How to Die in a Kayak

This is an absolutely outstanding video that all beginner kayakers, and even experienced kayakers, should watch. Thank you for making it.

Boy just watching this made my heart race. I'm a relatively experienced kayaker but have never been in a really messy situation so it's nice to know what to do and not to do.

An absolute must watch! I’m glad I can across this as I am recently getting into Kayaking classII and III rapids. Thank you.

This is the "Soča River in Slovenia" if anyone wants to know. Here in Slovenia its also know an the emerald river. This part of the river we call "The S" As this is the maneuver you must make with rafts when in low water to avoid the siphon. You go into the rapid river right as the kayaker did. just before the first set of rocks about 5meters out from the first set of rocks we would back paddle and place the raft be-hide in the Eddie crossing directly in-front of the siphon while working our way to river left... The kayaker was about 2 meters off the line he should have taken to avoid what happened to him. Even while on the correct line the current is still pushing you into the siphon so you must still drive the kayak river right while on the correct line... The rock itself is siphon / "C" shape undercut as in super low water its dry and you can see how it is..... The companies of the Soča Valley keep that "siphon" clean as much as possible.. We are checking it always specially after big water levels if something is inside it we take it out ASAP.

Thanks for the thorough after action review, some great takeaways to be sure. Glad he lived to paddle another day.

I got sucked through an underwater tunnel on the Mollala River in Oregon...scariest thing that ever happened to me in 15 years of white water kayaking...

After thirty plus years white water kayaking at all grades; I reckon there isn't a word out of place here. Impressed by the tip on green water and undercuts. Not often taught nowadays.

I think maybe people are misunderstanding the "hug the rock" principle. The idea is not to capsize in to the rock (as opposed to away from the rock as in the video), rather it is to lean the boat over enough that it forms an angle against the water than pushes the boat up rather than down. Hugging the rock gives you something solid to lean on, thereby (hopefully) preventing you from tipping over in to the rock. Having the upstream edge of your boat higher lets the water flow underneath it, rather than having the full force of the water crush it. My understanding is that it is the crushing force of the water that is the real danger if you don't hug the rock. In a decent flow the boat will capsize, get pinned against the rock and then deform/bend around the rock with the weight of the water. If you're not out quick enough your legs are now trapped inside the deformed hull and you're truly buggered.

Scary, but educational and extremely well presented. I'm going to show this video to any family/friends that are new to white water kayaking.

First time hearing that... Go faster or slower than the river

Well put together, ✋. Many people need to see this video.

Thank you so much for posting this. I'm new to ww kayaking and so I'm watching everything i can. This was a very good watch. Thanks again.

The best paddlers do every stroke with authority. You cannot be passive in big water!

Woow...i did only know the original Video without the perfect discribtion. You tranformed it to an awesome WW-Lesson. Nice job. Cheers Tom

me and my wife are beginner packrafters, this is invaluable. we are planning to take many courses in swift water paddling and rescue !

great video man, I definitely learned some stuff.

Very informational! Thanks for posting this and I hope you are able to do some more!

As somebody who has been like 20 seconds from the drowning response I think this video is wonderful

Yesterday i did 35km river the mattawa river never ran Rapids before was alot of fun but i learned of ppl like you that are kind and take time to same my and other lives for beginners was class 3 at the most few small falls but took us 12 hours long ride

That’s spooky. Good vid man 🤙