Hung Up

[tx river rat]

I went fishing yesterday and had a interesting experience.
Darrel and I were talking about the rope handles being so handy and comfortable ,I made the statement ,I wonder what would happen if you caught the back handle on something,we laughed and went to something else.
Well guess what a willow branch got hung in mine yesterday,now I know what a dog feels like on a chain. I couldnt go foreward or backwards ,I was just about ready to get out of the boat in 6 ft of water.
I decided to try one more thing I backstroked as hard as I could then powered foreward ,luckly I broke the limb.
I bet that would have made a funny video.
Ron

 

[Kayak Jack]

THAT can be a dangerous situation. What kind of a rig are you thinking of now, Ron? I'd like to know your thoughts.

Sea kayakers will not slip their hand through a loop handle when making a landing in surf. the waves will twist the boat, entangle the paddler, and maybe break a wrist or sprain an arm. They grab onto starter handle type handles, and can let go if necessary.

 

[tx river rat]

Jack
I really not sure what I want to do,I have tried the top mounted handles and dont care for them ,I be thinking about it ,and bet we come up with something.
Ron

 

[oldsparkey]

Willow Branch ...1
Ron.................0
Value...............Priceless. :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[tx river rat]

Chuck
You like to Draw caricatures ,bet you could put a heck of a book together of some of these experiences we have had paddling.
Bear falling off the throne might be one lol.
Ron

 

[oldsparkey]

Chuck
You like to Draw caricatures ,bet you could put a heck of a book together of some of these experiences we have had paddling.
Bear falling off the throne might be one lol.
Ron

Ron...

If I did some sketches ..... :lol: :lol: :lol: That throne would have to have horns on it with one of it's legs tossing sand over it's back. Naturally , bears trousers would have to be below his knees.
Your willow branch would have to resemble an really large , REALLY LARGE snake with glowing red eyes and the rope in its mouth ( Looking like it just caught dinner) with you paddling like a windmill gone berserk. (The paddle would have to be a blur)

Man ... Can I think of a lot more situations that would make a good drawing. :roll: Like the ejection in Kayak Jacks kayak seat fizzling and not pushing him skyward. A pop in place of a BANG.

OK.... I'll go sit in the corner till I can behave. Since we are suppose to be serious on this section and there ain't much more that serious then getting hung up when paddling. It is not a good feeling to know you can't go anywhere but where you are. I have helped quite a few folks get unstuck when there stern line got tangled or the rudder on there kayak got tangled in weeds and would not retract.

Chuck.

 

[Kayak Jack]

I'm glad you realized your error there, Chuck, This IS the serious section.

Ron, I have a large looped bowline knot in my lines attached to stem ends. The long part of my lines is tucked under bungees on the decks. I usually lead the stern one so it lays along the tops of my aft cargo, and is up next to my seat, easy to grab to tie off to shore.

I think that keeping the lines tucked under bungees where they are both (A) out of the way and not flopping around, and (B) easy to snatch up in an instant, is at least part of any solution. The art comes in exactly HOW the bungees are arranged, how tightly they hold the ropes, and how quickly a paddler can still access lines if need be. Now, you've added another performance requirement: will not snag in brush etc, but if it does a paddler can release it from the seated position.

 

[oldsparkey]

I pack my canoe ( Boat) with the straps of the dry bags resting on the bottom of the boat , the bow line is ran back to where I am and then coiled up on one of the bags for quick access if needed.
If it is one of the boats with the rope ( Hand carry item) in the ends they are flipped over the deck and secured so they don't drag in the water. The bow one is always attached to a line for securing the boat when not paddling it.

When paddling with a group and I see a line looped over the side or end , I paddle up next to them and flip it in there boat , the same with any lines on the bow or stern. That also includes shoulder straps ( or anything ) on any bags they have in there boat that can catch on something.

We paddle threw some tight spots and no one needs anything dangling outside there boat. I can't think of a worse thing then paddling threw a bunch of tree limbs and under a tree or over a log and having a line get tangled and that person being stuck there. Those areas are the one boat at a time going threw and no one starts there run till the boat in front of them clears all of it. To make it more interesting those areas are always the deepest water in that area of the river , never shallow.

Look hard and you will see a canoe and Joe ( Pallin'Gator) making it under that one log and threw the brush. NOT a good spot to have anything outside your boat or dragging along.

Bear wondering if I'm taking a picture and Al behind making it threw another tight spot.

I was going to move this to the Canoeing section but if a person pays attention to the subject matter then they would build there boat to be safer...... So here it stays.

Chuck.

 

[tx river rat]

Chuck
I think this is what bothered me about this deal ,I had the handle flipped up on the deck, I was going thru some brush putting throw lines out ,a limb ran down my deck and went threw the handle.
If I had been in swift water I would have been in a pickle.
Ron

 

[oldsparkey]

Chuck
I think this is what bothered me about this deal ,I had the handle flipped up on the deck, I was going thru some brush putting throw lines out ,a limb ran down my deck and went threw the handle.
If I had been in swift water I would have been in a pickle.
Ron

You never know when that is going to happen........ Bear is one careful paddler .... but in this case. :wink:
If you look close at the last picture , Bears Boat. Just behind his paddle , an invitation to disaster and I bet that strap got throw in the water by a branch when he went threw those trees. I got that idea from the twigs and the rest in the back of his boat , you can see one sticking out the side in the picture. The strap got flipped back in his boat when he came by me.

If it can be grabbed , those branches will grab it every time , plus they love to remove hats or glasses if you are not really careful. I have put many a wet hat back on. :lol:

Chuck.

 

[tx river rat]

I think I am going to put a small clip on each side of the rear of the boat and then put a couple cabiners on my handle and then just clip it on when I need it.I can watch the front one,and keep my line tight.
I was thinking about a top mounted handle but that would have been worse it sitting so high could have flipped the boat, and Jack I hate to say it but the lines you have running down your boat would be another snagger,or an anchor trolley.
I guess I just like my boats like my women sort of slick and on the flashy side.
Ron
Now iff I want Sondra to hear that statement I will tell her.

 

[bearridge]

I wuz trollin'......got a 220 pounder. [chuckle]

I have no memory of that at all. Looks like one of my nylon "shells" that I likely had along in case of rain. I reckon a limb grabbed it, but I never had no problem with limbs on flat water. My grab loop iz very small, jest barely big enuff ta go over the end 'n inta the canoe.

Always pays ta tote a coat when the Master of Flow Bizness iz campin'. Notice that the Daytona speedway iz underwater. He must be tryin' out that new hammock. [chuckle]

regards
bearridge the dry

ps On second glance, it mite have been the strap that goes on my BADB (big ass dry bag). A tiny branch 'er a crafty geezer likely pulled it outta my boat.


Ole Sam, he used me bad. I aint really hiz anyway. He jest traded some skunk pelts for me. Janie

 

[gbinga]

Besides taking steps to pack the boat neatly and dress all your rigging in such a way as to minimize snags, this thread points out the importance of having a large knife on you, carried in such a way as to make it easy to get at.

Should be either a fixed blade in sheath that is secure without being a hassle to get the knife out of it, or a folder that can be opened with one hand, with a pocket clip.

Either way, the knife ought to be big enough to have a good handle on it. Cutting a branch or cutting a rope either one is going to take some force if you are in a hurry, so a small folder won't do. Blade size might be acceptable, but the handle will be too small.

The knife ought to be sharp, obviously, and it should not have too thick a blade. What I mean here is, if you had a Ka-Bar, it wouldn't be the best choice because that huge thick blade isn't the best thing for cutting a rope or a skinny branch in a hurry. You want a thinner blade that will cut better due to it's sharper bevel. A Ka-Bar sized knife is a great thing to have in your gear for heavy work, but a four inch blade an eighth of an inch or so thick is more versatile, IMO.

Of course you ought to always have a sturdy medium sized knife with you whenever you are in the outdoors, but this seems like one more really good example of why.

GBinGA

 

[gbinga]

Now it occurs to me that I've been violating my own rule.

When I fish, there are likely to be two or three knives in the boat, but my go-to knife will be either a Puma Prince (which is a large folding hunting knife, kinda like a Buck 110 but a little bigger), or a Grohman Canadian Boat Knife (four inch fixed blade). I like them both, and tend to just grab whichever one I'm in the mood for and put it on my belt.

The Puma is in the normal pouch sheath with the snap-flap. And it doesn't open with one hand. No good for emergencies.

The Grohman is a better choice. Fixed blade so you don't have to open it, sheath works ok, and it has a lanyard you can slip your hand into if you have time to do so.

Here's a link to a picture - - http://www.grohmannknives.com/images2002/r3sa.jpg

I picked this one because it was kind of unique and I liked the way it felt in my hand. There are piles of different fixed blade knives that would be just as good.

George

 

[bearridge]

Friend George,

Most whitewater paddlers tote a serrated blade, one hand pocket knife on their lifejacket. Things happen quick on fast movin' water. With the serrated blade ya kin saw. Totin' a heavy knife iz a weight problem....on any kinda water. [I take my serrated knife ta spread peanut butter 'n cut a kayaker outta a crushed boat.]

Ya kin tote yer kitchen sink if ya want. If all goes well, no problem, but if ya come upon a tree lyin' cross the river, it iz a giant pain ta unload a heap a gear 'n tote it round the problem. Worse iz when folks sez "let's jest tote each boat fulla gear". I wont make that mistake agin. Ya bring it....ya tote it. I will help anybody tote a boat, but not their gear.

regards
bearridge

Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it. Mahatma Gandhi

 

[tx river rat]

I keep a folder that has a half serated blde and the other half smooth on a strap on my pfd ,It is a onehanded opener,If I am fishing with throw lines or trout lines I also have a fixed blad strapped to my right leg,it sits in the front over my shin so it is accesable with both hands,That be my Remington bargain 15.00 knife I showed you Bear.
When the carrying handle on the rear catches a limb they dont make a knife long enough.
Ron

 

[Wannabe]

Back when I was towboating the fastest I ever saw someong get through a 2" polypro rope was with a breadknife. It had waves going down the length of the blade and had had deep sawtooth serrations . Never did find me one just like it.
Bob

 

[Steve]

Seems like time for some kind of re-design to the system we been using. . . sounds like we need to change them loops someway as to avoid such snaggings...I mean they make snagless hooks (cough-cough, somethin' else that can be improved upon), don't they? Ron, come on. . .twixt you 'n' da rest o' these guys, ya should have a "figgered-out" on dat, already.

 

[Wannabe]

Guys,
Would this work? At the bow and stearn drill from the top down into the end pour several inches with a 5/8 (or so) drill bit. Make a cross grain (flat grain) dowel and epoxy it in the hole. Make two of those hatch strap things Ron made for his boat but when you make the loop put it through one of those heavy duty plastic fatensers like is on the new tool bags, tote bags. ect. Make what ever kind of handle you prefer and attach it to the other side of the fastener. After getting your boat in the water sqreeze the sides of the fastener, pull the handle loose from the boat , and stow the handels in a safe place. Neat, clean, and no loops to snag. Being Geezers and Such, mite make several handels in case you forgot where you stowed the ones you took off. :shock: To me that is the worst thing anout this idea. I'd loose the handels.
Bob

The above was written with the clairity of mind that only painkill rpills can give you. There were only eleventy eight hunnert corrections made to get it right.