Eye bolt
Of course you could always install a stainless steel eyebolt with backing plate. Works on rowboats, sailboats and powerboats.
1 Like
Tug-Eye No Problemo
I’m not all that handy, and I have installed tug-eyes on my RX Penobscott and RX Wildfire no Problemo. The instructions, lack of hassle and technical support make it worth the $20 IMHO. Makes me feel secure for the tie down on the highway, and the tie down on the water - at the campsite. If I ever need to line the canoes, or pull themn off a rock or something, I can.
electrical junction box fittings
I used tugeyes and had no problem with them But I wanted something less expensive. Go to Lowes or Home Depot and look in the electrical dept. They have PVC electrical conduit and junction box fittings. There is one that is identical to a tugeye there for around .30 cents! Buy 4.
Go over to the plumbing department and find some clear plastic tubing that fits inside the PVC fitting.
Drill your canoe (down near the waterline, not up near the decks!) put some epoxy glue on the flange of the fittings and insert. Let cure.
Cut the plastic tubing to fit and insert and you have an almost identical set up as a Tugeye for less than 4 bucks!
BTW I have used Cliffs PVC pipe set up. They look ameteurish and have a tendency to let go. NOT RECOMMENDED.
Lining holes/tubes
A bunch of good ideas above – there are many ways to skin this cat. …And yes, this has been discussed before. Do a search at this forum for “tugeyes”. A few threads should come up.
You can line the painter holes with a commercial product (Tugeyes) or you can be a bit more creative (and do it on the cheap) with a “do-it-yourself” approach by lining the holes with some hardware items you locate yourself (some plastic electric conduit and connectors work well). The Tugeye product is a good one (or so people say) and the price is not out of line – it certainly looks easy to install and looks nice and neat when the job is done. The DYI approach will suit you if you can “think on your feet” a bit at the hardware store and want to save a few bucks. Another way to do it is the Jacobson technique as Osprey mentioned. With this method you basically drill holes through the hull and epoxy in plastic water pipes as tubes. This is the least expensive way, but does require some somewhat fussy fitting of the plastics tubes to get them flush with the outside of your hull. This is also the crudest way to do this job (of the three), but what the heck, these are just lining tubes – no big deal. Pick an approach and go for it.
Whichever way you go the painter tubes should be placed about 2 or 3 inches above the waterline. The process is very straightforward and goes quickly, but it does take a touch of courage to dill holes in a new hull if you’ve never done it before. Just remember to breathe deep, set your tongue “just so” (hanging out the corner of your mouth) and of course use the restroom BEFORE you drill that first hole! ;^)
The “freak-out” you may experience when you first drill through your hull will quickly be replaced with a sense of satisfaction for small a job well done. I’ve installed lining tubes in 4 of the Royalex canoes in our little family fleet so far and it gets easier each time. After you’ve done it once it no longer gives you cause for concern. Lining holes are a small useful improvement that’s very easy to do and well worth doing.
BTW: It really is not all that important that these lining tubes are absolutely waterproof. Think about it… You’re putting holes through an OPEN TOP canoe… and well above the water line at that… A couple of drops of water coming through the lining tubes on occasion is very small change compared to the water you’re bound to ship in over the rails from time to time as you plunge through the foam. You’ll also drip more water in your boat from your paddle then you’ll ever take in through lining holes – even if they’re fairly sloppy.
painters
Unless you’re planning on doing a lot of lining, there’s really no need to install a grabloop and painter close to the waterline.
If you install it higher up on the hull, you don’t need to worry about it being water tight, and the grab loop can be used as a handle when you’re transporting the canoe. Higher up on the hull, the grabloop is also more conveniently located to pull your boat to shore if you flip (and the boat is upside down), and it provides a good place to tiedown to your car. With the grab loop higher up, and less line hanging around, it’s also less likely to snag on something while your paddling.
Just drill a couple of holes an inch or two below the deckplate, and an inch or two back from the stem. Thread a line through about the same diameter as the holes. Climbing rope, 6-8 mm, works nicely.
On the outside of the canoe, tie the two ends together using a double or triple fishermans knot; this makes a nice neat “handle” in the grab loop. Make the loop large enough so that it will swing up over the deckplate, with enough room to grab it comfortably.
Attach your painter to the grab loop using a bowline or figure 8 knot, and secure the painter to the deckplate with a bungee cord.
On my whitewater boats, I also add a couple of overhand knots in the grab loop, one on each side next to the outer hull, to keep the loop from pulling back into the boat. That way you can use the piece of the grab loop inside the boat as a tiedown point for float bags.
Similar
I did the same thing, except with the knot on the inside and heavy vinyl tubing over the line loop on the outside. That seems to be the preferred setup on the whitewater canoes I’ve seen locally. The painter is tied to the grab loop and stuffed under a bungee on the deck plate.
Thanks for the advice
From what everyone is saying,it sounds like I’ll have to get up the courage and drill the holes. I think I’ll go with the “Tugeye” they look about the best. Thanks again!
Please add…
…your feedback to those above when you’re done. I’m still waffling.
Certainly follow Tug Eyes instructions
But here are a couple of tips that worked for me:
make a template for dilling the holes
spend a lot of time measuring and aligning to get both sides the same
drill a tiny pilot hole. then a hole you know is too small (but close). Go up incrementally until the tug eye fits
test fit before gluing in
masking tape arround the hole before gluing/installing
roll the canoe onto its side to install. Wait for that side to cure before rolling it over to do the other side
carabiners work
I have no trouble drilling holes near the gunwales of my canoes but then, I own Coleman boats and they are very forgiving.
But I also own kayaks and what I do is collect a decent length (20’ or so) of poly rope (it floats) and tie a clip carabiner to both ends.
Then when I paddle ,I grab a painter from my box, clip one carabiner to the carry handle and toss the rest of the painter (bundled with a rubber band) into the boat. When I need it, I wrap the painter around something like a tree or rock and clip the other carabiner to the roap.
I’ve never had any problem with this idea.
Also I like to carry a second painter at the stern and a third cliped to a thwart amidships so I can tie off next to a warf or beach and just climb out and not have to walk to the bow to exit.
Skip hole-drilling, How about a bridle?
I have a Royalex Vagabond, and my plan for lining or tracking the boat through rapids (if I ever face that situation) is to use Bill Mason’s method, which he calls a bridle. This boat has a short thwart right near each end which would be a perfect place for a bridle attachment. It seems to me that Bill Mason’s method might be better since the pull is directly from the keel, so the boat can’t possibly get too strong a grip on the current or develop any tendency to roll when it gets sideways to the river flow (the harder the pull, the higher you lift the upstream side of the boat). Has anyone found an advantage using a loop right at the tip of each stem? “Convenience” doesn’t really count for me, because I’m pretty good at knots and rope-handling, and I have a method that takes just 5 seconds per line to rig up (have one side of the bridle attached and ready, with the proper length on that side of the Y-joint. When needed, you swing the bridle under the boat and tie-off the other side tightly, and you’re done!).
By the way, I also use those near-the-end thwarts for tie-down attachements for transport on the car roof.
Drill it up!
I agree with the post that said “be brave.” You won’t do any harm to the hull by drilling holes for your ropes.
My new Outrage (ww solo) has a set up I like:
Single holes drilled dead centre (i.e., “keel line”)at the each ends where lines are attached and simply held in place using stopper knots (figure 8s). AND the 2-hole system where a grab loop installed.
Ropes aren’t just for lining: if I take a swim in whitewater, it’s easier to find/hold the boat by a grab loop than a rope, and it prevents having the painter dragging around the water with me (they’re bungeed to the deck plate - meaning drilling more holes!)
Good luck. Pat.
Yes to what flatpick says…
I drilled mine last season and used 11mm climbing rope I got from REI for about $6 (3 feet), tied knotes in the ends, works perfect…
Amen! NM
Bill Mason…
…is an inspirations to be sure, but some of his ideas might be considered a bit outdated today – no disrespect intended. It takes only about 30 minutes or so to drill a hull and install ling tubes. With the holes properly placed just a few inches above cutwater lining and tracking a canoe is a snap – just grab your rope and go – no messin’ around. Mason’s bridle would need to be tied and untied every time you needed it. In a stream with alternating rapids/rocks and pools tying and untying a bridles would be a major PIA factor in my opinion, even if you’re quick with knots. The reason Mr. Mason used a bridle was that he primarily paddled w/c canoes and his bridle system was appropriate for his preferred hull material. With today’s molded hulls my bet would be he’d drill his boat – he was after all a progressive type.
My 2 cents… on sale today only for one shiny penny! Randall
I agree with that
– Last Updated: Feb-21-04 3:54 PM EST –
That makes good sense, and I may drill the ends of my boat someday. In fact, I may drill below the gunwales to provide tie-down points for bow and stern bags. But what about the idea that in really strong current, you might be better off pulling the boat by an attachment point on the bottom of the boat? I know when towing an empty canoe behind a power boat, the only way to make it ride true and not take off sharply to one side and promptly flip, is to use a bridle. Wouldn't the same principle apply when lining in strong current?
BTW, I rather doubt I'll be taking my Vagabond in the kind of water where I'll have to worry about that. It's just a general question.
Eric
Hhmmmm…. The difference between towing with another boat and lining/tracking by hand is largely one of “angle”, which is to say another boat is low to the water while the person pulling on the line while lining/tracking is well above water level. To further increase the angle in order to keep the bow up (and avoid digging in) the lining tubes are placed just a few inches above the waterline. I could see a slight advantage to Mr. Mason’s bridle over the aforementioned lining tubes when a LOT of line is played out – the more line the less the angle. Knowing the bridle technique as a back-up certainly makes sense.
FWIW, for the most part the times I’ve lined/tracked a canoe were through sections of very thin water rather than through rapids, though I’ve done the later as well. I paddle small creeks a lot and frequently need to get out and pull the boat through so as not to needlessly ding up my hulls. On a run down (or up) a thin creek I might get out and line 10 or 15 times in a day. I’ve found the lining holes are a real bonus. Randall
Done
Just finished installing lining hole set ups as per Cliff Jacobson’s instructions. I did use a Forster drill bit and drill the hole the exact 1/2 " od of the cpvc pipe. Only very minor rat tail file work was needed. They actually look pretty neat, certainly as good or better than the fit and finish on the rest of the canoe. I’ll paint 'em when the weather dries out in a couple of days.
We’ll see how these hold up. I might try the tug eyes and JJoven’s method also on future jobs.
My Wenonah has flotation compartments bow/stern so tug-eyes would ntot be possible
If you are not dealing with very fast current, painters and longer lines for lining can be secured to breast hooks and carry handles. The traditional way is to make a bridle out of line that pulls from the water line.
It takes a leap of faith to drill a hole in a newer canoe and fill the hole with PVC and epoxy. I have never done it.