Matt Broze wrote: > ...<snip>... > If I was a solo paddler in high winds, I'd consider tethering myself to the > kayak in case I capsized and failed to roll. Excellent advice, since losing contact with your boat in these circumstances can be deadly. While I would hope that I could keep a grip on my boat (or tethered paddle) after a wet exit, I am not willing to bet my life on it. I do not paddle in high winds without my boat leash. I use two pieces of nylon webbing (one of which is bright red) connected together in the middle via a cam buckle. This provides a quick release. Pulling the end of the red strap releases the buckle. I also carry a knife in case of entanglement, and I remove the strap in the surf zone. The risk posed by the leash strikes me as much less than the alternative. Most folks are gambling that they will be able to hang on to their boat (or paddle), but that is not a gamble I am willing to take. Swimming after your boat in high winds is a losing proposition. Dan Hagen *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Fri Sep 10 1999 - 09:48:28 PDT
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:30:13 PDT