This is a step-by-step breakdown of my SOTAR SL inflatable kayak flip and swim on the Upper Clackamas in 2025.
Read this first. This article doesn't teach paddling or rescue technique. Those depend on the river, the flow, your boat and your group, and they're learned hands-on from a qualified instructor. A river's class rating alone doesn't make it safe. Wear a properly fitted PFD and a helmet, dress for cold water, and boat with a capable group. Find training: ACA courses, American Whitewater safety, NPS river safety.
Video: Breakdown of my kayak flip on the Upper Clackamas, By Jacob Linkhart, 2025 on the SOLWYRX Paddlesports YouTube channel.
This video is sponsored by SOTAR.
Disclosure: SOLWYRX Paddle Gear sells SOTAR gear, and I earn money when you buy it here. SOTAR also sponsors me as an athlete.
Everybody swims. What matters is learning from it. In this video I slow the flip down and walk through it piece by piece: the approach, the moment the boat started to go, what I did right after I was in the water, and what I'd change.
Why I made this
Everybody swims, and watching your own swim slowed down is humbling. My flip started when I took a feature sideways. Afterward I got myself back together and back in the boat, which is the skill I'd tell anyone in an IK to learn in person. This video shows what happened to me; it isn't a lesson. For why self-rescue matters and where to learn it, read Why Inflatable Kayaks Flip, and Why Self-Rescue Matters, and for the mindset, Don't Flinch. Watch the unedited version in Upper Clackamas Kayak flip raw footage.
Personal trip report: flows, wood and hazards change, and what worked for me that day isn't a rule for your boat or group. Check current conditions, scout, and boat within your training.
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Updated October 28, 2026 · By Jacob Linkhart, owner of SOLWYRX Paddle Gear · Spot a mistake? Email me and I'll fix it.
