DIY Paddle Leash / Paddle Park

by Mike Buckley - 2005

The subject of the pros and cons of paddle leashes came up on the Commuity Forum here - a quick search on the web revealed prices ranging from £8 through to an unbelievable £20!

A quick rummage in the garage found the following:

  1. Length of scrap nylon cord - salvaged from a map case.
  2. Plastic hook - found at the road-side one day.
  3. Small bead - salvaged from an old fleece jacket draw cord.
  4. Spring-loaded slider - salvaged from the same jacket.

    If you are less squirrel-like than I am, and need to (horror) buy the bits,they can be bought in most decent outdoor shops - certainly Needlesports do them. The bead might be harder to source. No doubt you could improvise something. Slider & hook should be less than £3?

 

10 mins and £nil later I had this:

Hook to attach to deck-lines (optional - it could be looped or tied - the other method is to use a plastic ball about the size of a large marble to trap the end under the line). The slider creates a loop through which the paddle is slipped, then tightened round the shaft so it doesn't flop around irritatingly. The small bead just stops the loop coming thro the slider if the loop is tightened without the paddle.

Cord is long enough to allow me to paddle (and to roll, if necessary) but not so long it gets in the way. When not in use, the leash lives in the deck-bag or is just laid across the deck and tucked under the deck-line on the opposite side.

 

Detail of the slider, loop and bead. Figure-of-Eight used as the stopper knot.

 

Detail of the hook - cord is attached with a half Blood Knot, for anyone pedantic enough to need to know!

 

Detail of the loop (slack) on the paddle.

 

On the other hand, if you really have to have a shiny, nicely packaged and commercially made paddle leash, Knoydart and SPS (the other "usual suspects" will have them too) have Northwater offerings from £8'ish for a length of bungee, with a hook at one end and velcro to attach it to the paddle - to £20 for the same thing but with a stretchy wire coil - oh, and "swivels on both ends eliminate twisting" . Hmm - mine doesn't have swivels! Must work on that.

In the final analysis, if you think a leash is a good idea, a length of scrap cord tied to the boat and the paddle would do the job just as well - - - -

If you want to use it as a Paddle Park, you either open the loop and slip the paddle(s) into it or just secure the looped end round the deck lines using either a simple hitch like a Round Turn and Half Hitches or a Larks-head and then use the hooked end to wrap round the paddle(s), securing with the hook.

 

© Mike Buckley - 2005

Note: You're welcome to use my design for your own personal use. If you want to copy it to make money, perhaps you'd be kind enough to ask first.