What I learned from flipping my kayak on purpose

By Jay Valentin · Thursday, September 18, 2026

Flipped my Old Town 120 Pro on purpose last week. It's for a video coming out next week — I wanted to see how hard it actually is to tip a 36-inch wide kayak, and what re-entry looks like when you know you're going in. Even knowing it was coming, a few things caught me off guard. Sharing the ones I think matter most.

1. Wear the PFD

I know, I know. But hear me out. I knew I was flipping. I'm a strong swimmer. Water temp was perfect. I still had the PFD on the whole time, and I was grateful I did. Not because I couldn't tread water, but because I didn't have to think about treading water. All my energy went into flipping the kayak back and re-entering. That's the real value. One less thing to worry about in a moment where there's already too much to figure out.

2. It happens faster than you think

This is the one that shocked me. I was expecting it. I braced for it. And still, one second I was in the kayak, next second I was in the water. No time to grab anything, no time to make a plan. Whatever you're going to do about a flip needs to already be done before it happens. That's not being paranoid. That's just how physics works.

3. Your rails aren't your friend during re-entry

When you climb back on, you're swinging a leg across the whole width of the boat. Sonar mount, rod holders, tackle, whatever's rigged up on that gunwale is in the way. Some of it gets kicked overboard, some of it kicks you. Worth thinking about how your kayak is laid out with re-entry in mind, not just fishability. And in a real emergency, be ready to strip the boat down before you try to get back on.

4. Weight makes the re-flip a different story

I got the 120 Pro flipped back over. Took more effort than I expected for a boat that wide, but I got it. Now imagine another 100 pounds of gear tied in — motor, battery, BlackPak Pro in the tank well. I honestly don't know if I'd have gotten it right-side up. If you're rigging heavy, the flip and re-flip go from "annoying" to "genuinely serious." That changes what you should carry, where you should fish, and whether you should be out solo.

5. Practice this before you have to

This is the one I felt hardest. I did this in warm water, on a lake I know. The first time you actually flip and try to re-enter shouldn't be the real one. Pick a warm afternoon, put on shorts and old shoes, and go do it. You'll find out what your body can and can't do, what falls off your kayak, and how long it actually takes to get back on. That's a cheap lesson. The other version is expensive.

None of this is meant to scare anybody off the water. Kayaks flip. It happens. The point is that the difference between "story you tell at the launch" and "story that makes the news" is almost always what you did before you ever hit the water.

Full video drops next week — I'll link it here when it's up. Until then, stay upright.

5 things I want ON me when it happens

Everything I mentioned above happens fast. These are the five I want attached to my body, not clipped to the boat that's now upside-down.

Onyx A/M-24 Inflatable PFD $119.99 Wears like a normal vest but slim enough that you actually keep it on all day. Auto-inflates if you go in the water or you can pull the tab manually. Coast Guard-approved. Grab it →

Aquapac Waterproof Phone Case $36.45 IPX8 rated to 30 ft, and it floats. Punch a lanyard through the loop and clip it to your PFD, not your kayak. If you swim, the phone comes with you. Grab it →

Better Boat Air Horn $15.99 1.4 oz, 120 dB, heard a half-mile away. Coast Guard-approved signal for under $20. Sits in your PFD pocket until the day it doesn't. Grab it →

Fox 40 Sonik Blast Whistle $9.99 Pealess so it works when wet, and loud enough to hurt your ears at close range. Comes with a break-away lanyard. Zip-tie one to your PFD zipper and forget about it. Grab it →

Merino Wool Base Layer Top $44.99 The layer for the days you're dressing for the water, not the air. Wool keeps warming you even when it's wet. Wear it, forget it's on, don't die of cold-water shock. Grab it →

I Tested the Old Town 120 PRO... Here's What I Think

Been on the 120 Pro for a while now. Here's what actually holds up after real time on the water, and the couple things I'd change.