Kayaking instructor Anne Clark stresses the importance of practice

When Anne Clark took her first kayak class she was terrified of flipping her boat.

“I had a claustrophobic obsession about getting stuck upside down in the cockpit,” she said.

Now, Clark can not only roll her boat upside down, and flip herself back upright, without ever leaving the cockpit, she knows several ways to re-enter her boat if she does fall out.

She teaches this important kayak skills to others.

In her fourth year as a kayaking instructor Clark stresses safety, and knowing you can get back in your kayak if you flip.

Kayaking is easy to pick up and many stores now sell kayaks for affordable prices. Clark warns that many of the cheap boats don’t have the proper safety features to allow re-entry in deep water.

Many cheap boats lack bulkheads, which are important for keeping a kayak floating if tipped over. Bulkheads seal off the bow and the stern, making it difficult for water to enter that part of the boat. So if the kayak flipped, with only the cockpit filled with water, it would still float, making it possible to empty the cockpit and get back in.

Clark said there are solutions for boats without bulkheads. Float bags can be installed in the bow or stern and are relatively affordable.

Clark encourages people to bring whatever boat they have to her classes, and has them tip it over in a pool and see if they can get back in. She encourages people to try that on their own as well, before embarking on a paddling trip. It’s important, she said, to know that if something happens while on the water you can get yourself to shore.

She stresses practicing wet entries, assisted and solo. And if you prefer to paddle with your life jacket strapped to your boat instead of wearing it, practice taking it off the boat and putting it on in deep water.

With more kayaks being sold, there are more people having issues on the water. Brian Heino, Flathead County sheriff’s office search and rescue coordinator, said last year they responded to over 50 incidents in the county. Boaters need to be aware of the risks, know the water and take safety precautions before heading out, he said.

“Water rescue is very big in this county,” he said. “The rivers are constantly changing. A lot of what we see later in the year is people are very inexperienced.”

Clark owns Montana Sea Kayaking Adventures. She is a more serious kayaker, paddling in every season and spending some of her summer weeks touring ocean waters in places like the Olympic Peninsula and Alaska. But even for a quick paddle around Flathead Lake in Somers, she comes prepared for the worst.

She usually kayaks in full immersion gear, and packs spare clothes. Clark carries an extra paddle, tow rig, whistle, cell phone, radio, shelter, bailing pump and a paddle float.

The paddle float is an inflatable bag that can be attached to the end of your paddle to help assist in a solo re-entry.

Before heading out on open water, Clark suggests evaluating the conditions and being aware of your abilities.

Heino suggests kayaking with someone who is familiar with the river or lake. He also stressed wearing a lifejacket.

“Life jackets are key,” he said. Part of the reason they are so important, is the colder water temperatures in Northwest Montana.

“A lot of people don’t realize here our water temperatures are very cold,” he said. Even in the summer water temperatures can be low, and the cold can cause you to lose the fine motor skills needed to self-rescue or swim to shore.

Clark is offering a Family Kayak Adventure course through Flathead Valley Community College on July 11 and 13. The first day of the class is from 5:50 to 8 p.m. at the Summit Medical Fitness Center pool in Kalispell. Day two goes from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Echo Lake.

The cost to enroll is $120 per student. Preregistration is required to participate. For more information or to register, visit fvcc.edu/continuing-education.html or call the FVCC Continuing Education Center at 756-3832.