Looking for advice/thoughts

[djstone]

Hello TCT members! I'm looking for some thoughts and advice that I might not have thought of or considered.

Tom and I are contemplating being spotters at a triathalon event at Moraine Park in PA. We would be in our kayaks to assist anyone needing help. We don't foresee any problems but I was just thinking through what we should do if a swimmer would get in trouble. Should we have something to throw to them? Should it be the rope on the kayak, or something else. Should they just hang onto the kayak handle? Let them rest or tow them in? The event organizer will probably give instructions but I have never been in a situation where I was in the kayak and a swimmer needed help. The event is scheduled in 2 weeks so the water will still be quite chilly.

Any thoughts are appreciated.
Thanks, Darla

[Ambridger]

If a swimmer were to experience a "problem", the "problem" would be the inability to swim, for whatever reason. I would say having a life ring with a rope attached would be beneficial ... something the swimmer could support themselves on and possibly be towed towards a boat or the shore line. A throw rope helps us as we are already typically wearing a flotation device. A swimmer in distress I would suppose would not be wearing flotation. Just my $.02

[JPTolson]

Tossing the swimmer a floatation device sounds like a good option. Another option might for the swimmer to hang on to the stern of the boat, assuming their arms have the strength to do so. They could then be towed assuming that the stern is now not so low in the water that water comes rushing into the cockpit if you are not using a spray skirt. It may be helpful to practice these ideas before the day of the marathon to see how they work.