Re: [Paddlewise] Paddle leashes

----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Treby" <ptreby_at_ozemail.com.au>
To: <PaddleWise_at_paddlewise.net>
Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2002 5:15 AM
Subject: [Paddlewise] Paddle leashes
snip
> Easy to answer hang
> on to your paddle at all times, but surf power can deal with that. Does
> anyone have any examples of problems caused by losing a paddle in surf?
snip

I spend a fair amount of time in the surf zone and would never consider
using a paddle tethered to my boat. The key for me is how I hold my paddle
in surf. When I feel wave power beginning to pull at my paddle blade, I
immediately release the paddle with my outboard hand, which quickly alters
the blade orientation and takes away the blade surface that the wave was
pushing against. The key is to hang on to the paddle at all times with my
inboard hand, which is anchored to my torso. There have been times when I
didn't release quickly enough; I felt like my arms were being torn from
their sockets as the paddle was ripped up and over my head into an extreme
high brace, which can  quickly lead to shoulder dislocation and paddle loss.
Fortunately, I released with the outboard hand before any lasting damage was
done.

Craig


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