The court draggers

Due to this QEhardrock’s attention having been elsewhere, and my lack of attendance at the courts because of a small injury, this blog has lain moribund for much of the summer. My injury has now healed. But I’ll be spending less time playing tennis for the next while, and preoccupied with other stuff. Aside from this post, the web site will continue to lie quiescent for a time.

We have had good weather since the end of July, and there has been no need of the court draggers that were cobbled together by QEhardrock DH and myself last fall. Nevertheless, while not that long ago carrying one, from where it had been left lying on the ground, to the fence to hang it up, a young man asked me what the rug was supposed to be used for. Since I see rain in the forecast again, it is probably not a bad idea to devote the rest of this post to an exposition on the use and care of the court draggers.

There are three of these rugs, folded over a centre piece with pull cords attached, so they can be dragged on two sides. The idea is that they be towed across pools of water after a rain, thereby soaking up the water, and helping to get the court dry. Even when wet themselves, the draggers spread water thinly across the surface of the court, allowing for quicker evaporation. But they do their best work by actually soaking the water up. If left to sit on a pool of water for a few moments, a dragger that is itself not yet water-logged, will absorb quite a large pool. 

 After use, the rugs have to drain, so they will absorb again. It is necessary that they be hung on the fence, so water will run out of them. If left lying on the ground, they do not drain, but simply remain soaked, no longer effective as court water removers. I have provided moveable hangers, made out of twisted old coat hangers, to be used for hanging the court draggers on a fence. The hangers are marked with orange flagging, just so they can be seen easily.

 When the wet rugs are hung, water pours down. Care must be taken to hang wet draggers where they will not drain back onto court. The location that is best is anywhere on the west fence between the tennis courts and the hockey rinks.

 Aside from the three rug draggers, there is one old sofa cushion also outfitted with a cord for pulling. It is used the same way as the rug draggers.

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