Images show a Sea Contact Tow MK11 with the new
Whetman Equipment Kraken karabiners and featuring the new stainless buckle; this incredible buckle has been designed from first principles by Whetman Equipment. An original Whetman Equipment product. Made in the UK.
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Sea Contact Tow MK11Short contact line for quick close contact rescue of one sea kayak by another sea kayak. Quick release stainless cam buckle with cord. Adjustable length. Port & Starboard colour coded webbing. Two snag free Whetman Equipment Kraken karabiners. 
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Contact Tow
The primary application is a very short quick "contact" towline from a deck line of the rescuer to the bow or deckline of the casualty boat, putting the bow adjacent to the cockpit area of the rescuer. A diagonal contact across the deck pulls the casualty boat into the side & also offers the quick release to be viewed on the front deck. To activate the quick release pull the cord or pull the webbing tail to release the cam buckle. With a slight applied tension the webbing will then slide through & disconnect the system. |
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Raft
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Another application is to enable a stablised raft up by crossing the Contact Line over two boats and connecting to the outer deck lines of each boat, then adjusting it to be tight so as to prevent any chance of capsize. Kayak Leash During a rocky landing the contact line can be extended to its full length and used as a kayak leash enabling the paddler to keep hold of the kayak whilst landing onto rocks or boarding. |
From january 2019 all new Sea Contact Tows shall be fittted with the new Kraken sea karabiner designed by Whetman Equipment
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The contact line can be stowed on the foredeck and two rubber rings used to bind the webbing folded neatly. To use grab one end and pull to release the folds and it will be ready to deploy. Before stowing the line pre-set the yellow length to give an overall contact line length which achieves the desired position of the casualty boat next to your boat. Leave at least 25mm of tail out of the buckle. |
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Security - MK1 contact line
For the Sea Kayak Contact Line to have the correct effective strength the cam buckle must be backed up by the metal bar. Failure to thread the yellow webbing through the metal bar may result in the webbing sliding through the buckle under load. Flat side of the metal bar flush with the edge of the buckle Safety Notice Practise applying the quick release using the cord and using the tail - only a slight force is required. If excessive force is used then it is possible to pull the cam lever off the base of the buckle. This device is set up for moderate sea conditions. In very rough seas the contact line may experience whip lash from a violent sudden pull. In these conditions set the line before the start of the day to the deployed length and retain one O ring over the cam lever. The quick release will require slightly more pull to overcome the O ring. |
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DMM Karabiner Maintenance
Sea salt crystals can form & block up the DMM carabiners springs and so we highly recommend rinse in hot water after use, washing the spring mechanism & spray with silicone spray. With the DMM karabiner the spring is inside the gate in a tube and must be cleaned with hot water, allowed to drain to clear out any dirt and salt and then lubricated with silicone or oil. If the spring is not cleaned then it will become blocked and stiff; if the gate is then forced open the black retainer will be damaged. After washing hang the karabiner vertically to allow it to drain (see below). These karabiners do demand more care and maintenance and the benefit is they are bigger and easier to handle, and look really nice, compared with smaller stainless connectors. There is a trade off between being better to use and higher maintenance. |
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Training & Practise
As with all rescue kit training & practise is essential before use to ensure correct & safe application of the device.
As with all rescue kit training & practise is essential before use to ensure correct & safe application of the device.