Rob wrote: "If a tow capsizes in a current or down wave you will not be able to backtrack fast enough to undo a the tow without a quick release." As an exercise, I have tried deliberately going over in a 3-4 knot current while towing. Rolling up was OK. As soon I stopped paddling and went over, the towline went slack. If a capsized towed boat is being pulled backwards by current or breaking wave, in current, when the tower stops towing, both boats then drift at the same rate, and the tow can be unclipped. With a breaking wave, the wave passes, and the tow can be unclipped. Quick release might be needed if one boat becomes stuck. What if the towed boat becomes jammed on a rock or jetty, while being towed in a current? The towing boat then tries to disengage while the tow line is under tension. While pulling back to get slack in the line, the towing boat goes broadside to the current and capsizes. The tower cannot roll up against the current... trouble, time for the knife. Perhaps it is unsafe to tow near obstacles in current. Perhaps when towing a knife should be handy. In the towing situations I can think of, if the towed boat goes over, the tower stops paddling, the towline goes slack, and can be taken off. Could it also be useful for the towed boat to have a quick release attachment? Are there any tow systems which allow for this? -- Cheers, Peter Treby *************************************************************************** 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 Mon Apr 04 2005 - 21:53:39 PDT
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