Kayak Paddle Keepers
Paddle keepers secure your paddle to your kayak, out of your way, leaving both your hands free to fish.
If your kayak didn't come with a paddle keeper installed, no problem, you can put one on yourself. Doing so is an easy operation, requiring just a few inexpensive components and ten minutes of your time. You'll need to drill up to three holes in your boat, but you may be able to get by with just one if your kayak has side handles (see below.)
A typical 3-point paddle keeper system consists of a short (5" to 8") length of black bungee shock chord, two terminal ends, and a keeper clip. The terminal ends are attached to the bungee chord and screwed in on the outside near the gunwale (you'll want to play with the placement to get it right for your particular kayak.) The keeper clip is screwed on the inside gunwale, right next to your seat. The bungee can then be stretched over the handle of your paddle and hooked into the keeper on the other side, securing your paddle along the gunwale while you fish. Components are available at kayak shops, outdoor sporting goods stores (like REI), and hardware stores.
Your basic paddle keeper...
The shock chord is screwed in on the outside near the gunwale. The keeper hook is attached on the other side. |
This cross section shows the paddle handle resting along the top of the gunwale. |
The chord is looped over the paddle handle and around the hook. That's it. |
If your boat has a carry handle on the side, you should be able to clip the bungee ends to the strap instead of screwing them down. Instead of using terminal ends on the bungee, attach two clips. Now you may either clip them to the strap or loop the bungee around the handle and into the clips (Note: You could also just tie the ends to the strap if you don't want to use clips.) With this method you'll only have to drill one hole for the keeper hook on the other side of the gunwale.
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For sit-inside kayaks: you can still mount a 3-point paddle keeper along the side next to the cockpit. Here's a photo example.
Play around a bit and figure out what will work best for your boat. Whatever way you choose to rig your paddle keeper, be sure to experiment a bit before getting the drill out.
Questions? Discuss rigging in the Colorado Kayak Fishing Forum! |
