What is the biggest thing you have put on your game clip?
 

A very weird set of circumstances put me in the right place just in the nick of time. I was fishing the inside all morning but had to use the restroom, so I went in and did my business. I start to paddle back out, and for some reason, I beat feet for the channel which I had not fished in a couple weeks. Earlier in the morning I saw a yakker with a couple of paddleboarders, and that is what I thought I saw near one of the last mooring buoys as I paddled out (a guy in a yak next to a guy at water level). Needless to say, that was not what it was. When I got in earshot (still could not see the submerged kayak) I yelled "You need any help?" And hear back "His kayak sunk". I paddle up to see an almost totally submerged kayak with the driver still holding a couple rods and trying to reel them in, and his partners tiny kayak full of the rest of his stuff. They had called Vessle Assist, but of course VA had gone the wrong direction and was nowhere in sight. By another weird coincidence, there was no safety or security boats in the vicinity for the 20+ minutes that everything played out. I tell them that I can tow the yak to the bait barge (1/4 mile away) if the guy in the other yak can tow his buddy over there.
So that is what happened.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zqg-N8GB4OI
Yes, I did tow it the whole way with my game clip. And to make this a "fish report", I caught 1 short Hali and 1 Sculpin. One before and one after the incident, but I can't tell you which (can't give away all my secrets).

vid was blocked..

Really, for friggin Gordon Lightfoot's Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald? lol

Hey Greg, can't see the video

This is the msg "This video contains content from WMG, who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds."

Gabe

Ok, try it now.

Nice work Greg:you_rock: Did another Malibu X-Factor really sink?:eek:

Nice save Greg, ahhhh Mr Smooth. :luxhello:
always enjoy the video music you select, another fine job

Now this video is for those that doubted the kayak insurance thread.

$10/month & $250/deductible doesn't sound so bad now ;)

Nice save.

Ermmm how is that?

What is the claim? "My kayak almost sunk and my pride took $300 of damage so I want fifty bucks?"

You're still out $70 for the year!

I guess the biggest question here is why did it sink? I see the kayak had one of those through a hatch bait tanks, was that the issue again?
Things can go wrong on the water, wear a pfd, if in waders wear a wading belt, have communication equipment, ie VHF and keep a bildge pump where you can get to it.
Nice Save Greg.

Do tell. . .
 

I have one of those Kayaks with a bait tank that fits into the rear scupper hole. I once blocked the drain hole not knowing it. The back of the yak slowly started to fill with water. I didn't notice it right away (still dark/grey light), but the water falling out of the overflow of the bait tank didn't sound right and when I turned with a light to see what was going on, the back of the yak was at sea-level and I freaked.

After unplugging the pump, I realized the plugged drain hole and 3 minutes later I was good, the water drained. I checked the middle hatch, hardly water inside. The seal between bait-tank and kayak kept water from entering the hull.

I'd be real curious to know how this happened. Any fixes?

Good Save!

Weird thing is that when we show at Cabrillo and the USCG, Port Police, Fire Dept, Lifeguards, Homeland Security and even the FBI are all over the place. Must have something to do with Matt being there.

Greg nice vessel assist skills right there...my gues is they probably otta
check that bait tank...probably pumped the water right into the hull...
glad everything turned out ok "A" for effort

nice work Greg but I was expecting to see that 50# wsb you got.

or they are in newport and mexico looking into the sail boat that was shredded.

WAY TO GO GREG! Big karma points headed your way!:luxhello:

Please don't limit yourself to literal terms, but think figuratively.

Cost = Peace of mind.

Thank you for your help.
 

Nice to be able to put a name to the face. I was the friend on the little mini-x. I have a tandem pro that I like to use but so it happens, I wanted the convenience of the little yak and I didn't want to drive. It was easier to just load it into the back of his truck.

He just picked up that bait tank and a 12v timer for the X-Factor at OEX the day before. Previously, he had a 5 gallon bait tank with the discharge hose going off the side. With the new tank, I had told him to drill out the side instead of the back, but he didn't. It was a big discharge hose and he didn't have an elbow so he left it off thinking that it would drain itself through the scupper holes. Unfortunately, he wasn't aware that the water that was being discharged was now entering the hatch where his new bait tank was. At that time, he also didn't have his timer connected yet so the pump was running full speed at 12v.

He had stated earlier that his kayak felt a little off balance earlier but since he's the only one that's ever been on that kayak, I didn't know what to tell him. We were actually heading out of the bay to hit the kelp bed outside when I noticed that the back end of his kayak was under water. When I told him, he looked back and tried to straddle it to balance himself but ended up flipping it. I had instructed him not to try to mount the kayak yet but he panicked since he's never flipped one before. Initially, the kayak wasn't fully submerged but he must have flipped it about 3 times while in the water trying to get back on it. We kept whistling and trying to flag down boats but none were around. The thing was, when we were trolling there, there were boats coming and going. But during the time of the incident, none had passed through. The VA that was heading towards our direction had turned into the harbor. It was then that we saw Greg heading our way.

The story continues with Greg's post and the video.

well done. Right place at the right time and the right thing. I have that same boat, curious about the cause of the flooding.
Was this SD Bay? The oddest thing about the tale is that there wasn't a coast, guard, naval security, home land security, coast gaurd auxiliary, harbor police, boarder patrol, DEA, or customs patrol boat right on the scene. It seams that I can't ever get more than a 1/4 mile away from one of those "authorities". Mike

Great job Greg!:luxhello: Saving a fellow kayaker and his gear!!! You are the man my friend!

Why was the lifeguard not called?

They are at the ready and monitor vhf channel 16
They can be anywhere in that harbor in a couple minutes!

I have called them more than once for others in need.
again you can reach them on channel 16!
They will take you and your kayak back to the boat ramp if needed.

Also
if you are going to fish the LA Harbor
you may want these numbers on your cell phone:

LA Port Police: 310-732-3500
Life Guard: 310-548-2909