-- Last Updated: May-14-07 8:17 AM EST --
I think at some time I will do the Tugeyes, but for the moment will take the advice of tying off on the end thwarts. What is a safe and sensible way to keep the rope together on the bow/stern?
It depends what you need them for
– Last Updated: May-14-07 1:05 AM EST –
If you will be lining your boat through rapids, etc., a loop of rope threaded right through the bow and stern, as close to the waterline as practical, works best. Others here can tell you some good ways to do that.
If you just need a convenient way to walk the boat through shallows, tie it to a tree or dock, or tie the ends down when it's on your roof rack, keep it simple and just tie ropes to the end thwarts. This is actually a much better way for tying the boat down on your car roof, because if you use two ropes, one angling off to the right and another angling off to the left, there will be NO slop (ability of the boat to slide right and left a little bit) at the attachment point like there will be if you attach those same two ropes to a loop installed through the hull (one of my canoes has a painter loop at each end, but I don't use them for tie-down purposes for that very reason).
painters
I think I might go for tugeyes later, but for right now will just tie off on end thwarts. What is a safe and sensible way to keep lines in place?
Painters
or bowlines look great when back-spliced. Some folks use shrink tubing over the splice. Just be sure to back up the eyepad with a piece of plastic or whatever so the fastners can’t pullout. I once bought a wooden rowboat that had a screw-eye for the bowline. When I got it home (by water) and started pulling it up my boat slip ramp, the screw-eye pulled out and away went my boat into the cold fast moving water of the Tacoma Narrows ! I ran down the beach stripping off boots, jacket and shirt as I ran. After passing the boat I swam out to meet it, climbed in and started the 2 hour hard struggle rowing back home against a hard outgoing tidal flow. It took me two days to warm back up but At least I saved my new old boat !
shock cord
I put a couple of loops of shock cord through the deck plates, and tuck the coiled painter underneath.
The painter
on my fishing barge (cobra Maurader) is a multi- tasker. My tupperware trawler is bristling with cleats, so I have my painter tied back with a little slack. I lay my paddle alongside and loop the painter up and over the paddle to a cleat. I keep it this way while trolling (electric radio controled motor) and at anchor while jigging.