...I would say there are several rational arguments (noting that nothing is fool proof or necessarily unquestionably better) 1. Whether a paddle leash is tethered to the boat or wrist --after capsize the first task is to get ahold of the boat. I don't think either tethering location has more or less of an advantage here. In either case if you have the boat-- you have your paddle. Comment: One advantage of tethering the paddle to the boat, and not the wrist, is that the paddle acts a little as a sea anchor to slow the boat's drifting. I haven't enough experience of this to judge whether it is significant, or applies in higher winds. Last Thursday, practising various rescues, I jumped into the water and let the boat and paddle drift shorewards in a wind varying between 10 - 15 knots. While I didn't let the boat get too far away, it didn't get away fast enough to prevent catching it by swimming. Now to try higher winds, always onshore! Anyone else got experience of chasing drifting boats? 2. If you do loose your boat (bad ,bad) then having your paddle (strapped to your wrist) might allow you to paddle-swim to catch your boat if it is only a short distance away. With a PFD on paddle swimming is a good way to go for short distances. Or the paddle can be easily discarded if need be. Comment: Tried a bit of paddle swimming the other day, too. Backstroke,with a feathered paddle, seems easiest, but pretty energetic. I'd rather swim without the paddle. I intend to try a bit more of this, and try to swim towing the paddle some way. 3. Doing a wet re-entry/rescue I like not having the paddle tied to the boat- it seems to give me more manuvering room to get the paddle float on and into position for climbing back into the boat. And I cannot imagine any but the wildest scenario where a wrist telthered paddle could entangle the kayaker? Comment: So why not use the wrist paddle leash in the surf? Does anyone have any actual experience of a tether being a lethal threat in surf? I recall Matt Broze's example of a leg wrapped to a boat in surf, but that was presumably with a boat to paddle tether. Whatever threat exists here has to be balanced against a situation say of landing through surf breaking a long way from shore, and losing the paddle. I want to be in the boat with the paddle then, and not facing a long swim in rip country if the paddle's lost. Easy to answer hang on to your paddle at all times, but surf power can deal with that. Does anyone have any examples of serious problems caused by losing a paddle in surf? 4. When rolling I guess I did not like all the lines (paddle tethered to the bungies) dangling around when trying to set up for the roll- I find a paddle tethered to my wrist much less cumbersome in this situation and if it becomes a problem the tether is very easily slipped off the wrist. Comment: Agree fully. An untethered, or wrist tethered, paddle is definitely more free and easy than a boat tethered one. It certainly would not be a good thing in white water nor surf. Comment: Again, just thinking aloud, is the surf entanglement problem exaggerated? Or is it such a potentially fatal possibility that "never tether in the surf" is an absolute rule? And if one tethers outside surf situations, what of breaking waves at sea, or surprise bombies? If tangle/strangle danger is everywhere, don't leash anywhere and just make sure the spare is ready for action? Peter Treby, Melbourne, Australia *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Tue Feb 26 2002 - 12:35:37 PST
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