Re: [Paddlewise] tow rope length

At 01:13 PM 12/10/99 -0500, Mike wrote:
>OK, "simple" question.  Why can't the tow rope have a sliding adjuster
>on it like they put on tent guy ropes?  That way you could adjust the
>length anywhere from 50 feet down to 25 and only have one rope.  Is
>something escaping me here?

That was precisely what I was trying to communicate to the blond-infatuated
Lotus rep at the PT symposium. I believe Kokatat has a 50 foot tow line
that has a flat plastic "spool" much like for use with a kite. The
advantage with the Kokatat tow system is that it is easy to "reel" in the
excess length, with cold fingers or bulky gloves, clip it securely at the
required length, and not have the excess dangling in the water (compared to
tying-off the excess with a knot). On the crossing, when we occasionally
rafted up for rehydration and mayday attempts, any excess line was an
absolute liability, entwining itself around rudders, blades and paddle
leashes. Given the high winds on open water, extracting oneself was rather
excrutiating while breaking up the raft. With the extra length, the towee
is also left without forward directional stability for just that little bit
longer before the longer length of line engages and provides forward
momentum to combat the broach-inducing seas. If I'm being anal here about
the sublte differences, well, I'm so be it: the little things can be very
important in a stress environment.

At the beginning, a 50 foot length was fine for the first hour or two of
the Storm Island tow. Andrew needed his sense of freedom (read: dignity)
while still allowing for some directional stability when he lost his rudder
controls an hour into the crossing. As the hours ticked by and Andrew
became progressively exhausted and hypothermic, we could have benefited
from a shorter tow-line length in order to stay in closer contact. Seas
were wildly erratic with a full SE gale blowing into a Westerly bump with a
2 to 3 knot current causing somewhat riverlike conditions under this
malestrom at the surface. I didn't need a long tow length in the steeply
compressed seas. A short secondary tow line of 10 or 15 feet, as brought up
in a couple of posts on this thred, would have been too short in our
situation.

Anyway, Andrew did his best, and I admire him for that, stroking forward
even when all he wanted to do was close his eyes and leave this planet for
somewhere peaceful and warm. Dave, the other paddler couldn't help with the
tow much, as he had a different length of tow line and kind of tow rope,
and was fighting with a flooding hull (split seam).

I did some investigation into tow ropes after the incident, as I plan on
doing an article on towing for SK Magazine. I checked with my local
retailer and authorized Lotus dealer, to see if Lotus had any other towing
line arrangements that I might be able to up-grade to. I was told that
support from Lotus in Western Canada was pathetic, deliveries never
arrived, and the store didn't even get a new catalog. Perhaps all the Lotus
employees are to busy looking at blonds on the internet or something. Harsh
words, I know, but given the amount of advertising they do, I am
disappointed with the company. (you will never see feedback like *this* in
a paddling publication!) 

Thanks Mike for your suggestion and sticking to the thread.

BC'in Ya
Doug Lloyd
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