Re: [Paddlewise] Towing

Here in the Midwest a lot our club members carry a knife on their PFD.  I think
this may be in part the infuence of Stan Chladek and the folks at GRO who really
introduced sea kayaking to the midwest.  Stan and most of the early Michigan
folks started out as whitewater paddlers and I know that Stan at least has had a
tow line wrapped around his neck in one rough water incident so I doubt you will
see him without a knife.

I like the cam-cleat releases for deck tows because you could release them even
under water before rolling up if you were capsized.  However that still is no
guarentee that you will not come up with a few loops of rope around you.  A
friend of mine told a story about paddling with a less experienced friend in
Canada on Lake Superior.  They landed on a sand beach in about 4 foot surf and
were only about a kilometer from their car.  My friend was comfortable with
conditions but his buddy was dreading punching back out through the surf.  So
the rookie walked back to the car and my friend said he would tow the empty
kayak back.  As he punched out through the surf rouge wave about 8 feet high
back endered him and when he went to roll he realized his arms were lashed to
his sides!  He could use his hands and forearms enough to pop his spray skirt
and bail out, but he most definitely did not appreciate having to do the Harry
Houdini water death torture stunt before swimming to shore.

Mattson, Timothy G wrote:

> Discussing different ways to tow paddlers is very interesting.  On a few
> occaisions, I've needed to help exhausted paddlers make it into camp.  I've
> also towed a second kayak as a barge (in calm, lake settings) to haul large
> quantities of camping gear.  I've never had to deal with a  distressed
> paddler, however, needing constant monitoring or support.  I'm looking
> forwawrd to trying out some of these "distressed paddler" techniques people
> have been talking about.
>
> I was wondering, though, as I heard these discussions of different ways to
> attach yourself to other boats.  How many of you carry a readilly accesible
> knife?  I come from a white water background and in the white water world,
> you would NEVER consider doing anyting with rope unless you had a knife on
> your PFD that you could have out an in use instantly.  I almost never see
> sea kayakers carry knives.
>
> I wonder about the wisdom of working with any kind of towing arrangement
> without a knife.  Remember, quick release mechanisms fail.
>
> I experienced a "failed quick release incident" about a monthy ago.  I  was
> taking a river rescue course and the instructor was shoing us how to
> traverse a river on a tensioned line.  The line had too much slack, and when
> his body hit the rapid, the line bent and he was trapped in the middle of
> the river. He pulled his quick release line on his harness, but it failed to
> release him.  Fortunately, I was able to slide along the rope and unclip him
> before he needed to cut up his rescue harness.
>
> This incident was an excellent example of why river kayakers carry those
> cool looking knives on their PFD's.  While sea kayakers don't deal with as
> much white water, we still have plenty of lines around our boats to get
> tangled up in.  Shouldn't sea kayakers also carry cool macho looking knives
> if they are going to start using painters, tethers, tow ropes or any other
> kinds of ropes?
>
> --Tim
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