How to rescue a swimmer with a throw bag - Kyle Neese

If you’ve been kayaking long enough, you have probably come across a swimmer.  Weather it is someone in your group or just a random person floating by, it’s probably to theirs and your benefit to save them. So… I’m going to walk you step by step through how to rescue a swimmer with a throw bag.

Step 1: Get throw bag out of kayak and hold in throwing hand

Step 2: find a good place next to the river

Step 3: Make sure you position your feet on a rock so when tension is applied the rope doesn’t pull you in

Step 4: Take the end of the rope and go around your waste. Grip the end of the rope under the knot and the rope going around the other side of your waste together with non-throwing hand.

Step 5:  When the swimmer gets close to you, notify the swimmer that you are throwing a rope by yelling “ROPE ROPE ROPE!!!!!”.

Step 6: Throw the rope further than the swimmer but make sure the rope lands close or on the swimmers chest.

Step 7: Sit down, prop your feet against a rock, and get ready for the tension.

Step 8: Try and make sure the swimmer swings into an eddy downstream.

Step 9: Once the swimmer is safe and out of the water, stuff the throw bag in a threading motion and get ready to for next time.