L0L… I didn’t even catch that! Of course String would make fun of me!
@castoff said:
L0L… I didn’t even catch that! Of course String would make fun of me!
I’ve been holding that comment for days , knowing how sensitive Flotsam can be.
I hate it when this thing assumes words.
Sniff :’(
Hey castoff, you can edit your posts - including the title. 
@Rookie said:
Hey castoff, you can edit your posts - including the title.
Yes the little gear looking symboI. I do that so often I consider myself a gear head, but thanks. I think I’ll leave it so string can make fun of me. He needs a hobby.
@castoff said:
@Rookie said:
Hey castoff, you can edit your posts - including the title.Yes the little gear looking symboI. I do that so often I consider myself a gear head, but thanks. I think I’ll leave it so string can make fun of me. He needs a hobby.
Hopefully, I’m about to get one .
Driving
@string said:
Hopefully, I’m about to get one .
Driving
Navy has been praying for this! Oh and all those stuffed talking toys y’all sent home with us have been a big hit with little Cora! I will have to figure out how to get even with you for that! She figured out how to make that obnoxious singing monkey work!!
@castoff said:
Thanks for everyone’s responses. I am going to make a tether like shown in the photo and then see for myself how it performs by wet exiting and various self rescues before deciding if it is of value to me. I’ll try to see if entanglement is a problem. Yes I’ll have someone on hand.
Then try it in conditions where you think you might need this leash, when you’re concentrating on 4 things at once, winded, trying to stay upright, and its most likely to matter. Unfortunately the test where your life is on the line is the only test that really matters.
@qajaqman said:
@castoff said:
Thanks for everyone’s responses. I am going to make a tether like shown in the photo and then see for myself how it performs by wet exiting and various self rescues before deciding if it is of value to me. I’ll try to see if entanglement is a problem. Yes I’ll have someone on hand.Then try it in conditions where you think you might need this leash, when you’re concentrating on 4 things at once, winded, trying to stay upright, and its most likely to matter. Unfortunately the test where your life is on the line is the only test that really matters. But dont try that one.
Just don’t capsize in current with you on one side and the boat on the other side of a piling. Like WW boats things happen fast in sea kayaks too.
Skis use them since the boat is so light that the wind and wave carries it away and you’d never be able to catch it. The key is open water.
I’ve never used a leash in a sea kayak application, but if I were solo paddling open water, I’d consider clipping my tow belt into a deck line.
It is a terrible feeling to have your boat ripped out of your hands.
IMO the leash in the photo looks too short, seems if conditions were rough enough to capsize, I’d want a little space between me and the boat. That short leash looks like you’d end up practically on top of the boat taking a beating. A tow belt seems like a better system in that it would play out if you capsized, you’d have more distance to clear the boat to assess what happened, then take the necessary steps to get back in the boat. Granted then you’re dealing with a lot of line in the water (maybe take a moment to stow it before getting back in the boat) but at least you’re not getting knocked unconscious by your own boat.
Generally surfers use a leash that is the length of their craft, and they know a lot about getting thrashed in the surf zone. And they usually attach to the back of the board. That photo has the leash attached in the middle, if a large wave, or set of waves capsized you, that middle attachment point would end up acting like a parachute dragging you through the water.
Might actually be best to have a line that runs from the cockpit up to the bow, through a fitting there, and back to the cockpit, with a quick connect attachment to the boat, and then maybe attaching to the tow belt or some other quick connection to the paddler. Maybe make it with bungie though webbing so it stays tight against the boat, but if deployed will hold secure and provide a bit of give,
The longer it is, the more likely you’ll get entangled.
@qajaqman said:
The longer it is, the more likely you’ll get entangled.
Yeah maybe. But too short and you’re going to be maytaged right next to hundreds of pounds of water filled fiberglass (or plastic.) Probably a sweet spot that gives you a little distance, but keeps the entanglement issues to a minimum. Although surfers seldom seem to have entanglement issues with their leashes. Maybe material could come into play as well.
But I’m not doing any type of exposed solo paddling soon so this is all theoretical for me.
Never used a leash per se but I do carry about 50 ft of floating line on a spool in my day hatch. I’ve never had to use it but if I did have to do a crossing in weather / sea conditions in which I was concerned that my boat could somehow get away from me, my intention would be to attach it to boat and just let it drag behind me. If I got dumped AND managed to not hang onto boat AND the boat was taken by the wind before I could get to it, I would hopefully be able to make it to the line and reel the boat back in. Perhaps not as re-assuring as being tethered to boat from the get-go but I’m a bit apprehensive about having a line attached to me (practice attempts at rolling, and re-entering and rolling with a paddle leash have dissuaded me - I want all that stuff away from the cockpit).
Jetsam, we may need a leash in our yards. Or not, based on the paddling we’ve been doing.
Well Frank and I had planed to paddle Cape Romain and camp two nights on the beach this weekend. Great timing for a good chance to test a leash in some real windy conditions as things look now. We of course canceled as neither of us want to dance then die with Florence. We might be paddling in our yards after all!
You have probably noticed no one has provided a reference to an injury or fatality caused by a tether, even in surf. The entanglement issue just don’t seem to arise very much because you are linked to the kayak while inside and the leash or tether just flutters in the water. When you you come out of the boat , you really would have to work at getting the leash wrapped around your neck, sometimes it can pass under a leg, and the boat can pull against your leg or worse groin, but it just doesn’t seem to happen. you can make a belt that closes with velcro from nylon strapping . The attachemnt of the tether to the belt should also be some kind of quick release as shown in your photo or a carabiner . The attachment to the kayak should also be quick release. I like to use 8 ft stretch bungies that are coated with a nylon webbing casing. I can’t find where I bought mine right now but I posted something similar from amazon. You can also use a heavy duty 12’ SUP leash and add the quick releases and the velcro closing belt.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CZFTRT7/ref=sspa_dk_detail_0?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B07CZFTRT7&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=4a97ab2f-e708-423b-b8f7-1f785b9d294d&pf_rd_r=V3KJKJYQMDSSTK6CVEHE&pd_rd_wg=yOKOA&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&pd_rd_w=BUSMU&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pd_rd_r=bad771ee-b615-11e8-8970-db2842fa7303
Practically nobody uses a paddle or boat leash in surf because the risk is so obvious, that’s why there are no injuries or fatalities to report. The first time I ever capsized unexpectedly my paddle got temporarily tangled in my bow painter (which I don’t use anymore) and nearly prevented me from rolling. Thats a different animal but it made me very wary of anything ropey on my boat.
Here’s what John Lull says in Seakayaking Safety and Rescue: “When kayaking in strong wind you might consider using a paddle leash to assure that you don’t lose your paddle. A well designed padle leash will not interfere with paddling or rolling. (he then details a couple kinds). Paddle leashes are for use only in open water and should never be used in the surf zone where there is a serious risk of entanglement.”
He doesn’t mention boat leashes.