: I've only met one "instructor"...Mark Rogers,
: Superior Kayaks...
: the man is hard core...
: "THE BIG BOSS MAN"
: "Grab the boat...not the ropes!"

Kinda a poem you have there.

Like I said, every instructor I know. I've never met Mark, but I've paddled with the guy who designed the jig that makes his carbonfiber GPs, and seems to me that he grabs the toggles. Truly, it doesn't mater that much. And the circumstances dictate different rules. I've carried loaded and unloaded kayaks since I started kayaking using the toggles without a problem. Sometimes I carry from the boat, if the boat is heavily loaded. Both work fine. And whatever method someone decides to use is fine by me. I choose the toggles, especially the ergo toggles from KajakSport, cause they feel good. If the boat is heavily loaded, I like to grab the boat, cause it feels good and I trust it better.

And just to make this official, the American Canoe Association spells it out in one of their most recent pieces of lit: "With a person on each end, kayaks can be carried by grasping beneath the boat's end or by holding the grab handles. Remember to bend your knees when putting the kayak down, and watch for unstable footing at the water's edge." I suspect the later two statements in that paragraph are more important.

Anyway, we've just made mountains out of molehills.

: Purple Pintail?

Thats the color she wanted. We give him a hard time when he's paddling it. It was a custom color and layup.

: Someone should have been standing by saying, "Grab the
: boat, not the ropes!"

Maybe, but the owner's husband was on the other end carrying with a toggle. The rope should have been replaced before there was a problem!!!! It was a case of wear and tear and it is the responsibility of the paddler to make sure that everything is safe and functional on their craft before putting it into the water.

Cheers,
Bryan