Arguments are not my style

Plus, I'm not that good at arguing. Frankly, I am not that clever or witty and tend to "mutters expletive" and walks away.

I attracted the attention of a local paddler, rather by accident, and somewhat obliviously.

The matter started out as a simple point about the "correct way to wear a tow belt." My dear reader may remember my personal slogan: this instructor and that instructor will say this is right or that is right, but the only right is what's right for YOU."

Hence, this post really is not about what the angry fellow said in trashing me on the interwebs: "a paddler should never have more than one or at most two inches of tow line outside their pouch." I am really commenting on the various and yet safe ways people, paddlers, do things.

Tow belts have line, and line can be a problem, so I readily accept that there are a few ways to wear the belt but I believe any of the common ways are likely "safe." Also, in line with the safety thing, Dale says: if you are wearing a tow belt you are carrying a knife. This is a given. Right, line can become tangled and hanging upside down in one's boat tangled in tow line would be bad. Very very bad. Hence, the knife, or trauma shears, utility shears, whatnot.

Arguing points on the internet are not really my style. But I carefully read what the unhappy fellow who targeted me had said on the matter. Off to do some casual research. I found that this could really not be settled by any blanket statement. Here are some photos of instructors wearing their kits. Some photos show students, as well. The tow belts and/or lines are the part highlighted by big red arrows, for my dear reader's convenience.

 More than one or two inches, eh?

One of my personal favorite, all-time greatest instructors, love this guy to pieces. 

Oh, these guys? Another set of favorites.

Where was I going with this?! Sorry, I got side tracked looking at photos of some of my favorite people.

I collected a number of photos and determined that, for the most part, most paddlers have more than one to two inches of line outside their bags. In order to conclude my rather unscientific research I asked around, does anybody know anyone who was spontaneously throttled by their own tow line, while it was still in the bag? No? How about just entangled? No? Hmmm.

NOT SAYING IT COULD NOT HAPPEN. And I have personally had to ditch out of one tow when the line became entangled. But it was not the first two feet of line that were the problem.

Different strokes for different folks. Let's all be nice-nice people. The world would be a better place if we all worked to "make America kind again." Just saying.