Well Slow, your a better man than I! No swimming with gators for me. After last years experience with the great white im not to sure about the gulf either. Remember me mentioning learning to brace? Now is the time. The paddle is your stability. Practice until you can get your ponytail wet. Flexibility is the key to getting into or out of your kayak. Before every paddle i must work on my flexibility especially at my advanced age. I have never been able to exit any of my boats as you have tried. I always have to get one leg out and onto something solid. For your long legs your approach maybe the only way but with the paddle behind you with it extended so the blade is almost on the boat. Ill try to draw a picture and send it. Keep on learning, you will need a reliable wet entry before March.

It was worth the try, right? Learn something new every day. I am amazed at how you are able to come up with things. I think you get that from your dad. He was always good at that. Sometimes, it didn't work, but it helped towards finding a way that would work.

I think the knee entry needs to he higher. My experience is with Chesapeake Light Craft's kayaks, I've build 2 of them and the entry way is doomed more so you have room to maneuver your knees into position. You may want to consider amas for the kayak similar to the Windward 17 but lighter. I'm glad you filmed the dip in the water. I seem to do that frequently.

Re: paddle as "outrigger", it will happen! Your paddle blade's angle-of-attack and speed through the water will determine how much force it can apply to keep the boat upright. A diving angle on the blade will pull the blade down. A climbing angle may slow your down some, but you can lean HARD against that force. With my sailing rig, a SeaDog similar to the Falcon & Flat Earth sails, I mostly use a traditional Greenland paddle. I can extend the blade way out as an outrigger on a beam reach or downwind. I can point several degrees higher when I plunge the skinny stick deep to act as a 5' dagger board. These British-style sea kayaks tend to weather-cock; that is, they will turn to face the wind and/or current. To steer when sailing, I adjust the skeg. Downwind, let that skeg hang deep. If I want to go upwind, I pull the skeg up. Minor adjustments to the skeg are usually enough to keep these boats on course when under sail.

I was going to suggest Cape Falcon Kayak’s sail rig, but then you said it. Nice try, though. Nice rudder system. It looks professional.

To answer your kayak entry question. This really depends on the brand of kayak. Some kayaks have larger cockpit holes. I have a couple kayaks that I can and a few I cannot enter as such. Yea! I have always had an interest in putting a sail on my sea kayak. But I have heard that it can be an endless fight trying to keep upright. Of course, depending on the size of the sail. The best more relaxing results is with an outrigger, as you mentioned. I have also seen people use kites to pull them. Ones like for kiteboarding. Currently in the process of building a small TriRaid 560 trimaran. Plenty of such styles in the Everglades Challange. Also, can have a much larger more substantial sized sail for power/ speed. Just have to face the hard reality. Kayaks by themselves don't make great sail boats. But it all looks fun by trying. 👍

Love the effort. I've learned more in failure than success on DIY projects. Maybe a quick fix would be the flexible mast base used by flat earth. Or the wind surfing community has other options that aren't ridgid to two points of rotation like yours. Falcon sails uses a mast base sort of like yours, but it's form fitted to the deck of each boat. I also like their under deck mount mast step. It folds up to store gear, then folds down for support. I like the mast bases (Falcon) that can fall at 360° I have no issue rolling back up after releasing the mast line. Lastly to drain from shore. Forget the pump. Just go into knee deep water, grab the bow, rotate and lift. 99% of the water comes out in 1 sec vs standing there and pumping. Now on open water the pump is helpful, but there are faster ways to drain both solo and assisted.

Hi Casey, It was also interesting what you said about trying to get into the cockpit, I have that exact same issue with mine (14’ Inuit). In fact I have even dumped it before doing that exact same thing getting back into it while it was afloat. It’s scary how much stability you loose just by lifting your butt out of the seat a couple of inches to make room to slide you legs in.

Get the Falcon sail and you're done You can order it with whichever adapter you need for the deck shape. While outriggers will put you in Class 3, sponsons do not.

I watched you get in the boat and winced, then knew instantly how you were going to get out. Injuries and embarrassment tend to happen in these transitions. I teach dozens of people this every week, first on dry land: - stand over your kayak cockpit facing forward straddling the boat - with your eyes on the horizon and your hands on the boat, drop your bottom into the seat - adjust anything and everything that needs adjusting: spray-skirt, life-jacket, paddle, anything else you might have sat on, whatever else you've got - with your eyes on the horizon and your paddle extended as an outrigger (find pressure on it), fold up one leg at a time and put it in the boat. - make further adjustments -- foot pegs, gear, skit, snacks, sail, etc. - paddle away Getting out is the reverse: - stop paddling - adjust gear for exit - remove one leg at a time and dangle your feet in the water - put your feet down gently, lift your bottom, and stand up - feel free to sit on the back deck, or pause at any time to let blood return to your legs You may have to help your knees find enough flexibility to fold them in. The above tips keep that oh-so-important center-of-gravity where you want it: low and in the boat.

No PFD! Shame on you.