Attach it to yourself
It requires a shorter leash that won’t snag things on your deck and won’t entangle you in a wet exit. A paddle is also a useful swimming aid, so having it with you should you lose your boat can be very beneficial. Leashes designed for attaching to the paddler (generally to the wrist) should be made of bungee cord so they can be removed easily, if need be.
Both
Folks who attach to the boat like being able to drop their paddle and have their hands free, and like thinking that if they wet exit and hold on to the paddle they’ll still be connected to their boat. Folks who prefer wrist leashes don’t like the entanglement possibilities of the longer boat-connected leash.
My wife used to use a long boat-connected leash until she got wrapped in it after capsizing in surf.
My guess
If you have a roll, there’s little need to attach to the boat since you’re not coming out anyway. Besides, I can envision the leash getting in the way during a roll.
Still, for wet exiting during anything but surf, the risk of entrapment can’t be that big, can it?
But I’m only guessing here…
good idea, thanks
never thought of wrist to paddle, makes a whole lot more sense than paddle to boat, hard to strangle on 6-8inches of elastic,in reality and in my paddling of easy water the only i ever used the long paddle leash was to tie off the yak or to improvise a cockpit cover with…
Paddle leash to wrist
It sounds like this is the most common method. I would probably try a short length of shock cord with two bowline hitches in either end. Then girth hitch the small loop to the paddle and slip the larger loop over my wrist.
For SOTs
I use a leash for SOT surfing, The leash is attached to the boat. In a wipeout if you hang on to the paddle it keeps the boat from getting away from you. Board surfers like to see a paddle leash on an SOT so it doesn’t get loose in the surf.
I also use a leash off shore with an SOT. SOTs don’t take on water in a capsize and they can blow away from you quickly without a leash.
You would not want to be offshore and get stuck choosing between swimmming after the boat and swimming after the paddle…
The best paddle leash I have used…
I use this on my surfskis all the time. Very easy to use and stays out of the way.
http://www.rutabaga.com/product.asp?pid=1005287
Lendal - Paddle Leash