So here's the report:

I get to Port Aransas at 8:00am and the wind is blowing about 10-15mph. i decide that the best place to start would be right there where the surf and south jetty meet. I get in the kayak after getting everything loaded down and set my sea anchor so i can start flying the kite. I get the kite in the air about 100ft off the water and 400ft out in front of me (that was a 25 lb. pull, i measured it!). Then i pull up the anchor and start moving. with the gusts and all i was doing about 8-10 mph on the water. then i get to the second sandbar after getting soaked from crashing waves and the wind pulls me sideways parallel with the waves. I tried to hit the 6ft wave at a 45 degree angle but the kite insisted. the next thing that happened was unbelievable... MY KAYAK ROLLS!!! in the surf in between the second and third sandbar where i couldn't touch the bottom. i come up out of the waves looking at my boat upside down, all my equipment was floating in the water like someone had threw it as far as they could. my anchor rope was wrapped around my leg and my paddle was 50 or so feet away. all i could think about was How was i going to get everything back?. i couldn't help but panic a little bit. but i tried to keep sense and roll my boat back over. i got it back over and a wave took the front hatch cover clean off. you can imagine the look on my face when that happened...water rushed in my kayak as fast as i could blink and the boat start to sink. all the while i'm fighting the wind and waves in water i can't stand in. luckily i had my PFD on. i yelled at a nearby surfer for help so i wouldn't lose everything, he helped me get my paddle and some other stuff. my pole and tackle was lost, my survival bag was tied on and so was my drybox. When i got to shore i couldn't pick my kayak up because it was so heavy. it took 3 guys to lift it enough to start draining the water from the hull. I finally got the boat drained and i saw a couple of my things wash ashore on the beach. it really was an eye opener. i have been before just not that windy and with a kite. i had to cut the kite loose and i had 2lbs. of cut up mullet that had just fell out where i was swimming. when i cut kite loose i cut my index finger so thoughts of panic raced through my mind. But you know what they say you don't know unless you try! The other guys that i were with tried to regain alot of my stuff but the pole and tackle box sunk fast. im just glad i made it out alive.

good to hear you o.k.

Wow that must have been intense hitting 6 footers at an angle.
I got caught in a squall once with 6' waves and I just hammered them head on.
Glad you're ok!

I have considered using a kite, but I would paddle thru the surf, then attach it.
Good thing you went with others. When yakking in the surf you cannot be too careful. Most guys wear a divers knife on their PFD just in case they get tangled when turtling. Were you in a SOT? Did your hatch fail or was it not attached well?

Good to hear you survived your experiment. You had the kite deployed through the breakers?


Hears an article on yakking with a kite. Might help on your next try.

http://www.sit-on-topkayaking.com/Articles/SurfSail/KiteSailing.html

I'm interested in this as well. I have a T140. It's not one of the preferred BTB boats, but I managed to paddle it through the surf last year. Some waves completely filling the cockpit, but it drained out and the hatches held. I modified the front hatch with some bungees that give it some extra security.

If your hatches continue to prove unreliable, you might look into getting some floatation bags.

http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp?pfid=42081

I kept waiting for the part where you reached up and started pulling on his leg...like I am now. But it never came. Glad you survived, sometimes the best laid plans just don't work out, huh?

The kite idea is one that needs constant help and improvement. Since this is a downwind approach only it works well for that reason just not BTB or going BTB. Trust me you don't want what happened to me to happen to you. my hatch was secured fine its when i rolled the yak over right side up is when the wave uncovered it and seawater rushed in. i surely thought that a kayak 31" wide would be a bit more stable in that situation but when tested, guess not.

I have rolled my Malibu Pro Explorer (31" wide) while surfing in. I have seen several BTB fishermen in wide kayaks, and many of the more stable "barges" can still turtle. It is something you MUST be prepared for if you are gonna fish BTB. Tie down or secure everything, and leave your anchor in a position to self deploy when you turtle. That way you will be able to recover your boat, and usually most of your stuff.
Most importantly, you were wearing your PFD and you were not fishing the coastal area alone.

Also remember, jetties and riprap is there because the currents or waves cause erosion, and that area has really strong currents or waves.