Best Way To Attach Paddle Leash?

Per bjorri:
>Why not fix it at your feetboard? Is there any advandtage in sliding
>further to the front?

Yes: the hull weathercocks into the wind or surf.
--
PeteCresswell
 >> Stay informed about: Best Way To Attach Paddle Leash? 

The absolute LAST thing you want to do is tether your body to the boat.
Just think of what could happen if you get hammered in big water, with
the boat rolling and tumbling and you tied to it. VERY BAD IDEA.

Paddle leashes are just about as useless and as much of a pain,
particularly since you're in a boat without a cockpit and the only place
to tether the paddle is way forward.


(PeteCresswell) wrote:
> Got a grab line that runs the length of the deck.
>
> viz: http://tinyurl.com/6z3pxc
>
> The line runs from a bow eye back to the foot pedal assembly.
>
> There's a steel ring on the line that is free to slide for and
> aft.
>
> I want to attach a paddle or calf leash to the ring with the
> least chance of it coming undone when things go south - yet be
> able to attach/detach it with reasonable convenience.
>
> Opinions as to the best method?
> -----------------------------------
> - Figure eight knot that jams in the ring?
>
> - Some sort of bowline?
>
> - Trigger Snap?
>
> - Carabiner?
>
> - Some other sort of shackle?
>
> -Something else?
> -----------------------------------
 >> Stay informed about: Best Way To Attach Paddle Leash? 

Per Brian Nystrom:
>Just think of what could happen if you get hammered in big water, with
>the boat rolling and tumbling and you tied to it. VERY BAD IDEA.
>
>Paddle leashes are just about as useless and as much of a pain,
>particularly since you're in a boat without a cockpit and the only place
>to tether the paddle is way forward.

But with surf skis, one or the other type of leash seems tb a
necessary evil. The term of art is "blowaway". The skis are
so light and float so high that any wind at all will sweep them
away from somebody treading water in a heartbeat - much, much
faster than anybody can swim.

The consensus among surf ski paddlers seems tb the calf-attached
leash terminating at the rudder pedals.

But I've got a problem with that since nobody in their right mind
leaves such a leash attached when coming in through the surf.

Given that, I've got to resolve the issue of kids playing in the
shore break when I lose the thing in break just outside of that.
--
PeteCresswell
 >> Stay informed about: Best Way To Attach Paddle Leash? 

(PeteCresswell) wrote:
> Per Brian Nystrom:
>> Just think of what could happen if you get hammered in big water, with
>> the boat rolling and tumbling and you tied to it. VERY BAD IDEA.
>>
>> Paddle leashes are just about as useless and as much of a pain,
>> particularly since you're in a boat without a cockpit and the only place
>> to tether the paddle is way forward.
>
> But with surf skis, one or the other type of leash seems tb a
> necessary evil. The term of art is "blowaway". The skis are
> so light and float so high that any wind at all will sweep them
> away from somebody treading water in a heartbeat - much, much
> faster than anybody can swim.

That's why you never let go of your boat unless you need to get away
from it, such as when you get hammered in surf.

> The consensus among surf ski paddlers seems tb the calf-attached
> leash terminating at the rudder pedals.

Do what you like, but I would NEVER tie myself to a kayak under any
circumstances.

> But I've got a problem with that since nobody in their right mind
> leaves such a leash attached when coming in through the surf.

No kidding.

> Given that, I've got to resolve the issue of kids playing in the
> shore break when I lose the thing in break just outside of that.

I have no idea what you mean by that.
 >> Stay informed about: Best Way To Attach Paddle Leash? 

Per Brian Nystrom:
>> Given that, I've got to resolve the issue of kids playing in the
>> shore break when I lose the thing in break just outside of that.
>
>I have no idea what you mean by that.

You don't want your boat washing in unattended. Not a way to win
the hearts and minds of the bathers.
--
PeteCresswell
 >> Stay informed about: Best Way To Attach Paddle Leash? 

(PeteCresswell) wrote:
> Per Brian Nystrom:
>>> Given that, I've got to resolve the issue of kids playing in the
>>> shore break when I lose the thing in break just outside of that.
>> I have no idea what you mean by that.
>
> You don't want your boat washing in unattended. Not a way to win
> the hearts and minds of the bathers.

True, but better that than having your drowned body tied to it.
 >> Stay informed about: Best Way To Attach Paddle Leash? 

Per Brian Nystrom:
>> You don't want your boat washing in unattended. Not a way to win
>> the hearts and minds of the bathers.
>
>True, but better that than having your drowned body tied to it.

Hence the consideration of a paddle leash instead of a leg leash.

I've used a paddle leash tethered to the bow eye of my Wave Witch
for several years now and the boat's designer/maker says that
"his boys" in Hawaii use them with bow-attached paddle leashes on
the North Shore.

My experience has been pretty good. I encase the leash in stiff
poly tubing and pool noodle so it can't wrap and I've been about
five years of intermittent rinse cycles without any hint of
entanglement.

Looks like hell... but it works: http://tinyurl.com/48dhlh

My current concern is the best way to attach a short stiff leash
to a ring running along a taut deck line - as opposed to
attaching it directly to a bow eye. viz http://tinyurl.com/5yjuvq
Seems like knots can come undone... OTOH, maybe I'm not tying the
right knot....

Various hardware attachment devices would appear to have their
own problems as they can become cocked and then have force
exerted at some unfavorable angle.

I was trolling for some real-world experience/expertise in
attachment methods.
--
PeteCresswell
 >> Stay informed about: Best Way To Attach Paddle Leash?