[Paddlewise] Paddle Leash

I tried out Ralph's "jetski kill switch" paddle tether Sunday on a 20+ mile
paddle from Anacortes to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. I worked well and
it didn't have any of the downsides that the heavier telephone style leashes
I had seen before did. Mainly, it wasn't heavy, it didn't clack on the deck,
and it didn't tangle. I tugged pretty hard on the plastic hook end and it
didn't break. I was a little concerned as to how well the shaft on my
ultralightweight graphite paddle would fair if I yanked real hard and fast
with both hands on my paddle so I refrained from trying that just yet. I'll
try it on a blue pole-vaulting company glass paddle shaft to see if the loop
will hold together (once I find one with a big enough loop to fit over that
shaft--of course the alternative is to just tie it on to the shaft with some
nylon parachute cord wrapped several times around the shaft--this might
protect the shaft and let one use kill switch cords with "too small"
loops)..
Right now the Jet Ski kill switch strap looks to be the equal of my present
3/16" shock cord and shock cord clip leash in every way except price. $6.99
vs. $1.69 (in materials and tying a couple of knots).

Matt Broze
http://www.marinerkayaks.com


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