Tim Mattson wrote: > > I just read "Deep Trouble". What a great book! > > I noticed that many of the accidents turned desparate > when the kayak and/or paddle floated away from the > paddler. This was especially the case when a solo > paddler got into trouble. > > Most of my paddling is done solo, so I want to figure > out how to correctly tether myself to my paddle and my > boat. The trick is to setup the tethering so I won't notice > it under normal conditions (i.e. it has to be comfortable > and out of the way) and so I can untether rapidly should > saftey require me to do so. > > What do the seasoned paddlers on this mail-list do about > tethering? I've never actually seen anyone do it. I paddle solo without a spare paddle. But even if I were to have a spare paddle, I would still tether. My tether is between the paddle and the boat. One with out the other is of limited use. I feel I can always hang on to my paddle in a capsize and will still have my boat. Or if I drop the paddle and hang on to the boat, the paddle will not float away. The tether is a commercial one, forget the brand, and consists of a hook on one end that goes through a d-ring on your deck and a velvro strap on the other end that wraps around the paddle shaft. It has about 4 feet or so of bungee between that can be adjusted to a shorter length which is advisable (to shorten you pull the bungee out its holder at the paddle end, cut off what you don't need and reinsert). It is lightweight and hardly noticeable. There are dangers in tethers, mainly the risk of entanglement. I would agree with Rich on this especially if you are relying on a roll for a self-rescue. That's why I carry a sheath knife on my PFD. Myknife has no sharp point and no sharp blade, just a serrated blade on one side. It can not easily hurt my fabric deck nor me. The knife is also tethered to my PFD. If I drop it I can retrieve with the tether and grab the knife even blindly with no danger of slicing myself as the serrations only work if pulled along a surface, i.e. I can accidentally grab the blade with no harm to myself. The knife tether is long enough that I can cut the tether in case it entangles me. Oh what a tangled web we weave, when we first move to tether. So have a knife too. ralph -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************Received on Tue Mar 24 1998 - 08:48:05 PST
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