Mary,

Hmmm. It worked when I tried it. The loop extends the minimal length necessary to get a foot in (as close to the surface as possible). You raise a good point, though. There is no universal answer. It's up to each of us to sort out what works best for our particular situation (boat type, body type, etc.). I've found in my kayak classes that reentry techniques that are impossible for some can be easy for others, and vice versa. I try to teach a variety of options and ask the students to find the one(s) that works best for them.

You're right, too, about the fact that once the ice and snow disappear in the spring, I'll be out there experimenting.

As for tethers, do you have a sense for how many cat sailors actually use one? I've seen the requirement for them in distance race NOR's, but, for instance, the NE100 requires only that, "this line should be utilized when underway in heavy seas or darkness".