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Sam has a chance to take his message further , having a powerful justification for his demand – his friend lost his life due to a leg leash . Sam wants SUP manufacturers to supply only QR ( quick release ) leashes , allowing the wearer to jettison their board in an entanglement situation . Sam asked if we could help raise awareness through our connections in the industry and a long-standing history of teaching SUP on the Tidal Thames . It ’ s worrying how many SUP paddlers are going out on the Thames using leg leashes , unaware of the risks they may present .
Sam commented , “ When a novice buys a £ 350 SUP board without the correct advice and the proper leash for use on rivers , they may think that by putting on the ankle leash , when they go on the River Thames , it is for their safety , and they may not be informed of the dangers that an ankle leash may present in that environment . They need to be informed about the dangers . In my view the manufacturers need to take action – now – without delay ! I watched my best friend drown . He thought by attaching his ankle leash , he was set up safely .”
When Sam first contacted me , I thought of the paddlers I see daily going out on the Thames Tideway in leg leashes . They mostly look self-taught and do their best to navigate a stretch of river with powerful but often deceiving as not necessarily fast-moving currents if you set off at specific tide stages . The volume of water on a big river can create the risk – not the speed of the current .