Kayaker saves people with knife!

[Grant Lamontagne]

Original source:
http://www.blademag.com/profiles/blogs/guide-saves-kayakers-using-john-wayne-knife

Brody Kidd, a guide for Door County (Wisconsin) Kayak Tours, was on a Lake Michigan beach preparing to lead a kayak tour scheduled for noon on June 8th. He spotted three people clinging to the side of their own kayak, which was drifting further out into deep waters because of an offshore breeze. Kidd jumped into his kayak, towing an additional small boat out to the threesome.

(Image removed from quote.)

A man and woman in their early 20's were transported to a Door County hospital where they were treated for hypothermia after spending about 90 minutes in the lake near Cave Point in the town of Jacksonport. The second man was treated and released at the scene of the rescue.
Following this episode, Kidd's boss, the owner of Door County Kayak Tours decided to buy him something better suited for water rescue – that's when he received a new CRKT orange-G10-handled "Neckolas" neck knife with a full-tang 8Cr13MoV stainless steel blade, a large hole for a finger and a G10 retention sheath.

I've been using my Neckolas for a few years now when kayaking- it's hard to think of a better knife for use around water than that!

Def

[Steinar]

The story had a lot of “ told you so” moments for our crowd, though. A quick enumeration:

• Guess what, security equipment is useful. That lifevest may not be as comfortable as only a T-shirt, but it's pretty nice to have when it's too far to swin unaided or you simply freeze up.
• No knife? Outdoors and no knife? Ropework and no knife? Ropework, water and still no knife?
• The best knife is the one you have with you.
• The guy rescuing them from a Darwin award was someone who was familiar with environment, and therefore respected it more.

I guess there are more, but I had to stop flogging that poor horse cadaver at some point, even though it's fun.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I agree completely, although I imagine that comes as no surprise.  I have two rules when I kayak and I try to impress them on everyone else that comes with me.

1.  Always have a knife.
2.  If it's not secured, it's not yours.

I invested in an inflatable life jacket because I don't like bulky ones- I even find paddling vests uncomfortable, but for not much more than a good paddling vest you can get a good Mustang inflatable.  It's as unobtrusive as a pfd can get and it's still there when you need it.

Def