Re: [Paddlewise] Towing ill kayaker

Wes wrote
>>>>>In talking about it afterwards, however, discussing things that could
have
been done had we not had the friendly bass boat around, and had there been
only two of us, we came up with the idea of taking a paddle, sticking it
through the back deck lines so it would hang out about equally on either
side, and putting a paddle float on each end -- sort of a field expedient
sponson arrangement. <<<<<<

I have played with this arrangement and find it works quite well if the
paddle floats are large and can be kept out of the water most of the time
and if it can be held reasonably firmly well back the rear deck (if you want
to be able to paddle). There is way better final stability than with Tim's
sp*ns*ns and a whole lot less drag in the water during use in a towing
situation.
In the manual for our Rescue Float Plus (on our website) we wrote:
"Alternately, two RESCUE FLOATS can be used, one on each end of a paddle to
make outriggers that add an immense amount of stability to a kayak. Two
FLOATS could be very useful if one paddler in a group using single kayaks
was seriously incapacitated. If the spare paddle and two floats can be
attached across the deck far enough back to not to interfere with paddle
strokes, you can still paddle and your kayak will be difficult to capsize in
any condition short of surf. With many kayaks you can paddle or tow this
setup with very little additional drag (if you keep the kayak near level so
neither of the floats is dragging in the water). If your fastening method
can prevent the paddle shaft from easily rotating you can use the spare in
the unfeathered position and blow up only the top half of each float to keep
them higher off the water for less drag when paddling. Fasten it so the
inflated half is down to increase initial stability if that is desirable
when not or towing."

I met Tim at a West Coast Sea Kayak Symposium some years back and he didn't
seem as wacked out as when he gets to driving a keyboard and advertising to
lawyers on lawyers bulletin boards that Sea Kayaking accidents could be way
more profitable than Firestone tires. (Look him up on www.Deja.com.) Back
then he was displaying his new Sealight Folding Kayak. We had the beach
space next to him and wondered when he was ever going to unwrap or unveil
the kayak he had wrapped up and hidden away in the loose vinyl bag. I think
it was day two of the symposium before I realized that that loose bag was
the kayak.

Tim has for years used my copyrighted materials "Deep Trouble" and makes it
appear I like his sponsons when in reality I think there is lots of room for
improvement and major disadvantages for rescues. I've looked at his patent
too. It's a joke, he must have done it all himself. I'd advise anyone who
wants to improve on sp*ns*ns to go right ahead. I'd be happy to suggest
improvements. I can provide you with prior (to Tim's patent) photos of
sp*ns*ns being used on kayaks. Photos of my own tests with sp*ns*ns made
from modified stuff sacks with float bags inside from around the time I up
with the paddlefloat rescue back in 1981. I also have an old photo of a
military kayak with sp*ns*ns lashed on the gunnels and other stuff I don't
remember that is also related.

"The Night of the Hunter" is correct Ralph, I saw it just recently on tape.
A very creepy 1955 classic movie starring Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters,
Lillian Gish, Evelyn Varden, Peter Graves.

Thanks for the history lesson on Folbot Ralph.

Matt Broze
http://www.marinerkayaks.com


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