How to spoil your wife...tow her in a kayak!

D

dryer

New Member
I can't be the first person to try this but twice now, I've attached a kayak tow harness to my wife's kayak's front toggle, the other end of the harness hooked to a spare bridle (i have both the old and new bridles on my Sunfish) and towed her all over the lake, way faster than she can paddle. She's decided to call it "zero impact kayaking", and her fancy paddle never touches the water. The method I use is to pull away from the dock and get under way. She paddles up behind me and hooks on to the bridle with the big plastic hook I put on the harness line, and off we go. I can round up and drop the hook anytime.
The Sunfish doesn't point quite as high, but high enough, and once some forward motion puts the surfaces in play, the thing zings right along. My towing harness has a section of bungee which take out any shock and you really don't know you are pulling anything. It's also nice to have a support boat when the wind dies....for the ice chest, refreshments, etc. ;) Anyone else tried this? Tips?

Paul
Texas
 
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Paul, I have been considering this as well, but with my son(s), and having them ride in an inner tube. I was worried about using the bridle, though, so have never really tried it. I'm glad to hear someone else has given it a try, though, and will probably try it out on a future sailing trip.

cheers,
tag
 
Wavedancer said:
:) Pictures would be nice...
Click to expand...
I don't sail as often as I'd like, but when I do... I always bring my GoPro camera. [stay thirsty my friends]

So when I do try it, I'll be sure to post any pictures or video I come up with.

I think Paul's wife should be manning a camera, though. he's dragging along his own coach boat!
 
tag said:
I don't sail as often as I'd like, but when I do... I always bring my GoPro camera. [stay thirsty my friends]

So when I do try it, I'll be sure to post any pictures or video I come up with.

I think Paul's wife should be manning a camera, though. he's dragging along his own coach boat!
Click to expand...

Ha! She tried several times to get me to had over my iphone for picures but I wouldn't go for it. What was funny was when we would take off on plane....."wheeeeeeeeeeeee! I like this!!" These little Sunfish sails have a ton of reserve power. I'm amazed how the kayak really isn't causing much drag. Hull speed is hull speed, I suppose, and you won't get faster than that unless you both are planing. The fish planes much earlier than than the kayak.
Of my four yaks, this one is the shortest, 10.5 ft. Dagger Blackwater with a skeg. The skeg makes all the difference. I might try this with one of the long sea yaks and see if we can go faster. Felt like a kid out there. LOL I do need a wet camera someday.

ps....there is a youtube of a sailing instructor teaching a kiddo how to sail a Sunfish from a towed kayak. Found it on a search.
 
Saint John River in downtown Freddy Beach.... quaint fishing boat has its motor quit downriver from the docks... we towed it back, against the current, with a 1963 Sunfish - original sail.

One year later, new sail with hull # 5229... some kids steal a three wheel ATV & ride it off the bridge... they're fine but the trike is toast, and upside down AND down current from the docks.... we towed that one back too, Police thanked us for the asssist.

Now we to wake boards with teen-agers all the time...

Th BAD Boys @ BADProductions
 
BadProductions said:
Saint John River in downtown Freddy Beach.... quaint fishing boat has its motor quit downriver from the docks... we towed it back, against the current, with a 1963 Sunfish - original sail.

One year later, new sail with hull # 5229... some kids steal a three wheel ATV & ride it off the bridge... they're fine but the trike is toast, and upside down AND down current from the docks.... we towed that one back too, Police thanked us for the asssist.

Now we to wake boards with teen-agers all the time...

Th BAD Boys @ BADProductions
Click to expand...
Good stories! I'm not surprised at all. We're avid kayakers and it's painful to watch my towed kayak go faster behind the 'fish' than anyone could humanly paddle the thing, and I paid a lot of buks for a fast yak. It's way safer than trying to haul passengers on the Sunfish too. Sunfish can roll over and be in all kinds of trouble and the towed kayaker simply enjoys the show. :) I was going to try a kneeboard with a lighweight kiddo and see how that goes. Probably wouldn't work for an adult.
 
I loved that video. I have wondered how that would work.

A few weeks ago, my husband had the SF and I was in a kayak -- offering to tow the FISH because there was no wind on the lee shore where the launch site was located.
 
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