What is BackTow Technology?

BackTow is a simple concept, a harness that tows you backwards through the water instead of forwards.

All conventional lifejacket harnesses have a fixed attachment point on the front of the jacket. This can be clipped to a safety line to ensure that the user is kept (ideally on) but at least with the boat if they fall over. With the harness point attached at the front a user in the water is dragged in a forward facing position by their safety line as shown below:

This forward facing position makes breathing and self recovery almost impossible as the casualty is buffeted by the torrent of oncoming water. Even at speeds as low as 4kts tests have shown that breathing can become impossible and the chances of secondary drowning are significantly increased. By towing a person in a backwards position the face is turned away from the oncoming water, greatly improving the chances of survival. Now in a stable BackTow position with the head clear of the water, the need for a instant recovery is reduced buying precious seconds for those on the boat.   

 

 

How Does BackTow Work?

 

In the stowed position a BackTow lifejacket looks and functions just like any other jacket you might have used, You still clip your safety line to the attachment located on the front (see Figure 2). This attachment point is as strong as any other lifejacket and can be used in the same way.

If you enter the water the lifejacket will automatically inflate (if using a standard automatic jacket, for manual jackets the manual toggle will need to be pulled for inflation). When the bladder is inflated the BackTow handle will be available located over the left bladder lobe and attached to the Oral tube (see fig 2)

If you can self recover there is no need to pull the handle, but if you being dragged alongside the boat simply grab the BackTow handle and pull. This will release the harness point from the front of the jacket, up and over the left shoulder, and into the BackTow Seated position.

BackTow forms a strong structural A Frame behind the users head. This can be used as a lifting and recovery strop, allowing a halyard of multi purchase to be attached to lift the person from the water quickly and safely.

 

See BackTow in Action    

This is a video showing an introduction into Backtow and how the system works in a real life setting. 

 

 

History Of Backtow

TeamO was created after a fatal accident in the UK highlighted a failing in conventional Harness technology. If clipped to a moving vessel a conventional safety harness will drag the user in a face down position, with their head pushed into the oncoming water. This position leaves little chance for self-recovery and reduces the survival time of a casualty in the water to a handful of minutes.

After four years of development, testing and patent applications, the design was recognized and gained its ISO approval. The patented BackTow lifejacket harness was launched in Spring 2017. The first versions of the TeamO BackTow lifejackets received widespread acclaim, winning Innovation of the year and being shortlisted for multiple design awards and described as 'revolutionary' by one of the industry's leading publications. 

BackTow is now the industry leader in harness technology, providing a complete solution for casualties entering the water from a moving vessel, towing and then being recovered.