I'm with Bryan on this one. Everyone starts of learning the cowboy (or rodeo or back deck scramble depending on what you want to call it) because it seems like a good way to get back into your boat. Which it can be - if the conditions permit it. Flat water with no wind is fine but wind and waves are another story. The high centre of gravity as you pull yourself up the back deck makes the boat quite tippy - especially if you are tall (I'm 6'3") and your boat is narrow (20") Add to this pitching water and wind grabbing the upraised bow and you're got a bit of a fight on your hands. If you are trying this is very cold water, you can find that, if you fail on a few attempts, that you will become very tired! This makes the exercise even harder.

I often "practice" this technique simply because it forces you to work on your balance and good balance goes a long way in any type of paddling. I will never rely on it for a self rescue. That's what the re-entry and roll is for.

And don't get me started on paddle floats!!!

Sean

Some interesting ideas in this discussion.

I'm curious- Sean:the 20" wide boat you are doing your cowboy re-entries in: Is that your Black Pearl or a boat with a 'big' cockpit? Helen Wilson's article in the recent issue of SeaKayaker shows that most rescues (self-rescue and assisted) are difficult to impossible in a low-freeboard 'Greenland' boat (worse in a SOF than a BP?) with a small cockpit.

I really do think that the "Why don't you do a roll" or "That's what the re-entry and roll is for" attitude is a bit condescending. Why not just say: "Why don't you just avoid capsizing- that's what good paddlers do!" ?

The difficulty of pumping out a boat in non-calm conditions shouldn't be underestimated. (And, with your butt and legs in water, you are losing heat till you get that water out.) Practicing with the pump jammed down the sprayskirt tunnel is useful. The boat full of water is the big drawback of the re-entry and roll (or the more reliable paddlefloat re-entry and roll).

IMO, it's worthwhile to pay an instructor (or enlist some expert friends) to go out and practice rescues in rougher conditions - something that beginning/intermediate paddlers are usually not eager to do.

For the cowboy: You do have to learn/guess the best spot to get on the rear deck, since you need to push the deck down so you can slide across. In a low volume boat, it's usually pretty easy to get on the deck closer to the cockpit; a high-volume boat usually requires starting closer to the stern, in my limited experience.

And, we should probably define: 'rough conditions'. It's certainly possible to do a cowboy or paddlefloat self-rescue in 2-3' waves (not swell) - even I can do that!

Roger Schumann: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wElZ4z14VWw

Paddlefloats: We need to be specific about the type- there's no comparison between the inflatable (2-chamber) type and the foam ones.