How many of you out there have either used spare paddle britches, or perhaps some 3M Clear Vinyl Paint Protecetion Tape (used for clear bras on cars) to protect the gelcoat against scratches from repeating install and removal of spare paddle shafts?
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I’d need that stuff all over my boat, otherwise it wouldn’t look like me - old and beat up.
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Some of you have pretty boats. Its good to pamper them. I just make sure the inside is dry.
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I use rotomolded plastic boats, so don’t worry about scratches to the boat. But I do worry about the mechanisms inside the spare paddles, so do use attachments that cover the ends of the paddles. Pretty much only using Werner paddles now, and their mechanisms don’t like grit inside them.
I have paddle britches and scabbards, but on my boat I actually use pieces of pipe (sink drain pipes, specifically). I like having half paddle each front and back (plus by having paddle over the hatches, it should help reduce the chance of the hatches popping off.
The pipe is the white thing you can see on the deck of my boat in this picture
Try Rvinyil cheap easy on easy off. Available clear or many reflective colors.
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I put paddle britches on my bow. It made the paddle too far forward. I couldn’t reach the halves from the cockpit.
My varnished wood/epoxy boats get scratched more on the bottom.
I have the exact paddle britches that you posted above on my EC kayak. Not so much concerned about scratches on a 21 year old boat, but it’s much easier to stow the paddle in them rather than trying to get them under the deck bungees. I keep mine on the stern deck since I have a sail on the bow. Once nice thing about this particular North Water set of britches is that they attach with velcro, so easy to move to another kayak.
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I put some kind of clear tape/sheeting on a couple of boats to protect the finish from sliding paddles in and out of deck bungees. It worked fine but I always felt that bungee was pretty fussy to get a paddle into.
I have owned both styles of Paddle Britches and prefer the old original style. Maybe for its lower profile when not in use? Paddles go in and out easily. The old style is designed to have your deck lines threaded through it which can be a problem but I get around that by attaching it with wire ties.
Peter-CA mentioned the plumbing solution (Flatpick’s Invention) and I used that for a decade or so. It is bomber. I used waste elbows purchased in pairs from the local home improvement stores. Cut to the preferred length and drill a hole for the bungee. Seems like they were $12/pair or something really cheap.
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I just use a couple heavy wool socks. If I need my spare paddle losing the socks is the least of my worries
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Time for some unsolicited canoe wisdom.
If I were a kayaker I’d just carry a storm paddle in my teeth but since I’m a canoer I like to suspend the paddle so it doesn’t touch the boat or just use a custom paddle sock.
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