RE: [Paddlewise] Paddle Tethers

Well, she's got me beat, then.  I've never even seen a 15' swell!  Sounds
like the statement "...she knows exactly how the tether will behave..." is
really "... she knows exactly how the tether *usually/typically* behaves,
and practices in extreme conditions such that she can handle the odd-ball
behavior with speed and without panicking."  Wish I could - I'm working on
it.

Rick

 
> > > Her answer is that she has practiced wet exits and reentries under
> > > extremely challenging conditions so many times that she knows
> > > exactly how
> > > the tether will behave and how to deal with it.
> > >
> >
> >Hummm... I'm certainly no expert, and I may have missed the 
> spirit of the
> >statement, but it sure sounds like a case of complacency, which is a
> >catalyst for an accident.  As soon as she knows "exactly" 
> how the tether
> >will perform, it may  suddenly surprise her - at that point, 
> will she have
> >the "wherewithall" to rapidly adjust and survive?
> 
> She believes that she will because of the amount of practice she does
> with her equipment.  She doesn't just practice in a heated, flatwater
> pool, but in challenging conditions as well.  That includes 
> 15' swells and
> 25 knot winds.  I don't think there is anything complacent about the
> preparation she does for her trips.  She said that when she 
> *did* capsize
> off the coast of Alaska it took her 28 seconds to get back in 
> her boat.
> 
> >In my short history of paddling, my assumption is that I *NEVER* know
> >exactly how something will perform, and am therefore 
> constantly vigilant and
> >thinking through potential mishap scenarios.
> 
> She does more than just think about them.  She practices 
> under conditions
> that might cause them.
> 
> 

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