Gary said: <<<Does anyone on this list use safety tethers to tie themselves to their kayak?>>> <snip> Gary, I'm on the digest version so I don't know if anyone replied to you yet. My take on tethers is too practice long and hard in real-life conditions in rough water, on a safe lee shore, with competent paddling partners - practicing wet exits with full retention of your boat and paddle (a paddle tether is okay). Once you can master keeping your kayak in hand without in blowing/down-washing away, then use boat tethers judicially, where and when appropriate. The better tether systems incorporate a number of features, including: they should be easy to deploy and release, they should be as tangle-free as possible, and perhaps serve more than one function. Chris Duff has a well-thougth out tether, using 1" webbing that goes from the front of the kayak (bow grab-loop) back to a belt with quick-release that sits under the front bungy cords. This is out of the way when not in use, and can be put on readily when the need arises, yet if a wet exit entails, the line will not interfere with re-entry. As an added benefit, you can swim-tow your kayak if needed. I like systems that do double duty. A pig-tail with carbiner attached to a short (or long) line that forms the basis of your tow system can be clipped to your deck lines to negate separation in those instances where loss of kayak would be a disaster. This type of tether fall under the "Audry Sutherland school-of-double-duty" philosophy. I wrote an article for Sea Kayaker magazine a while back on the subject, and have tested and researched the issue well, as well as written safety articles on paddlers who died after boat loss, including kayak sailing. Tethers are controversial, but should not be automatically dismissed out-of-hand due to their potential benefits. Regardless, tethers remain a risk vs. reward issue that repeats itself here on Paddlewise. Doug Lloyd *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
> From: "Gary Gibbs" <garygibbs_at_ameritech.net> > > Does anyone on this list use safety tethers to tie themselves to their > kayak? There's a "safety tether" on the CurrentDesigns/OutriggerConnection Stingray that I've been paddling of late. The stingray is a one man outrigger canoe. The safety tether is a velcro strap that goes around your ankle or knee. It is on a retractable lead that is built into the hull between the footwells, in front of the seat. There's a quick release between the velcro strap and the retractable cord. An outrigger canoe is not going to roll repeatedly on you so there isn't the worry about getting wrapped up with the boat. If you fall off an outrigger you almost always end up on the opposite side of the amas. It's easiest to get back onto the outrigger from the amas side. If you need to do this it's necessary to release the safety tether in order to get back onto the outrigger after getting between the amas and the hull. I like having the safety tether, if paddling in windy conditions it's nice to know your boat can't get away if you go swimming. Kirk -- http://fastmail.fm/ - Consolidate POP email and Hotmail in one place *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 10/16/2002 6:16:12 AM Pacific Daylight Time, vaughan_at_jps.net writes: > I've never heard of kayakers tethering themselves to their boats. However, > solo open ocean sailors routinely tether themselves to their boats where > separation from the boat equals death. I guess it depends on what the > greatest risk is on a particular day, entanglement or loss of boat. > Read Audrey Sutherland's Paddling Hawaii and Paddling My Own Canoe. She has paddled thousands of miles solo in Alaska, Ireland, Scotland, Norway and the South Pacific. She always uses a tether. *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Doug Lloyd wrote: > Gary said: > <<<Does anyone on this list use safety tethers to tie themselves to > their kayak?>>> > <snip> > > Gary, > I'm on the digest version so I don't know if anyone replied to you yet. > My take on tethers is too practice long and hard in real-life conditions > in rough water, on a safe lee shore, with competent paddling partners - > practicing wet exits with full retention of your boat and paddle (a > paddle tether is okay). Once you can master keeping your kayak in hand > without in blowing/down-washing away, then use boat tethers judicially, > where and when appropriate. Sorry for my poor communication skills earlier today (under assault from a bad cold right now). My point above if not clear to all was that one ought to perfect a skill to the point of reasonable success (in this case, exiting in rough/windy conditions), then add back-ups as necessary (and perfect those skills to the same degree). It really bothers me that modern paddlers are frequently found forgoing essential-core skill development in exchange for devices and aids. Learn how to brace well, then learn how to roll (if appropriate to your craft and desired rescue repertoire), then add the backups -- not the other way around. Because I write about, promote, and recommend safety gear (as well as carry a lot myself), I find myself under condemnation frequently for a philosophy of gear dependence -- one that is antithetical to my actual practices and attitudes toward paddling. > > I like systems that do double duty. A pig-tail with carbiner attached to > a short (or long) line that forms the basis of your tow system can be > clipped to your deck lines to negate separation in those instances where > loss of kayak would be a disaster. This type of tether fall under the > "Audry Sutherland school-of-double-duty" philosophy. Hopefully this made sense too. I'm simply saying that using your already present tow system can be an efficient approach -- all things being equal. I see my spell-checker caught me off guard. That should be "carabiner." Sorry Dave Kruger, you gave me an earlier spelling lesson on this once before! > > Doug Lloyd *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
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