This discussion is probably better suited for the Techniques BBS

http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/cgi-bin/Techniquesbbs.cgi

But for now:

Most of the things Tim says on his page about the paddle float could easily be said about his sponsons and the only person who would dispute it is Tim.

That said, sponsons are another tool to assist in your safety. They are not a cure-all, but in certain situations they are a useful tool.

In the end, your safety on the water is more dependant on your own judgement than any gadget. If you paddle within your limits, you will probably never need your PFD, let alone some other self-rescue technique. Since I recommend wearing a PFD, I don't have anything against any other safety device used correctly, just don't let any device give you a false sense of security.

> This Fall I went kayaking with some friends on Lake Michigan and got the
> kayaking bug in a big way. I'm now building a Cheasapeake LT 17 in the
> basement, and am having a great time with this project (I'm ready to glass
> the hull this weekend). This BBB has been a great resource, and I find all
> the comments to be helpful and sincere. Since I am a novice, you can
> imagine that I have been reading a lot of books about sea kayaking; I also
> plan to take a course at the YMCA to hopefully learn the eskimo roll. I
> don't plan to go out in rough weather, or go that far from shore, so maybe
> I'll never have a problem. But I want to be prepared. From what I can
> tell, if one fails to execute the roll properly, one must wet exit, and
> then try to get back into the boat. Most books talk about the paddle
> float, which seems OK in fairly calm seas. But in the worst case, it could
> be very difficult.

> Which leads me (finally!) to my question: has anyone had experience with
> sponsons as a rescue device? (I found a rather strange web site [
> http://www.bconnex.net /~timkayak/index.html] that sells inflatable
> sponsons called Sea Floats. Despite the curious nature of the site, I must
> admit that the idea is appealing--if one is going to pay about $30 for a
> paddle float that may work, why not spend a bit more and get something
> that would go a long way towards making the kayak rock solid?). Again, has
> anyone used these? Any thoughts, pro of con about this device? Thanks very
> much!