Inexpensive, Easy Diy Paddle Leash I Made

[ROCbass]

Disclaimer: I'm brand new to kayak fishing. I actually haven't even taken my kayak out yet since getting it, so as far as advice this is worth what you paid for it, and possibly even less.

 

Now that that's out of the way, after getting my kayak I decided to look into getting a paddle leash, and I was surprised at how expensive the commercially available ones are so I decided to make my own. here's how I did it:

 

materials and tools: paracord, sharp knife or scissors, lighter

 

1) determine how long you want your paddle leash to be. It would probably be a good idea to look at your kayak and figure out where you'll be attaching it before doing this. I, on the other hand, just flew by the seat of my pants and guesstimated.

 

2) cut one piece of paracord a little longer than twice as long as you want your leash to be. Cut a second piece half as long as the first. melt your ends with the lighter to keep them from fraying.

 

3) double over the longer piece so it forms a bight in the middle.

 

4) tie the shorter piece to the longer piece a few inches from the bight by tying a uni knot around both strands of the longer piece so that your tag points to the bight and the rest of your shorter piece hangs the same way as the two strands of the doubled over piece. You should now have three strands of about the same length hanging the same way.

 

5) You should now have three strands of about the same length hanging the same way. Braid these together. If you don't know how, ask your wife, girlfriend, or daughter for help 

 

6) end your braid when you still have about  a foot or a little less left on each strand. Use one of the strands to tie a uni knot around all three strands. This will keep your braid from unraveling.

 

7) with the other two strands, tie a uni to uni connection to form a loop.

 

8) You're done. attach one loop to your kayak and the other to your paddle using whatever method you prefer. I was thinking about trying a carabiner on the kayak and tying a girth hitch around the paddle.

[MikeinFresno]

another method for leashes is to re-use coiled cell phone charge cords and the like. Get a couple of clips of some sort and a crush clamp and you are set

[J Francho]

Using a strong material like para cord is a good idea. I often use the paddle as a quick mud anchor, when it's on the leash.

[Koofy Smacker]

Another even cheaper option is to use the highest test mono you can get (around 150lb) a dow rod, and a bucket of hot water. Wrap the mono around the dow so all the wraps are touching each other for as long as you want the leash to be, tape it on the ends and put it in the bucket. After 10 minutes take it out and voila perfect coil and you can put whatever you want on the ends.

[MikeinFresno]

nice, make your own coils

[ROCbass]

Using a strong material like para cord is a good idea. I often use the paddle as a quick mud anchor, when it's on the leash.

Good Idea about using it as a mud anchor, I hadn't thought of that. One reason I did decide to go with paracord though was for its strength, just in case I ever got in a situation where I was stranded and needing a short length of good strong rope. For this reason I also kept the tags on my knots long even though the leash would look neater and more finished with them trimmed close, so it would be easier to untie if needed. I thought of weaving it survival bracelet style, but that would've used a lot more paracord, and I wasn't sure if it would make the leash too stiff.

[J Francho]

I have to say, and it's just a personal opinion from a klutz. Coiled anything in my boat is a recipe for a mess and things going over board, lol.