This is Kokatat’s Ronin Pro, Mango colored Rescue PFD. PFD is “lifejacket” in fancy man’s terms. Tonight I sold one of these to a customer and it was sort of exciting because I learned a lot. SUP is something I am just getting into. And once you get into SUP, especially if you have been a whitewater guy for most of your life…you definitely will want to get onto the river with one.
I sold the Ronin Pro specifically to a gentleman who is getting into whitewater with his SUP. He isn’t doing class 3 or anything…but the water is still moving. This means that when he falls off the board…the board keeps moving faster than he can swim. Lashing yourself to any boat in any river current is an abominable idea. We do so only when we must, and even then it isn’t without risk. Yet, for SUP…you really can literally lose your boat quickly in current. It reframes leashing and lashing and I think that PFD’s like the Ronin Pro and Guide are good solutions.
Why are leashing systems dangerous? If you are are anchored to a rope (your ankle or waist leash), that is anchored to something upstream of you (your pinned or trapped SUP) and your body is not in the ideal position (dangling by your ankle or waist strap in moving water), you can become easily submerged. That is what we call “a jobstopper”.
I used to guide on the Nantahala in NC and posted my feet in the shin deep water for many rope throwing fests at the Falls. When the swimmers caught the rope, they were “supposed” to roll onto their backs, and hold the rope across their chest with both hands. This ideally caused them to plane across the surface and drift to the side. Their backs would be facing upstream. This would work about half the time. Usually the panicking swimmer would face you, hands under the water and the face would soon follow as they bounced up and down taking mouthfuls of water rather gracelessly. It is all about body positioning.
Leashing yourself to your SUP isn’t about towing or rescuing others…it is about not losing your boat and being able to self rescue IF you find yourself needing to cut the leash loose.
A solution I like (as of today) is to get a Rescue PFD, such as the Ronin Pro or the Guide. They both have the built in Quick Release Chest Harness w/ O-ring and therefore are tether ready. This is like a truck having a tow hitch on it. Mind you that for SUP, you will still have to find the “trailer” to put on this hitch. If you got into trouble the attachment point would be located on your back, the ideal position for planing and not submerging. The rip away cord is a big red ball just to the left of center on the front of PFD. I really think that this is the safest and most solid way to stay connected to your board and to self rescue in river running applications. Kokatat has been making Rescue PFD’s with this tear away buckle system for years for whitewater instructors, sea kayakers and the like to perform tows and rescue’s. You should see it sometime in action…fancy stuff. I think that it could really become a solid workhorse for SUP’ers to have a decently safe solution for riverrunning.
And a word of safety: PLEASE MAKE SURE TO HAVE AN ACA WHITEWATER INSTRUCTOR OR THE LIKE TEACH YOU HOW TO USE IT PROPERLY!!
Let me know if you want one! Also, if anyone out there has a favorite leash system to attach a SUP to the Guide harnesses…let me know and I will gladly review it.
thanks and be safe out there, Charlie @ Amigos
