My Old Town Dirigo 120 came with a bungee strap paddle system on the front right side of the boat (above)
I have heard that the taco style paddle clips are generally considered the best option. Is this true? It would seem to be a lot easier to use than the stock bungee cord as that requires two hands whereas the taco clip I can just snap in (I hope? Lol correct me if it is more complicated to use than this.)
My only concern is that the taco clip protrudes out a lot more than the existing bungee system which is practically flush. Tough call, what do you all use/suggest?
Do you see those bungees on the foredeck? You slip a paddle blade under one of them and then just let go of the paddle. You will not lose it. You just don’t need anything else.
Easy and simple.
Oh, and get that seat back down as low as it will possibly go. Having it up high like that interferes with torso rotation as you paddle.
@kfbrady said:
Do you see those bungees on the foredeck? You slip a paddle blade under one of them and then just let go of the paddle. You will not lose it. You just don’t need anything else.
Easy and simple.
Oh, and get that seat back down as low as it will possibly go. Having it up high like that interferes with torso rotation as you paddle.
I’ve tried just slipping it under the deck bungees, it does not stay at all, it falls out almost immediately.
If it doesn’t hold under just one, use two or more.
If they’re stupidly loose, put the paddle under the first one about half way. Twist it 180 degrees so that the bungee now goes all the way around the shaft (a.k.a. surf wrap). Stick the end facing the front of the boat under another bungee farther forward. Play with the length until you get something that works. That ain’t goin’ nowhere.
I agree that mounting anything to the hull on the side is foolish. Even my skeg knob is enough to occasionally catch my hand on very annoyingly (and sometimes painfully).
Taco style? I bought one pair but never installed them on the boat . They grace my work bench tool rack. That shot bungie on the right side is the paddle rack. It works one handed once you get coordinated. Lay paddle along bungie and strech bungie over paddle to the stud above with same hand. But not as good as one of the forward bungies.
I’m not sure what Taco style is, but if it’s those huge hard plastic semi circular things that I had on an old WS Pamlico 160T, then no, hell no. Attach nothing that will grab and tear flesh or clothing.
I have snagged my bathing suit leg several times on the paddle keeper hooks on my Tarpon.
It really slows down a dismount when you have a boat attached to you.
My Necky SOT has taco paddle holders, and my Eddyline SOT has the bungee kind. I much prefer the bungie kind. The taco style are simple to use. You just push the paddle down into the taco clip. However, the paddle can easily be knocked out of the clip, and not all paddles fit well in the clip. I thought the bungee would be difficult to use one-handed, but a couple tries and it’s second nature now. The paddle stays secure, and lays flat against the kayak. The button hook for the bungee on my kayak is not in the way of getting in or out of the my kayak. It’s much lower profile that the taco clip which is large and sits on top of the kayak. Both will work, but for me the bungee is best.
My wifes Manatou had the “taco” style holders from the previous owner. They worked with her straight shafted cheap paddle. Once she got a paddle that the shaft was oval for indexing it did not work as well, with her bent shaft paddles they became even less user friendly. When they caught her pfd during some wet re-entry, that was the third strike, and they were removed. Our entire household now just slides them under the deck bungees.
Another strike against them is that when it gets cold they are prone to break instead of bend.
Not a Sit-on-top, but I just put a loose single line of bungie with a couple of pad-eyes across the deck at bow of my boat and slip the paddle under it.
