Quick release tow belt. Towing, not throwing.

Recently used a tow belt, first with land practice and then towing on the water.

Do you who have one wear it regularly?

There’s probably more pros than cons, but I’m conflicted.

Thanks for your opinions.

Many whitewater paddlers wear a type V PFD that incorporates a quick release belt that can be used for towing as well as other rescue functions. The quick release mechanism can jam and fail to release, especially if the belt is threaded through both slots of the stainless triglide. For towing, I would thread the belt through only one slot of the triglide.

It depends on where I am paddling and on conditions and how well I know the group I am paddling with.
Coastal: I almost always wear it.
Inland lakes: Calm conditions, it is most likely behind the seat. Windy conditions depends on how well I know the group, may be wearing it, or it is behind the seat.
Larger, slow moving rivers: Behind the seat or in the rear hatch. Most likely in the rear hatch.
Smaller rivers with current: In the rear hatch, with no intention of using it. The only reason I even have it is because it stays in my gear bag, which goes in the rear hatch.

My response is talking touring, not whitewater . I wear just about all the time. Even when paddling solo.

I am currently using a Northwater Micro Tow. It is small enough that I can swivel it around so it sits on my lap, so is out of the way.

One thing to keep in mind - if you talk to 6 “experts” about best tow system to use, you will get about 8 responses of what is best. Everyone has their own favorite. Many modify their favorite off the shelf to make them “better”. So talk suggestions on best as suggestions, and over time figure out what is best for you.

Thanks very much RLS and Peter. Definitely for touring, not WW. I wonder about adding yet another item of gear since I primarily paddle solo, but that doesn’t mean I"m the only kayak on the water. Or that I’ll never need a tow. I guess it’s like that whistle we’re required to carry. Might never use it, but glad it’s there if you do need it.

I’ve been doing a bit of reading about them. They all seem to come in 50’ lengths. I’ve read that for the Great Lakes, 30’ is fine as we don’t get long swells. They sure vary in price. My boat has a deck mount for towing, but that presents different challenges.

The one I used didn’t look small, but once in the boat I didn’t notice it or have any problems using it except when trying to do a quick release while still paddling. That might take a bit of practice.

We use the belt kind with bungee. My belt is just long enough, needs xl extension. Most of our towing on club trips Qruiser does. She wants a work out anyway. I’ve shortened them to 30 ft. Most of the towing is paddlers that picked conditions a little beyond their capabilities. She did an assist tow last weekend. Too many miles…

Ideally the towee will continue to paddle and steer. That boat that goes left and right tires you out. Towing “boldly” usually works better than slowly . Remember it’s like a trailer your kayak is now 40 ft long, wide turns.

@Rookie said:
… I guess it’s like that whistle we’re required to carry. Might never use it, but glad it’s there if you do need it.

The one I used didn’t look small, but once in the boat I didn’t notice it or have any problems using it except when trying to do a quick release while still paddling. That might take a bit of practice.

It’s like the first aid kit, the privy kit, and emergency boat repair kit… Hope you don’t need them, but glad to have them if they are needed.

If you do get one, be sure to practice with it, including doing a quick release of the belt. You do not want to find yourself in a situation where you need to ditch it and are unable to ditch it quickly.

I would use one when guiding or on a long club trip. Tried to avoid towing at all costs including inspirational coaching and switching my carbon paddle with a tired paddlers’.

@Overstreet said:
Ideally the towee will continue to paddle and steer. That boat that goes left and right tires you out. Towing “boldly” usually works better than slowly . Remember it’s like a trailer your kayak is now 40 ft long, wide turns.

Boldly works once you get going, but not when you start to tow, as I found out. The towee was “injured” and couldn’t assist, then became “seasick.” It was a fun scenario but practice definitely on the menu not only with the quick release, but in stowing the rope - which I didn’t have to do as I handed off the tow to raft up with the “seasick” towee.

Judging from Grayhawk’s comment, reality sounds less fun than playing “let’s pretend.”

I always wear a tow belt. I don’t do white water.

Mine is the very simple basic quick release belt with D-ring. I added a minicel sleeve that should keep it floating if I have to release it. I also voided my warranty by shortening it so theres only 6" extra when done up, and I don’t feed it through the crazy way the instructions indicate. I just go into the catch like a regular belt. I found during initial practice that it would not release smoothly when looped through the recommended way. It has held just fine in use this was.

I have a home made bungee pigtail attached to the D-ring and my PFD shoulder strap for quick access. There’s a carabiner at each end.

I’ve used the setup a few times towing tired paddlers on longer trips but I avoid trips with those sorts of people now. Once on a river in spring flood. I used the setup to extricate someone pinned up against a strainer.

Most of the time I’m using it when standing next to my boat in the water and I want both hands free for some task. That, and I practice clipping onto my boat prior to self rescues.

Always think about what you’re clipping onto and what might pull or entangle you. Seems obvious but I’m sure it isn’t to everyone.

You can do a very fast “quick stow” by gathering up the rope and shoving it down the front of your PFD. It’s enough to free your hands for paddling and you can deal with it properly at a later more convenient time.

Rookie,
It’s a great skill to have. Although most towing I’ve seen are either out of shape or snowflakes but there was one true medical emergency.

I always wear mine, even paddling solo.It is a North Face waist belt. Part of me feels that you can never go wrong by having one more line with you, and the reality of a kayak is that the best place to carry that is in a tow belt to keep loose things from being all over your deck. In a canoe you can bundle it up by the bow to have it out of the way. The one consideration is where to have the bulky part when you get to rolling. It can mess things up on my back. I pull it to be in my stomach before taking off.

Some sea kayaks with lost of rocker and high bow and stern take the belt tow line around and over a shoulder to raise the line above your boat spot dosen’t adversely affect your boat.

I prefer a contact tow. See you tube Gordon Brown.

Seasick paddlers and other disabled paddlers may require a rafted assisted boat to keep them up right. This may require a tandem tow.

Boldly,…,.you need enough speed to keep the tow yak from jerking from side to side.

“…towing tired paddlers on longer trips but I avoid trips with those sorts of people now…”

I understand. But if we want the sport to survive sometimes we have to encourage people to expand to improve.

The PFD that I wear most often is a rescue vest with the quick release belt and tow ring. I’ve used it a few times, but never had to do a release. In my case I used it to tow found kayaks back to the launch site. The one thing I learned real quick is that you don’t want too short a tow line in a following sea.

I bought one last year and my wife and I practice with it occasionally.

Like most people here, mine stays in my rear hatch on flatter water but I do wear it in lumpy stuff. Also in Canada, where we take a few trips every year, there is a requirement to have a 15 meter floating line on board and I believe that a 50’ tow line meets that spec.

I narrowed it down to an NRS or a Seals model and went with the latter when a local outfitter had a 20% off sale…

One reason I always carry a tow rope is that there are other uses besides towing that it cold be used for. One example is shown in this early Neptune’s Ranger’s video (turn music down, as back then they liked pretty heavy stuff) - using the line to land and launch off of rocks. Involves swimming in towing boat, and for launch, to push boat out and swim after it. Tow line is keeping control of it during process (and hopefully not getting all tangled up).
https://youtu.be/WD6au3vEHvU?t=3m13s

Another option is to make a make shift rescue stirrup, should something happen that makes it so you can;t climb back up on your boat after swimming. Going to take some time to do this, so hopefully you dressed appropriately for the swim.

Probably the most common use is to tie your boat when you stop on a beach,

Recently used a tow belt, first with land practice and then towing on the water.

Do you who have one wear it regularly?

There’s probably more pros than cons, but I’m conflicted.

Thanks for your opinions.

I have one and learned how to properly use it.

That said, I have worn it maybe two or three times outside of the training sessions. The cons outweigh the pros, for me. I can barely tolerate the amount of stuff that is already required for paddling, and this one is lower down in priorities than the other stuff.

I don’t do paddles with newbies unless it is a venue that allows easily bailing out, and the distance very short. More experienced paddlers I assume have a clue as to using good judgment about where to go, how far, how windy, and turning back before it’s too late.

I would, however, bring it on a multiday trip, probably stashed in the cockpit rather than worn. That is a situation in which we would be in remote areas, with few bailout options, more chance of fatigue or injury when paddling day after day.

Rookie, this is a decision you need to make for your particular combination of venue/conditions, paddling companions, experience in evaluating those two, personal level of comfort regarding safety, and reasons why you love the sport. (It’s pretty obvious that you do.) Someone who paddles mainly to be with others and thinks “the more the merrier” probably ought to wear a towbelt. Ditto for someone who plays in rock gardens and surf. Someone who is focused on fitness training or on birdwatching probably isn’t thinking about towbelts at all. Nor is someone who is staying in a small area close to shore and practicing maneuvering skills.

Everybody expects outdoorspeople to carry some “just in case” stuff for day trips, but it’s usually limited to things like minimal first aid supplies, extra snacks, an extra shirt or a jacket/poncho or hat. Are they supposed to bring a litter/gurney to carry out any tired people they encounter? Are runners on a municipal trail going to carry the same stuff a dayhiker in a less-developed park does? Neither one is likely to bring the navigational aids and extra water that a desert bushwhacker would.