Re: [Paddlewise] Tow Ropes

I've followed this thread closely because I've been thinking of a decent tow
system too. We used to carry throw-ropes but someone made the point that a
throw-rope, while very useful in white water, isn't that useful in a typical
sea kayak situation.

A waist tow system doesn't seem that bad except for the cost and the bulk
and some added complexity. Yet another system. On the positive side this
system seems to have the least possibility of tangling with the rudder.

I don't like the idea of a coaming tow at all. The idea of something making
my spray skirt that much more difficult to release makes me nervous.

To tell the truth I'm leaning towards attaching a cam cleat to the deck of
the Nimbus and using 5/16ths line as a tow system. The only caveats to that
is the possibility of entanglement with the rudder and that handing off the
tow might be complicated if no other boat had the same system. Plus the
added handicap of having something sticking up on deck that other things
could hit or get stuck on.

We are planning some paddling get-togethers amongst our group so perhaps
some experimentation is in order this summer once the water warms up nicely.
If anyone else does this - or has done this in the past - a report would be
appreciated.

Craig Jungers
Royal City, WA

On 5/13/07, Doug Lloyd <douglloyd_at_shaw.ca> wrote:
>
> I don't like coaming tow systems. I suppose it makes a difference as to
> how
> much lip and the height off the lip on your particular coaming. Once my
> thick skirt is wrapped around the coaming, a thin line will still just
> make
> it, but it still doesn't seem "natural" to run a tow line this way. I
> think
> if I were going to make a quick-deployment tow rope for short duration
> tows,
> and do it on the cheap, I'd make a shoulder-strap tow line. But hey, we
> kayakers love spending money, so fill your boots. :-)
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