Towing

There are several reasons for towing when sea kayaking:

  • Getting a sick or injured paddler back to shore.
  • Assisting a paddler who is in trouble on the water by towing them away from danger.
  • When a paddler has lost or broken their paddle.
  • Assisting a slower paddler, especially if the group is under time pressure e.g. from impending darkness or a storm.

In an emergency situation the best towing method is the one that gets the paddler away from the source of danger quickly.

About Towing  Single line tow  Assisted tow  'V' Tow   Safety Common Mistakes

Common Mistakes

Common mistakes include: 

  • Connecting the tow line to an inappropriate tow point.
  • Clipping the carabiner up the wrong way so it undoes as soon as it is pulled. Use an upward movement when attaching a carabiner to a deckline.
  • Not maintaining visual or audio contact between the person towing and the person being towed. 
  • Not monitoring the tow line itself.
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