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Topic: Throw ropes. Overkill for open water?  (Read 5224 times)

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Hydrospider

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My boats are too heavy for my liking and Im taking a hard look at my gear list.
One of the things that I am considering removing from the list is the throw rope.
Its not easy to dump safety gear, so I thought I would see what the NWKA perspective is on this move.

I should start by making it clear that Im only removing this from my open water boats.
The throw rope is definitely staying on my river boat list.

Has anyone had to use a throw bag in open water? and was it effective/helpful?

I know that some sea kayakers always have it at the ready, but I use a bowline rescue as my primary
and the throw rope as a last resort if Im not able to get to the swimmer for whatever reason.

Id really like to cut this piece of gear/weight but I'm willing to listen if there is strong arguments to keep it.

I keep it behind the seat of the T140 and I have never used it in open water.
And a better angle of it on the 160.

« Last Edit: July 18, 2017, 01:36:12 PM by Hydrospider »


Lee

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When a bud needs help in open water, I'm just gonna paddle over to them.

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bsteves

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I have not thrown my throw rope, but I have used it as a tow rope.  The one situation I might consider throwing the rope in open water is when some one is out of their kayak and heading towards a rocky surf zone.
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I have not thrown my throw rope, but I have used it as a tow rope.  The one situation I might consider throwing the rope in open water is when some one is out of their kayak and heading towards a rocky surf zone.

+1

I may also decide to use it to hog tie a big fish to my kayak or have to tow it. 
Great topic though.

 

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Spot

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I've thrown my rope once to an inexperienced buddy who was stuck in a rip.  He was darned glad I did and there was no other way to get him out.  It goes with me every time I hit the ocean.

-mark-
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.  --Mark Twain

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Justin

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I have not thrown my throw rope, but I have used it as a tow rope.  The one situation I might consider throwing the rope in open water is when some one is out of their kayak and heading towards a rocky surf zone.

+1

I may also decide to use it to hog tie a big fish to my kayak or have to tow it. 
Great topic though.

When have you ever caught a big fish? :D

I'd personally keep the throw bag.
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Hydrospider

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Thanks for the input. I believe it comes down to making the decision as to whether the bowline rescue is a workable substitute for a throw rope.

When a bud needs help in open water, I'm just gonna paddle over to them.

In open water, this is my initial response as well. Respond and present the binered line on the bow.
The swimmer attaches the bowline to the PFD and I do the same with the proximal end, then off we go.

One reason that I prefer this style is that from a sitting position my throw rope range is not amazing.

I have not thrown my throw rope, but I have used it as a tow rope.  The one situation I might consider throwing the rope in open water is when some one is out of their kayak and heading towards a rocky surf zone.

I've thrown my rope once to an inexperienced buddy who was stuck in a rip.  He was darned glad I did and there was no other way to get him out.  It goes with me every time I hit the ocean.

-mark-

 These are good examples as to when the throw rope does have some advantages over the bowline.
Like that moment when your team has been fishing a rocky shoreline and someone is working a snag, then a swell rolls through and now they are swimming in the rock garden.
Still, with the limited toss range in a kayak I would consider the quick bowline extraction first.

Thanks again for contributing to the thread. I have some thinking to do and may even ask my teammates what they think, because really, this is all about them.

Last year on a river keeper trip, one of my partners got wrapped in trees. I had the throw rope in one hand and camera in the other. Fortunately I didn't need to throw.
« Last Edit: July 19, 2017, 08:04:21 AM by Hydrospider »


Matt M

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For those that have a throw bag - Which bag did you go with? I have had to tow in several folks and the rope would have been really handy rather than using a 3ft stringer. From amazon it looks like there's quite a few options. Space being a concern any recommendations?
-Matt

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Trident 13

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I don't hit any fast rivers and just carry 25 feet of parachute cord wrapped in the bag behind my seat.  I've used it for lots of things, just not towing someone in.  I have a hard loop in each end and keep two small carabiners clipped on that can quickly be used or removed.  I like to keep it simple.


Spot

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Para-cord is really narrow for someone in trouble to hang on to.

I use a Scotty 50' throw bag.  It's super simple to deploy and throws like a tennis ball as it feeds out line.  I've used it a total of 2 times for rescues and the recipients were extremely grateful.

-Mark-
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.  --Mark Twain

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Mojo Jojo

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Para-cord is really narrow for someone in trouble to hang on to.

I use a Scotty 50' throw bag.  It's super simple to deploy and throws like a tennis ball as it feeds out line.  I've used it a total of 2 times for rescues and the recipients were extremely grateful.

-Mark-
At that price in ordering two, one for each boat.



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pmmpete

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The nature of rescue equipment like river knives and throw bags is that you hope that you'll never need to use them, and there's a good chance that you'll never need to use them, but if an appropriate emergency arises, it's really great to have them instantly available.

An advantage of carrying a throw bag on a fishing kayak on lakes and the ocean is that it's a compact way to carry 50 feet or more of line, it's easy to clip a throw bag to your kayak, you can easily throw rope which is in a throw bag, and you can play rope out of a throw bag without the rope getting tangled.  A throw bag is one more piece of gear to add to your kayak, which may already be kind of overloaded with gear, but there are situations where it would be handy or invaluable to have a throw bag in your kayak. Those situations may be rare, but if you encounter one, you'll be glad you have a throw bag with you.

If you carry a throw bag, practice throwing it occasionally.  That practice will pay off if you need to throw the bag in an emergency.

Here's a cautionary tale:  I knew an internationally-known kayaker from Missoula named Brennan Guth, and his father who was also a kayaker.  Brennan was down in South America running Class IV-V whitewater for a couple of months.  At some point during the trip, he and his kayaking companion both lost their throw bags.  Then when they were running a section of the Rio Palguin in Chile, Brennan ran a pretty small waterfall, only 8 feet high or so, but got stuck in the hydraulic at the base of the waterfall, and eventually had to bail out of his kayak.  The current then swept him into an overhanging cave below the waterfall, and his friend had no way to help him get out.  He tried floating bamboo poles back to Brennan, but couldn't get him out.  After an extended struggle, Brennan developed hypothermia and drowned.  The whitewater play structure below the Higgins Street Bridge in Missoula is named "Brennan's Wave" in his honor, and there is a rock sculpture of Brennan by the viewing platform.
« Last Edit: July 20, 2017, 08:23:03 AM by pmmpete »


SamM

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FYI...  Those in the Portland area, Fisherman's has their throw rope/bag for $13.  Looks like the sidewalk sale pricing ends tomorrow.

http://www.fishermans-marine.com/maxxon-rescue-throw-bag.html

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hdpwipmonkey

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FYI...  Those in the Portland area, Fisherman's has their throw rope/bag for $13.  Looks like the sidewalk sale pricing ends tomorrow.

http://www.fishermans-marine.com/maxxon-rescue-throw-bag.html

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That's where I got mine at last year.

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Hydrospider

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 After careful consideration I have decided to remove the throw rope from my open water gear list.
Im not suggesting or recommending this decision to others and I wouldn't be able to justify this without the use of the bowline and confidence in my skill set and of those whom I paddle with.
My unimpressive range from the sitting position was also a factor.
Thanks again for the help and shared wisdom.