# Tethering yourself to a kayak in case you fall off



## anselmo

After another forum discussed tying a yakker to a yak incase he fell off at night in areas with fast tidal currents I wondered what AKFFers views were ...

For? 
Against?
Pros?
Cons?

Discuss ...


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## bitisbitis

Think it is a very good idea especially off shore and alone....


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## kiwipea

A good idea, specially in windy conditions, If you do a turtle, may find wind is blowing yak away from you faster than you can swim chasing it.
See topic viewtopic.php?f=9&t=25888&p=372791&hilit=saftey+tether#p274483

kp


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## Davey G

In surf its a no-no, however i dont see a problem with it in any other situations. However in most calm conditions its never going to be necessary and there is a possibility that you can become entangled in the line if you do capsize.

If you are offshore and it is windy I would say it is a necessity, especially if you are not a strong swimmer.

I tether my paddle and in a capsize situation I'd be hanging onto that - a tethered paddle also acts as somewhat of a sea anchor which will slow down a runaway yak


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## gonetroppo

> In surf its a no-no


Oh yes, I agree. I tie a 2m rope on my PFD to the middle carry handle, but wont be leaving it on near the shore in future. I got flipped and found myself with my head stuck in the upturned rear well (after bashing it on the hull on the way in), arms tangled in the bungee cords, and the rope tangled around my legs. I got my head out, but by that time the next wave had hit and I was still under water and getting dragged legs first behind the kayak as it rolled in the wave. After seeing just how dangerous it can get, the rope now comes off for takeoff and landing


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## Junglefisher

I don't and won't.


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## ArWeTherYet

Tether your paddle and hold onto that, but make sure if you have a split paddle you hold the end that is tethered, or else you might be left with half a paddle and a bit of a swim to retrieve the other half still attached to the kayak . That way it gives you the option of letting go if have to and the less amount of rope and fishing line tangled around you the better. 
The only time's I've come off is from a breaking wave (sometimes a long way from shore) and the last thing I would want is to be pulled along with the kayak.


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## jokinna

yakking at night in fast currents sounds dangerous. i would be tethering myself in. also for strong winds and currents offshore. i would be thinking 1.5m piece of bungy cord with caribners on. clipped to the pfd and yak.

never in surf! the less lines on your yak when launching and landing in surf the better.


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## Rose

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


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## Ado

I've pondered this often when out on my own in the ocean swells. I doubt I could keep pace with a wind blown Adventure, but have always thought that tethering was a strict no-no due to entanglement. I have now changed my opinion based on the thoughtful advice of this thread. It's all about which risk is greater in the conditions.


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## klappers

Just wondering... could you use a surf board leg rope??? that way it is easy on easy off??


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## jokinna

klappers said:


> Just wondering... could you use a surf board leg rope??? that way it is easy on easy off??


why not. but may inhibit your ability to swim. dunno. nah, should be alrite.


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## eagle4031

good one


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## dru

Junglefisher said:


> I don't and won't.


x2

There are plenty of things to snag yourself on with an upturned fishing yak as it is. Add deck lines for a hand hold - an anchor/drogue trolly may do. Paddle tether as well. AND KEEP HOLD. If you have to chase from in the water you could easily be in trouble. Even good swimmers may have problems with ling shirt trousers and PFD. The risk is less if you have a trained, capable and aware buddy, but think about the detail. Just having a buddy is no guarantee..

Large swell is not as dangerous as surf in many ways, but it will still drag a body behind a yak.


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## paddleparra

This very subject has hounded the little muscle in my head many many times, I have paddle, pedal and sail yaks and now even a surf specific one, To tether or not to tether? having fished in varying waters from Fraser to Brissy I have come up with the never tether at all after being rolled off shore and getting trapped by my rod leashes, fortunately I had my boot knife in reach and just had to kiss a great combo goodbye in order that I could get air..... It was being calm that made that day work for me, I can honestly say that my natural reaction (while not expecting to be rolled as I thought i was a safe distance from Brays Rock) was to just grab onto something and I did--- both carry handles so the yak rolled over me and i was pinned under the yak.

Since then I have made 2 modifications, one is that I keep my drone handy held on deck by just one light bungy (except for launching aND LANDING) so if yak is inverted and the current is greater then hopefully the chute will be opened and slow the yak down, the other is that I changed my PFD to the slimline round the neck inflatable type so that I can have less resistance if I am swimming after my yak ( Also i carry marine radio in jacket pocket).

I know that every time I attempt to land I prepare to be rolled which is why I have just invested in a clean decked, obstruction free surf yak but when I take the AI out my hand is ether holding or resting on that dam rope cause if I was seperated from the yak with the sail up I would not have a chance in hell of catching it (Although the AKA's and AMA's are amazing for stability and while I have hit some technical surf breaks I have only rolled once and that was completely my own fault.

The tether or not tether issue was easily fixed during launch and landing by me by taking time to pack up and clean the deck, it can be a pain in the arse ( not with the new yak) and not take anything with me that I would be affraid to lose (again a very expensive lesson) - just my opinion

Cheers

PP


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## Jumpstart

I depends on the seas, if your far offshore eventhough some people have had a few issues I think its imperitive if your alone. Even with lifejacket 5kms out if the seas are rough your very unlikely to make it back to your kayak without a tether and with some currents you won't be able to swim to shore. If your traveling far out carry a knife attached to your pdf incase of emergencys and a personal epirb is also a valuable asset.


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## ELM

I too have often pondered the tether or not to tether, but after experiencing an entanglement with fishing lines and paddle leash with a capsized AI, it became an easy choose. NO!!!.

Something I believe is dangerous, is to anchor in a strong current, if you were to anchor in a strong current and capsized (specially with the leg rope mentioned) what's not to say the current will be so strong that the tether will see you held by a leg and unable to turn and pull yourself back to the kayak. 
If you are drift fishing in strong current and were to capsize, then you would probably still drift at the same speed as the kayak and a good chance, by swimming, make it back to your kayak (as long as wind is not also a factor).

The only way I would tether and possibly be a help in strong wind conditions, would be to tether too a drogue/sea anchor on a very short cord, with very light fishing line, so the drogue will be deployed and then the line between it and my person, break.

I also think tight deck lines suspended at least 10mm off the deck, so they can be easily gripped, and made from plastic coated wire or similar (so hooks will not penetrate) would be a good thing to add.

Personally, I believe carrying a PLB/Eperb, (waterproof) VHF marine radio and white strobe light (for night) on your PFD are far safer options. As long as you are still alive and adrift, you can call for help and show a position. 
A tether on the other hand, may well be the cause of a drowning and only make your body recovery easier.


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## Jumpstart

ELM said:


> If you are drift fishing in strong current and were to capsize, then you would probably still drift at the same speed as the kayak and a good chance, by swimming, make it back to your kayak (as long as wind is not also a factor).
> quote]
> 
> Thats extremely unlikely in offshore conditions.. you would be suprised how fast a kayak can travel with wind alone which is usually the major factor!


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## Breambo

Tethering yourself to a kayak is foolhardy and dangerous. 
I rely on a paddle tether only and rest the paddle on my lap rather than securing the paddle to the deck, so if you were tipped by something the paddle is in your hand.
If its so rough or windy that you risk tipping you shouldnt be out there or you should have already headed for home. If you are just at risk of tipping you should practice more in a safe environment before going into currents or rough conditions.
Personally I have been caught in some horrendous situations and with the exception of being hit by rogue waves tipping doesnt even enter the equation, you must be as one with your kayak - without a tether of course !


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## ELM

Jumpstart said:


> ELM said:
> 
> 
> 
> If you are drift fishing in strong current and were to capsize, then you would probably still drift at the same speed as the kayak and a good chance, by swimming, make it back to your kayak (as long as wind is not also a factor).
> quote]
> 
> Thats extremely unlikely in offshore conditions.. you would be suprised how fast a kayak can travel with wind alone which is usually the major factor!
> 
> 
> 
> If you note my post, it states
> 
> 
> 
> (as long as wind is not also a factor)
> 
> Click to expand...
Click to expand...

 and there are plenty of occasions that an area can be affected by current with no wind, Tides for example are not wind driven and in some areas are extremely fast (eg, Backstairs Passage SA, 4 knots or Bass Strait outside PPB Heads, 9 knots). Here in PPB when diving, I can drift in a 6 knot current at virtually the same speed as my kayak, however if the kayak is anchored, I enter the water and break contact, then kiss the kayak goodbye.
If wind on the other hand is present, then IMHO, a sea anchor will be your best option to minimise drift if you are separated. If it is an AI with the sail open and in strong winds, then save your energy, put out a call on your VHF and if no one answers, switch on your PLB/EPERB and wave bye, bye to the AI.


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## kiwipea

A lot of yay's and nay's on this subject. Came across this interesting and common sense report on a NZ website written by Stephen Tapp a well known and respected authority
on kayaks and kayak fishing in New Zealand. So thank you Stephen

And to add to the comments on tethers, I strongly recommend rigging them in a mannor similar to those suggested in swift water rescue guidelines (white water paddling) i.e. the attachment to the paddlers PFD is to a point mid back in such a way the attachment cannot slide to the sides or front, and uses a belt and release buckle without restriction so the attachment may be dumped in an emergency (in our application the kayak is about to tow you into a danger zone). The concept is to turn the paddler face up and plane them to the surface and (hopefully) allow them to breath. I know this sounds overkill to many kayak anglers, but I have tried tethers in the surf to mimic someone forgetting to unclip (very easy to do if you're stressing about the big waves in front of you) and all I can say is I was EXTREMELY grateful I'm an active freediver with excellent breath-hold. Unless the tether was mid back I spent a lot of time face down and unable to get a gulp of air! Yes, this is worst case senario, but isn't that when tethers may be important? And no, I definitely DO NOT recommend using tethers in the surf, but the system used must be able to cope if the paddler forgets to disconnect.

I also strongly suggest the attachment to the kayak be at the stern and not behind the seat. This is to minimise the risk of a rolling kayak trapping you by wrapping/winding up the tether and you along with it. Again, this suggestion has come about through taking the time to try it in relatively controlled circumstances with a support and rescue crew standing by.

All makes good sense to me

kp


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## Breambo

So the expert only recommends the tether under some strict guidelines that would be very difficult to replicate.
The obvious ones are, how does the tether clear the rods in the rear holders.
Salt and sand dont work well with a quick release system, its bound to fail at some stage.
Velcro could be used but to be strong enough its very difficult, especially underwater and under pressure to release.
How many times do you test the system, 10 , 100, 1000 times and how much training for failure with hookknifes or safety knifes is a adequate .
I could go on and on but you get the picture, its going to take a lot more than that to convince me it could ever be good idea for kayak fishing.


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## cheaterparts

ELM said:


> Something I believe is dangerous, is to anchor in a strong current, if you were to anchor in a strong current and capsized (specially with the leg rope mentioned) what's not to say the current will be so strong that the tether will see you held by a leg and unable to turn and pull yourself back to the kayak.
> If you are drift fishing in strong current and were to capsize, then you would probably still drift at the same speed as the kayak and a good chance, by swimming, make it back to your kayak (as long as wind is not also a factor).


I must say I've thought about a cheater leash a few times Eddie but the idea of a leg rope is a bit of a worry
but so is getting seperated from the yak mainly at night - you know what the tide flows are like in some of the areas I fish
last monday while checking out new marks I did a drift to check out the tide flow there was no wind and the GPS clocked the speed at 5.8 kph ( monday was a slow tide day )
thats easy enough to paddle against it wouldn't be to much fun to swim against ( well not for an old bloke like me )

I had thought about attaching the leg rope to a wrist that way at least you would heading the right direction and not needing to turn around
its something wont to look at before snapper season starts as sitting out at night achoured up in WP currents



Breambo said:


> I rely on a paddle tether only and rest the paddle on my lap rather than securing the paddle to the deck, so if you were tipped by something the paddle is in your hand.
> If its so rough or windy that you risk tipping you shouldnt be out there or you should have already headed for home. If you are just at risk of tipping you should practice more in a safe environment before going into currents or rough conditions.
> Personally I have been caught in some horrendous situations and with the exception of being hit by rogue waves tipping doesnt even enter the equation, you must be as one with your kayak - without a tether of course !


Breambo I'm trying to work out your system what do you do with the paddle when landing a fish - I would find it to busy to get the paddle out of the way if on my legs - some of the gummy landed this year have been over 1.1 meters and these are also big enough to tip you out of a yak
so far no toothies have be landed I have had the leader ( 80 lb ) biten off a few times so far this year



Breambo said:


> Tethering yourself to a kayak is foolhardy and dangerous.


It very well could be but loosing your yak in the middle of the night which could happen quite easy with out wind or rough seas in high tide flow areas also dosen't seam to be very smart



kiwipea said:


> I also strongly suggest the attachment to the kayak be at the stern and not behind the seat. This is to minimise the risk of a rolling kayak trapping you by wrapping/winding up the tether and you along with it. Again, this suggestion has come about through taking the time to try it in relatively controlled circumstances with a support and rescue crew standing by.
> kp


if at anchour and fishing in a current ( well for shark anyway ) you are anchoured from the stern these fish tend to run with the current so its easier to fight then in front of you
any way if your tether is fixed at the stern it still could tangle with the yak

the only thing I can say from practice ( I've fallen out while fishing ) the yak went upside down but then just sat that way
till I turned it back on its wheels and climbed back on


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## Jords

cheaterparts said:


> the only thing I can say from practice ( I've fallen out while fishing ) the yak went upside down but then just sat that way
> till I turned it back on its wheels and climbed back on


I think the article was referring to surf conditions, I've flipped a good number of surf skis/kayaks in my time, and they roll and roll and roll and roll in the surf :? . Still undecided personally, smooth waters I think no, because most smooth water I fish I can easily swim to the bank. Offshore, I would consider, simply on the basis that I do not like the idea of being separated from my yak that far out :shock:


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## Breambo

Heres a link for cheaterparts shows how to rest a paddle while fighting a fish, and when landing large fish it also aids stability. 



Anchoring in strong currents is dangerous at best in a kayak and I dont do that kind of fishing so you will have to work it out for yourself. Edit removed text about boogie board leash I dont want to be seen as advocating a tether of any description at all.
Let us know how you get on if you decide to try but do so at your own peril, but its clear what I think about this debate, I still think it is foolish under any circumstance and Im not going to keep going on about it. The best advice I can give is do some swimming training.


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## ELM

There are so many different scenario's that would require a different approach if you were to go down the tether path. I know after my episode with the AI and entanglement that I tend to agree with Breambo that they are not the way to go.

I believe when it was written, connect to the stern because of a constant roll when capsized, it was in reference to surf entry/exit to offshore fishing. The main point being not to connect to the middle, but rather an end where there is less risk of being rolled up with the kayak and tether. 
Personally cheater, I cannot even try to imagine righting a kayak that is anchored in a Westernport current, you will be having a hard enough time trying to just stay afloat yourself.
If you were both floating together with the current not a problem, and a similar circumstance to practising in the shallows of the mud flats, but with one body (kayak) fixed by anchor and the other body (yourself) trying to be washed away in a 5 kmh current, well I am just not sure. For one, if the kayak is up side down, the current catching on any hatch lips, they will likely rip open and begin to fill the hull to start with, and once that started, all over red rover. They could make a movie, Gone in 60 seconds :lol: . If you were to have any hope and stay tethered, then you will need some sort of anchor release that works if you do capsize and hope fishing lines do not snag or entangle, so you keep drifting together until you recover, where you can then return for the anchor.

As I mentioned previously, PLB/EPIRB and VHF radio (night time, lights as well and even better a red flare) would be a far safer option. I would rather turn on an EPIRB, put out a VHF call and when I here the boat and see it's search lights, fire a flare, then be picked up and pay for the save, than get dragged to a muddy WP grave with a kayak.


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## cheaterparts

ELM said:


> Personally cheater, I cannot even try to imagine righting a kayak that is anchored in a Westernport current, you will be having a hard enough time trying to just stay afloat yourself.
> 
> As I mentioned previously, PLB/EPIRB and VHF radio (night time, lights as well and even better a red flare) would be a far safer option. I would rather turn on an EPIRB, put out a VHF call and when I here the boat and see it's search lights, fire a flare, then be picked up and pay for the save, than get dragged to a muddy WP grave with a kayak.


I have had to right the yak anchoured in WP - 12 meters of water on an out going tide ( near spit point ) it was easier than I thought it would be - I had done a bit of practice to see which was the easiest way to turn the yak back on its wheels
and at anchour with the rope off the back it pivots upright fairly easy
how ever I didn't get washed away from the yak it was still early in the night so the yak was easy to see
the nav light was under water of cause so would have been hard to see later in the night
remounting the yak also was easy enough to - lucky I saved the bait and my 2 main rods were leashed on so could keep fishing into the night

these things would be much harder if you had to swim even 10 meters against the tide flow wearing my PFD

by the way the hatches on the kingfisher are fairly secure with 2 large straps it would take more than the tide to open them


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## dru

kiwipea said:


> A lot of yay's and nay's on this subject. Came across this interesting and common sense report on a NZ website written by Stephen Tapp a well known and respected authority
> on kayaks and kayak fishing in New Zealand. So thank you Stephen
> kp


Always good to hear the thoughts of experts. But something this forum may not do enough about is to recognise resident experts. Have a look back through posts on this thread by the following:
Davey G
AWTY
Breambo
ELM

And of course most succinctly put by Junglefisher.

Opinions from the residents experts are not 110% identical, but it's hard to reach any conclusion other than the tether should be considered with caution, and only if you are happy that the conditions align. If in doubt (and most of us should be, most of the time), re-visit the post by Junglefisher.


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## jokinna

well. ive come to the conclusion that perhaps tethering is not the best advice. but instead, leash the paddle and try to hold on to that if ever encountered by a rogue wave or capsize.

but after going for paddle offshore yesterday all i could think of was, what if i become separated from my yak. its a long swim back to shore and with the wind, there is no way i would ever be able to catchup to my yak.

so my tune now is. "Lifeline = Paddle. Don't let go of paddle!"

_(but what if i'm fishing with rod in hand and a fish on and he pulls me over? i dunno!)_


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## keza

I carry a 3 metre length of cord with a clip on each end in my seat pocket, if I was in conditions with a very strong wind and I felt there was a chance of me falling in then I would clip it to the ring on my seat and the strap on my life jacket.
I haven't used it yet but have been in conditions where I new if the wind would move my yak much faster than I could swim.
I can't see any other circumstances where I would use a tether.


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