Snap Shackle vs Carbiner

Panic snaps release when you grab the barrel and pull. They will release
under tension but will stay clipped when slack. I think this is what
you're looking for.

http://www.chicksaddlery.com/page/CDS/PROD/2401/PS51

Looking at pics of surf ski racers and outrigger canoeists, I see some
calf tethers. It appears that the surf ski crowd has different ideas
about tethers than the sea kayak crowd. I seem to recall that Chris Duff
used some form of tether on one of his circumnavigations, but my case of
CRS prevents me from providing details

Steve

(PeteCresswell) wrote:
> e.g.
> http://tinyurl.com/53ntlv
> VS
> http://tinyurl.com/4h8wa9
>
> Which one would you rely on in a situation where:
 >> Stay informed about: Snap Shackle vs Carbiner 

Steve Cramer wrote:
> Panic snaps release when you grab the barrel and pull. They will release
> under tension but will stay clipped when slack. I think this is what
> you're looking for.
>
> http://www.chicksaddlery.com/page/CDS/PROD/2401/PS51
>
> Looking at pics of surf ski racers and outrigger canoeists, I see some
> calf tethers. It appears that the surf ski crowd has different ideas
> about tethers than the sea kayak crowd. I seem to recall that Chris Duff
> used some form of tether on one of his circumnavigations, but my case of
> CRS prevents me from providing details

While that's true, it's only because of the specialized nature of
remote, unsupported expeditions (in this case, around New Zealand). On
some sections of the trip, losing his boat would have meant almost
certain death, as rescuers were hours away. That's when he used the
tether, not all the time. IIRC, he used a tether from either his PFD or
his waist to the rear toggle on the boat, so he would be able to exit
and the likelihood of entanglement was reduced, as the boat could roll
without wrapping the tether around the hull (unlike a foredeck
attachment). He could also release it easily and quickly if necessary,
something that's not as easy to do with a calf tether.
 >> Stay informed about: Snap Shackle vs Carbiner 

45Per Steve Cramer:
>Looking at pics of surf ski racers and outrigger canoeists, I see some
>calf tethers. It appears that the surf ski crowd has different ideas
>about tethers than the sea kayak crowd.

Some sea kayakers are adamantly against any sort of tether.

Among all surf ski users that I know/correspond with, some sort
of tether is considered mandatory.

A distinguishing "feature" of surf skis is how readily and
quickly they're swept away by even a moderate breeze - much, much
faster than anybody can hope to swim. They're light, they
expose a *lot* of surface area to the wind, and they don't swamp
- instead floating high on the water.

One really has to see it to fully appreciate it.

You lose your grip on an un-tethered ski and it's all over within
seconds. Some will say "just don't let go of the ski"... but I
find that's not a realistic expectation. One *will* get dumped
periodically and some of those times one will lose contact with
the ski.

It's my understanding that in areas like Australia and South
Africa, skis are commonly equipped with footstraps, which
mitigate the loss of contact issue significantly. But they
don't eliminate it and users there seem to have gone over to calf
leashes.

A misplaced paddle can be retrieved as long as one is mounted on
the ski and has at both arms working.

I've been trying both leash types on my surf ski.

After A/B-ing between the two leash types all afternoon on a
local lake last week and trying the calf leash in the ocean at a
local inlet with 20-25 mph winds and a truly heinous current
yesterday, I've come around to favoring a calf leash that's
tethered to a ring that runs fore-aft on a taut deck line.

With that setup, the hull weathercocks into the wind, whitewater,
and/or current.

Also, when coming in/walking out through surf - where the
sensible thing to do is detach the calf leash; if there's an
issue with bathers or surfers, the calf leash can be wrapped
around the paddle loom instead of being disconnected - giving a
temporary paddle leash.
--
PeteCresswell
 >> Stay informed about: Snap Shackle vs Carbiner 

Per Brian Nystrom:
>He could also release it easily and quickly if necessary,
>something that's not as easy to do with a calf tether.

What's the entanglement scenario with a calf tether?

They seem to have come from the stand-up-paddle board crowd - who
paddle relatively large boards (10-12 feet long) and use them in
the surf.

With the one I'm testing, the only thing I see is that it might
be *too* easy to remove. It's just Velcro with a one-inch tab
of webbing hanging out. The Velcro overlay is about 3-5 inches
depending on leg size/wetsuit thickness. You grab the tab and
pull - not very hard, even - and the thing comes loose.

Am I missing something?
--
PeteCresswell
 >> Stay informed about: Snap Shackle vs Carbiner 

Right. When you really, really don't want to get separated from the
boat, tether it. Duff also used a waist to stern tether on the Ireland
trip, plus a paddle tether to his wrist.

Steve

Brian Nystrom wrote:
> While that's true, it's only because of the specialized nature of
> remote, unsupported expeditions (in this case, around New Zealand). On
> some sections of the trip, losing his boat would have meant almost
> certain death, as rescuers were hours away. That's when he used the
> tether, not all the time. IIRC, he used a tether from either his PFD or
> his waist to the rear toggle on the boat, so he would be able to exit
> and the likelihood of entanglement was reduced, as the boat could roll
> without wrapping the tether around the hull (unlike a foredeck
> attachment). He could also release it easily and quickly if necessary,
> something that's not as easy to do with a calf tether.
 >> Stay informed about: Snap Shackle vs Carbiner 

Steve Cramer wrote:
> Right. When you really, really don't want to get separated from the
> boat, tether it.

I would make that "ONLY when you really really don't...". My
understanding is that he only used it when he felt it was absolutely
necessary.

> Duff also used a waist to stern tether on the Ireland
> trip, plus a paddle tether to his wrist.
>
> Steve
>
> Brian Nystrom wrote:
>> While that's true, it's only because of the specialized nature of
>> remote, unsupported expeditions (in this case, around New Zealand). On
>> some sections of the trip, losing his boat would have meant almost
>> certain death, as rescuers were hours away. That's when he used the
>> tether, not all the time. IIRC, he used a tether from either his PFD
>> or his waist to the rear toggle on the boat, so he would be able to
>> exit and the likelihood of entanglement was reduced, as the boat could
>> roll without wrapping the tether around the hull (unlike a foredeck
>> attachment). He could also release it easily and quickly if necessary,
>> something that's not as easy to do with a calf tether.
 >> Stay informed about: Snap Shackle vs Carbiner 

(PeteCresswell) wrote:
> Per Brian Nystrom:
>> He could also release it easily and quickly if necessary,
>> something that's not as easy to do with a calf tether.
>
> What's the entanglement scenario with a calf tether?

You're planning to connect it to the cockpit or the foredeck, which
means that if the boat rolls, it's going to wrap the cord around the
hull and drag you with it.

> They seem to have come from the stand-up-paddle board crowd - who
> paddle relatively large boards (10-12 feet long) and use them in
> the surf.
>
> With the one I'm testing, the only thing I see is that it might
> be *too* easy to remove. It's just Velcro with a one-inch tab
> of webbing hanging out. The Velcro overlay is about 3-5 inches
> depending on leg size/wetsuit thickness. You grab the tab and
> pull - not very hard, even - and the thing comes loose.
>
> Am I missing something?

How easy do you think it will be to reach your calf/ankle when you're
being pummeled in surf, particularly if the boat is twisting and
dragging you as it winds the tether around the hull?

At least with Chris Duff's method, the likelihood of the tether wrapping
around the boat is low (attaching it to the stern toggle would allow the
cord to simply twist if the boat rolled), releasing at the waist would
be easier and he used a long enough tether that he could put some
distance between his body and the boat if necessary. As I said before,
the only reason he used a tether at all was due to his complete
dependence on his boat for survival.
 >> Stay informed about: Snap Shackle vs Carbiner 

Per Steve Cramer:
>If this is what your heading toward, it might be better to stay on the
>beach

My second thought precisely.... -)
--
PeteCresswell
 >> Stay informed about: Snap Shackle vs Carbiner