CHOOSE AN ADAPTED EQUIPMENT TO PRACTICE OUTRIGGER

To practice Downwind in outrigger, that means in open sea, some rules need to be respected. Safety equipment includes : a life jacket, a light tracking device, a towing device, a spare paddle, and a « mobile or fixed drying device ». As soon as you pass the 2 miles from a shelter (during long distance races for example) you'll have to add 3 red hand torches/lights, a signaling mirror, a whistle and waterproof VHF radio.

And now some advice to choose your equipment:

CHOOSE A SPARE PADDLE AND FIX/HANG IT WELL

Never go for a session without a spare paddle! Beyond the regulation, our experience allows to say : The spare paddle and the leash are essentials for your security.

The election of you spare paddle depends on your practice level:

If you're a regular paddler or a competitor, you'll necessarily have several paddles adapted to your different sessions. (See article Choose your paddle). Simply take the unadapted paddle for this session as spare paddle.
If you're occasional paddler, don't waste your money on a spare paddle: a simple wood paddle will fit, whatever the blade surface. Make sure that the size of the paddle will be adapted to you morphology: in outrigger it's easy to paddle for a long distance but being obliged to paddle 10 km or more with a too small or a too large paddle can quickly become traumatic.

Make sure you hang it correctly on your outrigger, so that it's easily accessible.

The best option is to hang it on the back iako, the blade on the outrigger and the handle to the handle.

Don't hang/fix it with adhesive tape! In emergency situation you'll be obligated to go in the water to cut the farthest fastener. In summer this could be refreshing, but during winter...

Use a racing cycle inner tube (20mm wide) but before you have to cut the inflation valve.

Hang/Fix the paddle as in the picture and make sure the knot is on the outrigger side so that you can easily access to the knot.

One more piece of advice: If you need to access to your spare paddle, pull your feet on each side of the outrigger to ensure you stability.

You just lost you paddle, it's cold, the sea is rough and you turn to grab your spare paddle: that's not the best moment to go in the water...

CHOOSE YOUR LEASH

That's an important choice, don't underestimate it. The leash is your lifeline!

A life jacket helps you to float but doesn't protect you from hypothermia.

You MUST be able to get back on your outrigger and the leash is your only way to keep in contact with it. In outrigger you are used to having the wind in your back and surfing the waves. A moment of inattention, a wave a little more hollow and you capsize. That would be really stupid to see you outrigger pushed by the wind while you can't swim effectively because you are cluttered by your paddle!

Your leash should :

Have a sufficient diameter and a sturdy attachment in order not to break. An outrigger has a big wind and waves intake, that's not a simple body-board.
Have a twisted cord, short enough in order not to fall on the heels which is very troublesome in the long run. But it has to be extensible enough to move around the outrigger. In winter, we don't want to put our head in the water to go under the outrigger after returning it to place.
Have a fast fixation system in order to clip and “unclip” very quickly. That's very important for your security but also useful when you arrive on the beach or on a boat slipway. Your leash will not on drag the sand and will not disturb you when you'll carry your outrigger. Finally, for the competitors, that will be an advantage for the starts as in the “24 heures du Mans”...

To buy a Leash : click here

Mobile phone or VHF radio ?

The regulation impose to have a VHF radio.

But the following question can be asked : Is it better to have a VHF radio or a mobile phone?

Be equipped with a VHF radio

One thing is certain, you'll comply with the regulatory obligations, which will facilitate your relations with the Marine affairs, in case of control.

The first advantage of a VHF radio is that the CROSS will ALWAYS receive your call if it's on the channel 16, reserved for assistance. Whatever the weather, the waves, the wind, they will always receive your call.

You VHF radio is weak and it antenna is small but the CROSS antenna is huge and will always receive your signal. If you are equipped with a GPS, just transmit your gps location

so that they know where to pick you up.

However, concerning communication with your partners and friends on the ground, the signal quality could be very random and uncertain (everyone has a small antenna... if they have a VHF radio...)

Be equipped with a mobile phone

Nowadays, the mobile phone is easier to use and very practical if you have a mobile phone specially for your outrigger sessions.

Choose a WATERPROOF mobile phone with keys (SAMSUNG solid for example) in which you saved the CROSS number and one of your family member or close friend number.

We don't recommend to use Smartphones in a waterproof cover because with wet and cold fingers it's difficult or even impossible to unlock the phone and answer or call somebody.

CHOOSE YOUR LIFE JACKET

Wearing a life jacket is mandatory when you practice the outrigger canoe. Well, we know it's not convenient when you paddle, but it's important. A lot of brands offer self-inflating life jacket in order to have a maximum freedom of movement.

You'll find on the market, life jacket around 600gr able to release 6L of compressed air in only 2 seconds.

About the price, no excuses! The first prices start from 20€ ranging up to 80€. When you buy a life jacket, pay attention to the rules related to your practice. We remind you that your life jacket must have a minimum of 50N buoyancy for your Outrigger Downwind sessions. Do not forget that the life jacket has a limited life. Don't forget to rinse it after each session and to dismantle the inflating system ;)