exhaustion. If you attempt to re-enter boat and fail, you may not have the necessary energy at that point to swim to shore.
If you have not thoroughly practiced self rescue before you need to use it, it is always better to just swim to shore. Ultimately your boat is replaceable.
If the environment or your energy levels make it difficult to swim with the boat, let it go.
The 120 Rule: Cold Water Safety
Even strong swimmers can quickly become incapacitated in cold water. The 120 Rule is a simple guideline to help assess risk:
If the air temperature + water temperature is less than 120°F, wear thermal protection.
Why It Matters
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Cold shock can affect breathing within seconds.
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Cold water rapidly reduces strength and coordination.
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Self-rescue becomes significantly more difficult without protection.
What to Wear
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Wetsuit or drysuit depending on conditions
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Thermal layers (avoid cotton)
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Neoprene gloves and footwear when needed
Safety Tips (Before You Launch)
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Check Weather & Plan: Know the route and conditions, stay close to shore, and never exceed your skill level.
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Gear Up: Carry a whistle or signal device, first-aid kit, and a paddle float or strap . Ensure your paddle float is stowed accessibly.
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Carry a Throw Rope: In moving water, a throw bag can assist rescues.
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Dress for Water: Wear layers (wetsuit or drysuit) appropriate for the temperature.
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PFD Always: As the ACA emphasizes, “all paddlers should wear a USCG-approved, properly fitted life jacket”.
Survival Backstroke
It is the same stroke only if the arms don't come out of the water, there is slow progress and movement only when progress is beginning to cease, to preserve energy. Most importantly the arms and legs are kept together as long as possible to minimize heat loss from the body.
In this context the stroke is a life-preserving stoke to be able to swim long distances, conserving energy, minimizing heat loss (avoiding Hypothermia if possible), all whilst awaiting rescue.
Paddle-Float Re-Entry
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After exiting, reach under the boat and retrieve your paddle and float. Hook one leg into the cockpit to keep the boat close.
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Inflate and attach the paddle float to one blade, creating an outrigger (float in water behind cockpit).
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Flip the kayak upright using both cockpit coaming edges, pushing the hull away as you pull the far rim toward you. (Alternatively, use a throw rope or tie-down strap to help flip an overturned boat.)
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Sit facing the stern behind the cockpit, legs scissoring to the surface. Pull yourself onto the deck with one knee over the paddle shaft for leverage.
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Slip both legs into the cockpit from the stern and sit up. Pump or bucket out water, replace spray skirt, and paddle away.
Safety Tips (Before You Launch)
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Check Weather & Plan: Know the route and conditions, stay close to shore, and never exceed your skill level. Hornbeck recommends paddling within a safe swimming distance from shore at all times.
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Gear Up: Carry a whistle or signal device, first-aid kit, and a paddle float or strap on deck. Ensure your paddle float is stowed accessibly (e.g. under deck rigging).
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Carry a Throw Rope: In moving water, a throw bag can assist rescues.
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Dress for Water: Wear layers (wetsuit or drysuit) appropriate for the temperature.
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PFD Always: As the ACA emphasizes, “all paddlers should wear a USCG-approved, properly fitted life jacket”.
Self-Rescue Techniques for Pack Boat Paddlers
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Knowing how to get back into your boat after a capsize is an essential skill for every paddler. These techniques are designed to work with lightweight pack boats and can be practiced in calm, controlled conditions before heading into more challenging water.
Righting an Overturned Hornbeck
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Floating on your back, allowing your PFD to take all your weight, position yourself parallel to your boat with is bottom facing up.
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Reaching across the hull at the balance point of the boat, just in front of the seat, grab both sides.
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Break the air seal on the boat by slightly lifting one side.
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Push the boat up and away in a swift motion while pulling the far edge toward you.
Kick and Push Re-Entry
A fast method when conditions are calm and you’re comfortable in the water.
This method does take a bit of skill and upper body strength to accomplish without re-swamping the boat.
Steps:
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Hold the boat firmly with both hands at a 90 degree angle to the boat. one hand on the side the other along the backrest.
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Let your legs float up behind you until your body is horizontal. Floating just below the surface of the water.
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Kick powerfully with your legs.
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Push towards your feet with your arms to pull your chest onto the boat.
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Quickly slide your body forward and re-enter the cockpit. this will not be graceful
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Take a breath and pause keeping your weight low
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reposition to a seated position
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sponge or pump out water
Paddle Float Self-Rescue
A paddle float adds stability by turning your paddle into an outrigger. This allows re-entry to slow down and make it less likely for re-capsize. It is ideal for rough water or building confidence.
Set Up
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Retrieve your paddle and float.
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Hook one leg, or an elbow, into the cockpit to keep the boat close.
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Inflate and attach the paddle float to one blade.
Position the Paddle
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Right your boat
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Place the paddle behind the backrest, perpendicular to the boat.
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Keep the float in the water.
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Hold the paddle shaft securely against the rear deck or backrest.
Re-Entry
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Kick your legs to bring your body horizontal.
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Slide your chest onto the rear deck, face down.
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Maintain steady pressure on the paddle for support.
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Bring one leg, then the other, into the cockpit.
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Sit upright while keeping your balance.
Finish
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Pump or bail out any water.
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Reattach your spray skirt.
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Continue paddling.
Stirrup (Step-Up) Rescue
*Hornbeck Boats Recommended Technique*
A stirrup provides a foothold, making re-entry easier on the body, especially for paddlers who need extra support.
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What You Need
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A loop of webbing (approximately 16 ft for most pack boats) tied into a continuous loop.
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Stored in your cockpit for quick access.
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Set Up
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Place your paddle behind the cockpit, perpendicular to the boat.
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Wrap the stirrup around the paddle shaft so it extends beyond the side of the boat.
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Let the loop hang down into the water.
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Re-Entry
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Place one foot into the loop.
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Step down to lift your body up.
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Pull with your arms and bring your chest onto the rear deck.
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Slide forward and bring your legs into the cockpit.
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Sit upright and stabilize.
Safety Tips
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Practice these techniques in warm, calm water before relying on them in real conditions.
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Keep movements smooth and controlled: rushing reduces stability and increases fatigue
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Always wear a properly fitted PFD.
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Be cautious when using a stirrup with lightweight or two-piece paddles, as it can place stress on the shaft.
Practice Makes Confidence
Self-rescue is a skill. The more you practice, the more automatic and effective it becomes when you need it most.
Self-Rescue Techniques for Pack Boat Paddlers
Kick and Push
With a firm grip on the kayak, let your legs float to the surface behind you. Then give a powerful kick with your legs and push with your arms to haul your chest up onto the kayak.
This technique involves attaching an inflatable float to the paddle blade, providing additional buoyancy and stability as you re-enter the cockpit of the kayak. By incorporating the paddle float, kayakers can regain control of the kayak with enhanced stability, making it particularly useful in challenging conditions or for those still building confidence in unsteady waters.
After securing a paddle float to one end of your paddle, use the paddle as an outrigger to provide stability while reentering the kayak.
Place the paddle perpendicular to the kayak with the paddle float in the water, holding the paddle shaft against the backrest.
Next, kick your legs to get your body horizontal on the surface, then slide onto the rear deck with your chest facing down.
Lastly, twist your body and swing your legs into the cockpit, maintaining contact with the paddle for support.
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After exiting, reach under the boat and retrieve your paddle and float. Hook one leg into the cockpit to keep the boat close.
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Inflate and attach the paddle float to one blade, creating an outrigger (float in water behind cockpit).
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Flip the kayak upright using both cockpit coaming edges, pushing the hull away as you pull the far rim toward you. (Alternatively, use a throw rope or tie-down strap to help flip an overturned boat.)
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Sit facing the stern behind the cockpit, legs scissoring to the surface. Pull yourself onto the deck with one knee over the paddle shaft for leverage.
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Slip both legs into the cockpit from the stern and sit up. Pump or bucket out water, replace spray skirt, and paddle away.
Using a stirrup recovery technique can literally give you one leg up on being able to re-enter your boat.
A stirrup is a loop with a flat base to support the paddlers foot. The key words being “support” and “foot”. From a re-entry perspective, a foothold is made from one end of a looped section of nylon webbing straps that is used as a “step up” segment of a kayak re-entry rescue.
The loop is fashioned from aproximately length of 1” tubular or flat webbing formed by tying ends off in a “water” knot to form a long, complete circle (loop) of strap (16' is a good length for a Hornbeck). The loop is then placed over a paddle straddling the kayak deck perpendicular to the deck, drawn under the boat and wrapped around the shaft at a point where it extends out beyond the beam of the kayak. Excess strapping is hung below the shaft to create a loop in which the capsizer’s foot is inserted and used like the rung on a ladder for support and upward push to rise up out of the water and onto the cockpit area.
As part of one’s safety gear, the stirrup - already appropriately looped at a proper length-is stowed within the cockpit area for quick access. Practice will help you determine the appropriate rigging set-up for your body/leg length and kayak dimensions.
The strap can be wrapped around your paddle shaft for self-rescue or to assist you in team rescue.
Be advised: this can put excessive stress on your paddle, especially two-piece shafts - and can lead to serious damage.
Watson, Tom, Paddling.com, Stirrup Strap Re-entry, https://paddling.com/learn/stirrup-strap-re-entry, 9/18/2024
Safety Gear Checklist
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PFD (worn at all times)
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Kayak paddle with attached float (or a throw rope)
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Whistle/signal light (for low visibility)
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First-aid kit (dry bag)
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Spare rope or tie-down strap (doubles as self-rescue stirrup)
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Dry bag with extra clothing (if touring far from help)
Practice & Training
Two things save lives: preparation and prevention. Before heading out, ensure you know your limits and have practiced rescues in a pool or calm water. The ACA notes that “an experienced paddler never takes safety for granted” and encourages formal training. Consider signing up for a paddling safety clinic (Hornbeck can recommend courses) or practicing with friends so rescues become second nature.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is “self-rescue”?
Self-rescue means getting yourself (and your boat) back under control without outside help after a capsize. It includes swimming with your boat to shore, using your paddle float or gear to climb back in, or any solo re-entry method. -
Why is it important?
Even experienced guides can capsize. Knowing self-rescue is the quickest, safest way to stay safe, because you control the process. It keeps you from drifting farther out and prevents panic. -
Should I always use a spray skirt?
Hornbeck pack canoes are generally open boats. If using a spray deck (e.g. for fishing), practice wet exits with it on. In open boats, you exit immediately when flipped, then use the above techniques to recover. -
Can I practice self-rescue alone?
Always start practicing with a buddy in shallow, calm water. Only practice advanced moves (paddle-float entry, scramble) when wearing a PFD, with someone nearby. Never practice in rough or cold conditions alone. -
When should I call for help?
If you’re cold, injured, or far from shore, prioritize getting out of the water. Self-rescue techniques are intended to avoid rescue situations, but don’t hesitate to signal for help (whistle, VHF radio) if needed.
Get Expert Training
Enhance your confidence with guided instruction. Hornbeck Rescue Clinics (link) and partner programs teach self- and assisted-rescue skills. Get hands-on coaching and gear advice – Contact Us for Training or Schedule a Clinic.
Hornbeck Gear for Safety
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Shop must-have accessories in our store: paddle floats, throw ropes, marine safety lights, etc. Check out our Safety Gear Collection or Explore the Store.
