Question for those who know the tow gig...my first one is coming up.

Normally I get to the EP and then gear up the canoe with painters, bailer, seat back, rod holders, and all those other things I don't want flapping around at 70mph...

Do you rig the canoe before the tow, or after?

After. I treat the tow like the canoe is still riding on the top of my truck. Don't want anything flying off.

I strap the paddles in the canoe as if preparing for a portage; removes the opportunity for damage of the paddles in the confines of the tow boat.

Canoe is non rigged.

No rigging

I strap in my seat back, (has velcro to keep it closed) and I strap my 2 poles in ( mine are up inside the thwarts so no banging on rack), I figure safer there than in big boat with packs and people hopping over gear. Don't forget Portage yoke if solo. I panicked once half way up the Sag corridor....yoke was hiding under packs. Paddles, map and camera in my hands.

Unrigged is how we went last year. I could see going with some stuff rigged but only if it's solid and completely inside the boat.

I have not been rigged the few times I used a tow.

Rigged after tow

My painters stay on. They're BDB'd to the decks and there's no risk of them coming loose.

Thanks all - clear direction, appreciate the insights.

I have it rigged to the degree I would carry it on a portage - painters strapped in, seats attached.

We had an outfitter tow two canoes on a large lake in NW Ontario which we kept loaded with all our gear. There was not room for four paddlers, the tow boat operator and much of our gear in the tow boat. The tow was about 17 miles. We tied in gear in the canoes as much as possible. The most important thing was rigging the two canoes as parallel to each other as possible while leaving a sufficient gap between the canoes so they did not ship water. The tow went well and although somewhat costly saved us an entire day of paddling into the wind.

Yep... all that stuff is tied into the canoe and secure... painters, rods, rod holders, seat backs or cushions, bailer, sometimes paddle and locator but usually not. If it makes it down the road at 55 mph, it will survive the tow at 15 mph.

deerfoot: "We had an outfitter tow two canoes on a large lake in NW Ontario which we kept loaded with all our gear. There was not room for four paddlers, the tow boat operator and much of our gear in the tow boat. The tow was about 17 miles. We tied in gear in the canoes as much as possible. The most important thing was rigging the two canoes as parallel to each other as possible while leaving a sufficient gap between the canoes so they did not ship water. The tow went well and although somewhat costly saved us an entire day of paddling into the wind."

I think most of us are talking about a "tow" where canoes are on an overhead rack on the towboat.

cowdoc: "

deerfoot: "We had an outfitter tow two canoes on a large lake in NW Ontario which we kept loaded with all our gear. There was not room for four paddlers, the tow boat operator and much of our gear in the tow boat. The tow was about 17 miles. We tied in gear in the canoes as much as possible. The most important thing was rigging the two canoes as parallel to each other as possible while leaving a sufficient gap between the canoes so they did not ship water. The tow went well and although somewhat costly saved us an entire day of paddling into the wind."

I think most of us are talking about a "tow" where canoes are on an overhead rack on the towboat.
"

Oops