Master lightning quick sea kayak rescues with the contact tow from Ginni Callahan, BCU 4 star coach.

This is the fourth in a series of technique articles from today's top paddlers, appearing in Adventure Kayak magazine. This article is from the special 2012 Paddling Buyer's Guide, read it here. Each technique is peer reviewed by an expert panel, whose comments appear below the article. This means you're getting honest, accurate advice from professionals around the world on what works, and what doesn't. Read Ginni Callahan's description of the Contact Tow, then leave your own comments below. —Ed.

A fresh gust hits as they turn back from the headland. It catches Bob’s paddle and instantly capsizes him. He wet exits and Andrew paddles up to stabilize his boat. They drift quickly toward some rocks, so Andrew decides not to take the time to dump out the water before re-entry.

Back in his kayak, Bob takes a few strokes away from the rocks and capsizes again, his boat made less stable by the water in the cockpit. Andrew again stabilizes, and Bob re-enters. They both know that letting go again will lead to another capsize, and the rocks are within a boat length. What they need is something to provide stability and propulsion at the same time.

Enter the contact tow.


Photo and video: Michael Franklin
  

With no lines and just one other person, the contact tow is ideal for stabilizing and moving an unstable, injured or seasick paddler a short distance to safety.

In the above scenario, Bob holds onto Andrew’s boat, while Andrew reaches over Bob’s boat to continue paddling on both sides of the rafted kayaks. Andrew can extend his paddle on one side to better reach over Bob’s kayak if necessary. Bob can hold on at the bow, stern or just behind Andrew, with the boats pointing the same direction or opposite—whatever is most convenient. Positioning and alignment will depend on the situation, with the quickest response generally the best choice. 

The challenge when towing is to keep both boats parallel. Bob should assist with this by leaning over Andrew’s boat, edging his kayak like a crescent toward his support and engaging his core muscles to hold course. Holding the deck lines on Andrew’s boat, pulling with one hand and pushing with the other, can help Bob keep the boats together.

A short, quick release strap from Andrew’s front deck to a deck line near Bob’s bow or stern can also help. Keep a length of webbing with a carabiner at each end and a quick release buckle near the middle handy on your front deck for this purpose. Store the strap by spanning it across your deck three times and clipping the ‘biners into one-inch loops of cord tied through the deck fittings on either side. This system can be deployed at three different lengths: very close, 12–18 inches or three feet.

Opening or closing the angle between the boats assists steering underway. Open the angle to turn towards the leading boat. Close the angle, or even slightly cross the boats, to turn towards the trailing kayak. Rudders can be used to assist the turn as well.

Remember, the contact tow is about swift response in potentially hazardous situations. Practice the various methods of this technique to be ready to react quickly.

 

—Ginni Callahan is a migratory guide and BCU level 4 coach / ACA level 5 instructor who has spent 14 years summering in Cathlamet, WA, and wintering in Loreto, Baja.



Peer Review

Leon Sommé and Shawna Franklin, BCU level 4 coachs, Orcas Island, WA, commented:

Our overall comment is this is sound advice for a quick solution to moving a paddler to safety with success. We have done this rescue as described in needed situations, and we find it to be incredibly quick and effective.

We like the suggestion of an active participant in the rescue – helping the rescuer to steer and have success in the rescue.  However it should be pointed out that an incapacitated victim would obviously not be able to lend assistance.

Something else to consider when contact towing is the direction of the wind and how you position the towee.  If your destination is upwind, then position the towee at the front of your boat, and if you want to travel downwind position them on the back of your boat.  This will alleviate any extra effort on the part of the rescuer in getting the raft where they want it to go.

Meaghan Hennessy, Paddle Canada level 2 instructor trainer, Vancouver, BC, commented:

The paddler being towed (Bob in this case) can also help by laying his upper body on the deck of the rescuer’s (Andrew’s) kayak. Paddlers trying this for the first time are often hesitant to shift their weight away from their own kayak and onto the rescuers. As a result they have trouble keeping the boats together and feel off balance. Shifting your weight onto the rescuer’s kayak, by resting your rib cage on the deck with your near arm stretched across the kayak, will hold the two kayaks together as a solid unit and offer much more stability. It also allows a seasick person to vomit into the water on the far side of the rescuer’s kayak, rather than onto the boats!
 

Michael Pardy, Paddle Canada level 3 instructor trainer, Victoria, BC, commented:

Ginni has highlighted the key features of the Contact Tow.  Its flexibility and ease of use make it a useful skill in the rush of an on water incident.  Paddlers often think they have to set the boats facing each other, but Ginni highlights that any parallel arrangement of boats works fine.  As she says, let the situation dictate the set up.  If you do take her advice to use a short cord to assist the tow, make sure you practice attaching and releasing the line in a variety of conditions.   If you rely on the cord, consider carrying an easily accessible knife. I particularly like Ginni’s suggestions for steering while contact towing.  Steering can be a challenge; teamwork is helpful, and practice is the secret to good teamwork.  Don’t forget you can do the contact tow while paddling backward and forward.

Bonnie Perry, ACA level 4 instructor trainer / BCU level 3 coach, Chicago, IL, commented:

Recently I had to contact tow someone for about a kilometer before we could safely land.  A longer tow was not an option as every time I let go of my fellow paddler, he immediately capsized. The waves were big enough that I was not comfortable mechanically clipping us together, fearing that a big wave might then take both of us over at the same time. So we opted for the safer, although more tiring, option of him holding onto my boat as I paddled. Our boats were alongside each other, bow to stern and, as is the case when contact towing, we had to work at keeping the boats together.

I found it very helpful on every third or fourth stroke to use my paddle to draw stroke the bow of his boat back next to the stern of mine. In that manner I could keep our boats lined up close to one another and continually paddle. Forward stroke right, forward stroke left, forward right, draw stroke of his boat, forward stroke left, etc. moving us from danger, keeping the boats close, without breaking my rhythm.

I also found it extremely helpful (although I suspect this may not be scientifically proven) to sing as I was paddling. My companion joined me in the songs he knew and we had quite the rowdy time of it.

Doug Cooper, BCU level 5 coach, Aviemore, Scotland, commented:

The contact tow is one of those things that is rarely needed, however when it is needed it is often in a situation when there is not too much time to think and it has to work well first time. With this in mind Ginni has some great ideas to help get to grips with the contact tow.

Focusing on ways to keep the boats together and parallel is great, Ginni’s recommendations of the best way for the casualty to help, or alternatively using a quick release strap is similar to how I would do it and essential information. An additional thought I would encourage paddlers to consider is the best tactics for the contact tow, to know this the paddlers must first explore how easy it is to turn with a contact tow. Then depending on the tow (pushing/pulling or same direction/opposite) is it easier to turn towards the casualty’s kayak or away.

With this knowledge if the situation dictates that a turn will be required during the contact tow, then the type of contact tow can be chosen that makes this turn easier to perform. Also consider how the casualty is picked up, therefore spend an extra few seconds turning your kayak to then push/pull the casualty straight out of the situation, as opposed to picking the casualty up then having to turn with the casualty to get out of the situation. All this requires good close quarter manoeuvring, so don’t forget to practice those skills as well!
 

Let us know whether the Contact Tow works for you. What other tricks do you use to rescue quickly and efficiently? Leave your comments below.