Hi, Marty&Diane, and everyone There was a brief thread on towing systems not too long ago. What follows is mostly stuff that I blurted out at that time (slightly edited). Hope you find it useful. I use a towing system that is mounted on a web belt which is worn around the waist, just above the spray skirt. It's called the KeelHauler Pro, from Salamander. This system is versatile in that it has two tow lines, one at 43 feet (I think) and the other at about 15 feet. The long line is great for rough conditions -- its length avoids the possibility that the towed boat may surf down a wave and collide with the tower -- and the short line is great for more stable, less turbulent conditions. Both lengths are easy to stow in their respective bags. One of the problems with all tow systems, whether deck mounted, waist-mounted mounted slightly higher on the PFD is that the tow lines are likely to snag on the stern of the tower's boat. When that happens, the tow line very seriously impairs your control. Of course this problem is exacerbated on ruddered boats, but I can tell you from teeth-gritting personal experience that towlines can snag on the stern of non-ruddered boats as well. Freeing the tow line is worth practicing until it feels natural. You don't want to work out the mechanics in nasty conditions. If the rope is snagged to the left of your stern -- and the towed boat is off to the right of your stern -- then you have to twist around and grab the rope with the right hand to free it. Trying to free the rope with the hand opposite where the towed boat is can be a nightmare. I once came close to injuring a towee in practice by making that mistake. Another problem to consider with towing systems is the potential need for the tower to free her/himself from the line in emergencies, say in a capsize. Again, this is a problem to be worked out no matter how the line is attached. I'd be a little leery of the cockpit-loop idea unless there is some quick release mechanism that is always in the same place -- so you don't have to grope for it in a low-oxygen environment. The Keelhauler Pro comes with an airline-type quick release buckle, and there is a 3/4 inch plastic ball attached by a loop to the buckle, which makes it fairly easy to find the buckle by feel. As for having the belt ride up under my PFD -- I guess it can happen, but it hasn't happened to me. Now that I think of it, such a thing might be more likely to happen in a capsize situation than when things are going well.... Which ever system you decide to use, it's crucial (strong word, carefully chosen) to practice using it extensively and in varied conditions. When a paddler needs a tow in real life, that is not the time for a potential rescuer to discover the nuances of the tow system. Bob Volin *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Fri Mar 17 2000 - 13:39:46 PST
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:30:21 PDT