If you look on youtube or somewhere you'll see plenty of paddle float self-rescue videos and doing it with the Expedition is pretty much the same. However, the videos I saw of the cowboy self-rescue were all referred to as a sea kayak cowboy self-rescue. They all show the kayaker kicking up onto the stern of the boat behind the cockpit. In my experience today that didn't really work that well with the Expedition. Because it sits higher than other kayaks and is wider it tends to want to shimmy away as you try to swim or forcefully kick yourself up onto it. What I found that works best is to come directly behind the stern and holding onto the grab handle, kick with your legs and launch yourself forward. You can then grab at the stern rigging tie-downs and finally the back end of the cockpit to pull yourself forward enough to get into a position where you're seated and straddling the boat with your legs on both sides. Then you simply inch forward until you can get back into the cockpit.
We tried a wet exit re-entry and roll self-rescue but I just couldn't get it. The AE AdvancedFrame kayaks are so wide and stable they just don't want to easily roll. I've seen the Youtube video of someone doing a roll with the smaller AE kayak but in that video he was moving forward as he performed the roll which I think helps somewhat since he also had forward momentum working with him. I might be able to finally get it using a paddle float but I think I'll wait for some pool time to give that method a try. Until then I'll stick to wet exits and self-rescue if the need arises.
On another note, my kayak was the ONLY inflatable boat there. No outfitters brought any with them even though one, Erehwon Outfitters, just started carrying the Expedition, Air Fusion, and Convertible. They hadn't gotten any demo kayaks yet though so both guys from there were practically begging me to let them try my Expedition out. I'll be going back out tomorrow for more paddling fun so they'll get a chance to try my 'yak then.
There were also at least three or four other guys who really liked the design of the Expedition and thought it was MUCH better than they thought an inflatable would be in their minds. All of them are also dieing to get a chance to try out the boat tomorrow as well. All of the talking I'm doing about AE kayaks and their virtues maybe Jeremy should send me a couple AE stickers for my car
