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The lessons of both these events have informed and altered my approach to towing and teaching towing considerably. Both incidents showed me that towing is an extremely difficult and arduous exercise that requires considerable training, practice, experience, good group management and determination to succeed. It is tempting to think—and certainly prior to these events I always did—of towing as something that can be rehearsed once on a training exercise and then remain a tool for use in dire circumstances only. My experiences have taught me that such an attitude leaves the potential towing kayaker largely unprepared when these skills are needed the most. Tow System Methods I’m not going to dwell on equipment for towing or different towing systems because there have been articles about both before and there are plenty of books and films to inform paddlers about the range of tows and towing equipment available. Suffice it to say that for sea kayaking, most long-distance towing systems divide into two main categories: waist mounted and deck mounted. Each has its devotees and its detractors. I use waist-mounted systems so I can move into different boats and have the same towing system with me. Familiarity with whichever system is used and ease of deployment is far more important than the differences between the two systems. However, I will add a couple of points I’ve discovered through my experiences—first, repacking 50 feet of wet towline can be a nightmare, especially in wind and swell when you’re feeling tired and harassed. The easiest method I’ve found is to use a towline with a nice, roomy pouch to stow the towline in and then adopt the cavers’ system of packing ropes—flake it all in loosely so that each loop lies on top of the last (this can in fact be done one-handed if necessary). This method will usually allow the towline to be paid out again without tying itself in knots, but it is as well to beware that it can still snag and to pay it out carefully and patiently. The second point is that anything and everything on the back deck will obstruct the towline—hand pumps, spare clothes, water bottles and especially split paddles. It’s a good rule of thumb to store as little as possible on deck because it increases windage and might well be lost overboard or get in the way of some maneuvers, but obviously such things as split paddles need to be readily available. Some paddlers get around this problem by permanently stowing paddles on the foredeck. I’m not a fan of this, as it disrupts the nice, clean lines of my boat and sends spray up into my face when paddling into a headwind and a wave washes over the deck. Instead I keep them on the rear deck like most paddlers but have fitted plastic loops and elastics on my foredeck so that I can quickly and easily switch them from aft to fore as occasion demands. Training and Practice Regular training and practice are crucial; until towing a number of different paddlers in a range of conditions has been tried, it’s not possible to always anticipate how any towing system will operate. As part of my expedition training for students, I try to introduce the notion that rather than just an emergency technique, towing is a useful expedition skill that can be used to keep a group together physically and working together emotionally and psychologically. Before an expedition, particularly as part of the training when a group’s paddling skills can be quite disparate, I will often coach my students to link together in an in-line tow to slow the paddling gazelles down and bring up the tail-end Charlies. This technique means that those paddlers with bags of oomph can share some of their energy with those who are flagging. The side benefit of this is that should a real towing need arise, everyone in the group already has experience of what to do. I make this approach a mandatory part of expedition preparation, even though it’s not always popular—paddlers with plenty of energy often want to steam ahead, not be held back. However, I feel that the practice and experience of how exhausting towing is and the maintenance of the group dynamic and attitude justify this. It does of course mean that each paddler has to carry a towing system, and for longer or more exposed paddles, I treat this as standard practice. Should I ever be in a genuine towing situation again with a group of my students, I want them to be able to tow the assisted kayaker and me so that I can constantly assess the situation as Paul did when I was injured. Furthermore, such training provides an ideal opportunity for rehearsing group leadership. If you establish the rule that whoever is at the back with the assisted kayaker is the group leader, the paddlers have to rotate as the towing kayakers tire, and the leadership role naturally rotates among the group. In-Line Tow Within an in-line tow, swapping positions can be a logistical conundrum. There are numerous permutations, but through trial and error, I’ve found the best to be as follows (remember waist-mounted tows are used throughout, and obviously this is for a tow involving two or more towing kayakers):
In-Line Tow
Fan Tow For fan tows, the swap-over is much easier; again assuming waist-mounted tows are used, any member of the towing group can drop his or her towline while leaving it clipped in to the assisted kayaker’s boat and swap places and roles with the group leader. The leadership role can either be circulated throughout the group or just shared between those with appropriate experience. Fan Tow
Role of the Leader From the start, the leader needs to make not only an assessment of the state of the assisted kayaker but also an overall assessment of the situation—the morale and energy of the other paddlers within the group, their equipment and experience, the weather and forecast, the sea state, the tide and conditions, location, opportunities for egress, getting help and signaling—and quickly formulate a flexible working plan to get everyone to safety as quickly as possible. After any necessary first aid is administered, the leader needs to keep an ongoing assessment of the assisted kayaker and the towing team as the tow progresses, remembering always that those being towed will be getting colder, and those doing the towing will be subject to -exhaustion. Communication with VHF radios or a prearranged system of whistle blasts will make it easier to attend to needs for various items such as snacks, drinks, spare clothing or adjusting the length of the towline to suit the conditions. Constantly reviewing and revising the plan based on the changing state of the conditions and the group is one of the toughest jobs and will require a combination of good leadership and group consensus. Being willing and able to lead and to follow a leader’s instructions is absolutely crucial, particularly if the leadership role is going to move from one individual to another. A towing situation is no time for alpha personalities to try to assume dominance, but for everyone to work together to an acknowledged plan. The “leader” is simply a role that any suitable paddler can adopt wherein they have access to the most information and are best able to judge the situation and make appropriate decisions. Another duty of the leader is to manage the rotation of the leadership role. A leader may have to overcome his or her own unwillingness to relinquish the role and to counter the tendency of people in stressful situations to soldier on in spite of exhaustion. Some recognition that leadership has been handed over may be required even if it’s only to say: “Okay, you’re in charge now.” The new leader will also need to be made aware of the latest developments in the assisted kayaker’s status and any changes to the plan as well as being put in charge of any communications. Of course the leader is not the only person with responsibilities; all the team members (including the assisted kayaker) have a duty to work to support the team and any group decisions. Paying attention to details, such as having everyone paddle at the same speed and listen for instructions or signals, will make all the difference between a successful and unsuccessful tow. Group Mentality All this can and should be practiced in protected waters first and then in choppy, windy and tidal conditions to get a real feel of the difficulty involved and aim to make each stage as effective as possible. Everyone should become as comfortable as possible with all the different roles involved. Obviously, it’s easier to rehearse these skills with a regular group of paddling friends, and it can add spice to evening paddling sessions or day trips and boost confidence about being able to cope with events when things go wrong. Most paddlers tend to go out with either a club or a fairly regular set of friends, so there’s always plenty of scope for practice over a period of time. I have found that training and working together is excellent for group cohesion; it gets people thinking about the demands of group leadership as well as developing the bond within the group and crucially prepares paddlers for the rigors of towing as well as reducing the complacency which surrounds the -exercise. With enough practice, setting up for a long tow becomes second nature, and all the little niggles that can add stress to an already stressful situation can be more easily considered and solved. Having been on the receiving end of a tow, I know how reassuring it is to trust my safety and well-being to confident and practiced colleagues. Jonathan Ray is a lecturer on outdoor adventure management at a college on the south coast of England. When not working, he can usually be found on the water, training or coaching. |
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