# Throw Bags and Rescue Lines for Boats and Kayaks (2026): Line, Length and How to Throw > Throw bags for boats, kayaks and piers: floating line, length and strength as each maker states them, how to throw and belay per NRS, and three bags sold by trusted sellers. - Source: https://saltprooflab.com/life-jackets-safety/throw-bags-and-rescue-lines - Publisher: SaltProofLab (https://saltprooflab.com) - Published: 2026-09-30 - Category: life-jackets-safety - Tags: throw bag, rescue throw rope, rescue line, man overboard, floating rope, kayak safety - Method: picks chosen from Amazon listings and brand specs; not hands-on tested; current Amazon prices are on the page; content checked 2026-09-30. - Quick answer: Pick the Scotty #0793 if you want the line's strength on the label: 50 ft of floating polypropylene rated 550 lb test. The Attwood bag carries a thicker 3/8 in line of the same length, and the Kemp USA bag gives 75 ft for throws from a pier or bank. ## Key takeaways - NRS: never tie the free end of a throw rope to yourself or anything else. - Throw so the bag sails past the swimmer and the line lands across their chest, then have them hold the line, not the bag, on their back. - A throw bag is not a Coast Guard approved throwable unless its label says so; boats 16 ft and over still need one. ## Products (chosen from listings, not tested) 1. **Scotty #0793 Rescue Throw Bag, 50 ft** (details: https://saltprooflab.com/life-jackets-safety/throw-bags-and-rescue-lines#product-B002BBK59C) — Buy it if you want a stated rope strength in a bag small enough for a kayak. - Pros: 50 ft of 9/32 in braided MFP polypropylene floating rope, 550 lb test, per the listing; Orange self-draining nylon and polyester bag with a 3M reflective band; Adjustable strap for mounting or carrying - Cons: The thinnest line here, which is harder to grip with cold or wet hands 2. **Attwood Rescue Line Throw Bag, 50 ft** (details: https://saltprooflab.com/life-jackets-safety/throw-bags-and-rescue-lines#product-B00DGAUVU0) — Buy it if you want a thicker line to grab from a boat's rail. - Pros: 50 ft of 3/8 in polypropylene line that floats, per the listing; Red bag with a wide yellow reflective strip for low light - Cons: The listing gives no breaking strength for the line 3. **Kemp USA Water Rescue Throw Bag, 75 ft** (details: https://saltprooflab.com/life-jackets-safety/throw-bags-and-rescue-lines#product-B08F8K3CX1) — Buy it if you fish from piers, jetties or banks where the water is farther away. - Pros: 75 ft of braided polypropylene rope, per the listing; Self-draining bag, reflective strap and a Bengal whistle included - Cons: The listing calls it a Type IV throwable but shows no Coast Guard approval number A throw bag is a stuff sack with a floating line packed inside and one end left free. You hold that end and throw the bag; the line pays out as it flies. It reaches farther than a ring buoy on a short line and packs smaller than a cushion, which is why paddlers carry them and why they belong on a fishing boat too. **How we chose:** we did not test these bags. Picks come from the line length, diameter and material stated on each listing, sold by Amazon.com or the brand's own store and in stock on September 30, 2026. ## Three throw bags side by side | Throw bag | Line length | Line (per the listing) | Extras | Sold by | Amazon price | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | [Scotty #0793](https://saltprooflab.com/life-jackets-safety/throw-bags-and-rescue-lines#product-B002BBK59C) | 50 ft | 9/32 in braided MFP polypropylene, 550 lb test | Self-draining, reflective band, strap | Amazon.com | see the current Amazon price on the page | | [Attwood Rescue Line](https://saltprooflab.com/life-jackets-safety/throw-bags-and-rescue-lines#product-B00DGAUVU0) | 50 ft | 3/8 in polypropylene, floats | Reflective strip | Amazon.com | see the current Amazon price on the page | | [Kemp USA Rescue Bag](https://saltprooflab.com/life-jackets-safety/throw-bags-and-rescue-lines#product-B08F8K3CX1) | 75 ft | Braided polypropylene | Self-draining, reflective strap, whistle | Kemp USA | see the current Amazon price on the page | ## What makes a rescue line work The line has to float, so the swimmer can see it and reach it on the surface. NRS, which makes throw bags for whitewater, says in its [throw bag basics](https://www.nrs.com/learn/throw-bag-basics) that rope in these bags "is at least partially made of polypropylene, because it floats." All three bags above state polypropylene line. Length is a trade-off. A longer line reaches a swimmer who has drifted away from the boat or who is off the end of a pier, but it is heavier to throw and slower to pull back in for a second try. On a boat, 50 ft covers a swimmer near the hull; the Kemp's 75 ft is for when you can't get closer. Only one of the three states a strength. Scotty rates its 9/32 in line at 550 lb test, per the listing. Attwood and Kemp give diameter or construction but no breaking strength, so if you plan to use the line for towing or tying off, choose a line whose maker states a rating. ## How to throw it NRS's steps are short, and worth practicing on land before you need them. First get the swimmer's attention "with whistle blasts or shouts, before throwing." Then "hold the free end securely and toss the bag to the swimmer." NRS puts one rule in capitals: never tie your end of the rope to yourself or any object. Aim long. NRS says to toss the bag "ideally so that it sails past the swimmer and the line falls across their chest." An underhand, softball-style throw is the natural motion; an overhand throw can go farther. The swimmer should grab the line, not the bag, and roll onto their back so you can swing them toward the boat or shore. To take the load, NRS says to pass the rope across your back, "down low on the hips or higher across the shoulder." That puts the load on your body instead of your arms. **Pro tip:** if the first throw misses, there's no time to restuff the bag. NRS says to practice coiling the line quickly for a second throw, and to carry a sharp knife in case the rope has to be cut. ## Restuffing and storing After use, feed the line back in a little at a time. NRS describes feeding the rope into the bag "with your thumbs and index fingers," which stacks the coils so they pay out without tangling. A bag stuffed in a lump is a bag that jams on the next throw. Two of the bags here are self-draining, per their listings, so water runs out after a throw instead of sitting in the line. Stow the bag where you can grab it from the helm or the kayak seat, not under the cooler. ## Throw bag vs the required throwable A throw bag does not replace the throwable the federal rule requires. Under [33 CFR 175.15](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/33/175.15), a recreational vessel 16 feet or longer needs one throwable PFD aboard in addition to the wearables, and the Coast Guard's [How to Choose the Right Life Jacket](https://www.uscgboating.org/images/howtochoosetherightlifejacket_brochure.pdf) brochure lists "U.S. Coast Guard approved" first among its life jacket requirements. None of the three listings here shows a Coast Guard approval, so carry the bag as an extra. The approved cushions and rings, and the rest of the carriage list, are in our [USCG required equipment checklist](https://saltprooflab.com/life-jackets-safety/uscg-required-safety-equipment). The best rescue is the one you don't need: a worn life jacket, covered in our [inflatable vs foam guide](https://saltprooflab.com/life-jackets-safety/inflatable-vs-foam-life-jackets), keeps the person in the water afloat while you throw. Related: [kids' life jackets](https://saltprooflab.com/life-jackets-safety/kids-life-jackets), [handheld VHF radios](https://saltprooflab.com/life-jackets-safety/handheld-vhf-radios) for calling for help, and [kayak fishing accessories](https://saltprooflab.com/kayak-paddle/kayak-fishing-accessories) for mounting gear on a kayak. NRS also sells throw bags on Amazon, but only through a third-party seller when we checked, so they are not linked. Our [marine recall list](https://saltprooflab.com/recalls), built from [CPSC recall notices](https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls) since 2023, has no entries for Scotty, Attwood, Kemp USA or NRS. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Why shouldn't I wrap the rope around my hand? Because a swimmer's weight in moving water can pull you in with them. NRS puts it in capitals, never tie your end of the rope to yourself or any object, and says to belay by passing the rope across your back or hips instead. ### Should the swimmer hold the bag or the rope? The rope. NRS says the swimmer should grab the line rather than the bag, then turn onto their back so you can swing them toward shore. ### Can I use a throw bag line as an anchor or tow rope? Only if the maker states a strength that fits the job. Of these three, only Scotty states one (550 lb test), and NRS's restuffing method assumes a clean, untangled line, so dry and restuff it properly before it goes back in the boat. --- *SaltProofLab is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.* ## Sources - nrs.com: [Throw bag basics](https://www.nrs.com/learn/throw-bag-basics) - law.cornell.edu: [33 CFR 175.15](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/33/175.15) - U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety: [How to Choose the Right Life Jacket](https://www.uscgboating.org/images/howtochoosetherightlifejacket_brochure.pdf) - U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: [CPSC recall notices](https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls) --- Last updated: 2026-09-30 Canonical URL: https://saltprooflab.com/life-jackets-safety/throw-bags-and-rescue-lines How to cite: "Throw Bags and Rescue Lines for Boats and Kayaks (2026): Line, Length and How to Throw", SaltProofLab, https://saltprooflab.com/life-jackets-safety/throw-bags-and-rescue-lines (checked 2026-09-30). Disclosure: as an Amazon Associate SaltProofLab earns from qualifying purchases. Safety information summarizes public guidance and is not medical advice.