Roger that
I was practicing rolls in the Chesapeake Bay one grey September day, not too far offshore, but in water over my head. There was a breeze, but the water was practically slack because the wind was from the landward side, and there was no fetch to speak of. I had to wet exit. A gust caught the kayak and it took off as if it were on ice, headed out to the Atlantic. It surprised the heck out of me how fast it happened. Part of the problem I think was that there were no waves to slow it down. Good thing I had a paddle leash, or cockneykayaker would be paddling the boat now.
Rule #1 in a capsize
Hold onto your boat and paddle!
It seems to me that this most basic of skills is being lost in all of this talk about leashes. The bottom line is that you should never need to rely on a leash to maintain contact with your boat.
Good insurance for me,
old, fat, slow and unccordinated.
Some times it’s nice to be able …
… to put the paddle down and not have a hand on it. For me, when I launch, I like to put the paddle down beside the boat and use both hands to fit the skirt.
I don’t have one now, but was thinking about one of those wrap up ones so it’s not in the way when you don’t want it, but handy for those times you do.
Sure
That’s a good use for one, but you can accomplish the same thing with proper deck rigging, which is also useful in other situations.
Phone leash
"“phone cord leashes” actually work better for surfing" We teach our paddlers never to use a leash in surf, it’s just too dangerous.
“If you frequently paddle alone or in small groups in rough conditions and don’t have a spare on your deck, it’s a good idea to tether it to you or the boat.”
If you paddle in those situations you should always carry a spare paddle.
Proper paddle management without a leash is just so much simpler.
kayak leash
Larry Willis, who used to run Southern Exposure Kayaks and imported P&H and other British kayaks into the US, o made and sold the same type of paddle leash Bryan shows, except he used hog nose rings join the bungee cord together. Since Larry knew Derek and often brought him to his show for training session, I imagine he got the idea from Derek. I think Larrys leashes were longer than 20 inches, if I still have one around somewhere from 20 years ago I can measure it.
Best paddle leash?
Check out http://www.settlesbridgesupplyhouse.com for a nice selection of paddle leashes. There are some made of bungee cords and heavy duty tubular nylon. Check out the “green” leashes made from reclaimed cellular phone chargers. http://www.settlesbridgesupplyhouse.com/green_products