My leash likes to hug my paddle

[red_tx]

Goofy footed, Drop in( a left) bottom turn and wam, my paddle is wrapped up in my leash. I then have limited paddle movement until I slide the paddle up and remove it from the leash. Not the end of the world but its annoying..

PS: have tried my leash on both legs. In this case it is on my left (back foot).

Any tips from the pros?

thanks
-red

[kayadogg]

I'm no pro but I'd say use a shorter leash. How long is your leash and how long is your board?  My board is 7'11 and my leash is 6'. Never gets tangled.

[red_tx]

Wow.. that seems like a short leash, but what do I know??

My board is 8'3 and the leash is 10.5..

I will get a shorter leash and report back to this thread for anyone else with this issue.

Thanks
-red

[Bulky]

+1 on the shorter leash.  No reason I can think of to have a leash that's longer than your board.  Unless you're walking out to the nose alot, 2ft shorter than your board length is fine.  Most of us stand in the middle of our boards--which in your case is about 4ft away from the leash plug--so there's 6 extra feet of slack.  When you're riding a wave you're stepping back close to the plug to where just about the whole leash is slack.

Aside from getting tangled less a shorter leash might score you some etiquette and safety points as right now someone 20ft away from you is still in the danger zone if you fall.  While I try to grab my board when I bail, I hate that feeling of the board running to the end of the leash in the midst of a wipeout when I know someone's close by.

[red_tx]

Thanks for the feedback. Bulky, agreed on your safety points comment.. I sometimes feel like my board is miles away..

Dumb question.. I have been using SUP leashes... Can I use regular prone surf leashes on my SUP?  I have been under the impression that they are thinner and more likely to snap.

What thinks you?

[kayadogg]

Thanks for the feedback. Bulky, agreed on your safety points comment.. I sometimes feel like my board is miles away..

Dumb question.. I have been using SUP leashes... Can I use regular prone surf leashes on my SUP?  I have been under the impression that they are thinner and more likely to snap.

What thinks you?

I use a regular surf leash for most conditions. A lot depends on the size of your board. My 7'11 weighs about 12lbs so it doesn't pull much. I do have a big wave leash that I use when it gets overhead but its more just for my own peace of mind knowing I have a little more there in case I need it. You do need to be mindful of a shorter leash. I learned the hard way and got 10 stitches in my forehead. Now I always try to cover my head and face during a fall or when I'm coming back up from underwater. Also need to be careful when kicking your board over whitewater and other situations like that where a shorter leash can be a little more dangerous at times.

[vertseven]

One huge mistake that I made a week ago was to take the wrong leash with me. I was riding an 8'6" with a 12' leash. Normally it wouldn't be an issue, but I was surfing at a pier and as I stepped off the board, I pulled the leash to retrieve the board. But it kept going when it should have bounced back. Now I have a nice barnacle encrusted ding from a pylon. Short leashes are much better. :-(

I've had the leash tangle happen a few times. Even with a short leash. It's happened mostly when I make a very sharp bottom turn and then put the paddle down for a quick snap. It seems that a loop is created by the leash from the tail to my leg and I place the blade inside the loop. In this case it's worked out well when I swing the paddle all the way around (behind the tail) and pull in a backward motion. This also helps drive the board around.

[Bulky]

Dumb question.. I have been using SUP leashes... Can I use regular prone surf leashes on my SUP?  I have been under the impression that they are thinner and more likely to snap.

What thinks you?

I use only SUP leashes, cuz that's what I own.  If conditions were mild, I don't think a surf leash would be a problem, but even though my board doesn't weigh much, in big conditions, I'd rather not take a chance.  Plus, I don't think there'd be noticeable gains between a SUP leash and a surf leash.  I know there's people out there who talk about how they can't stand leashes, but I don't even know it's there.

[Badger]

.

I use an 8 foot sup leash from Dakine.

[supthecreek]

red_tx.... do you, by any chance use a coil leash? That would be easier to get wrapped up in your paddle.

Yeah.... I always use a leash that is 1' shorter than my board, because the leash string + railsaver make up the other foot for hanging 10 

I use a surf leash on my small SUB in 5' and under..... I like less drag I get from it, in small waves

[red_tx]

Sup, no I tried a coil once in the surf and found myself hog tied at the ankles with only swift merman kicks and one hand to bring me to the surface.

So how many folks are rocking regular surf leashes? I might be into that if it held up in mild conditions with a light small board.

-red

[IRideYellow]

I use a coil leash and found that every time I try to use a regular leash  it takes forever to recover my board.  I do agree with other commenters that it can wrap around you.  However for quick recovery and presenting less of a target for proners trying to grab my leash it is the way to go. 

[Wetstuff]

Red, Is your leash plug in the center or offset?   I find the my leash gets caught under the fins of my new Sunova Skate.



I knee leash the right leg and re-board (frequently!) from the port side ..which brings the damn leash under the board 60% of the time. As I'm am totally untrainable, boarding starboard is not in the cards. (be like the driver's door with the right hand..)  I'm planning on adding a small float to the center of the leash to keep it on the surface.  Something similar may help you ..mmmm?   

Jim

[eastbound]

you liking that skate? looks like a very nice board on the sunova site

[Sup-position]

I use a Waist Leash..minimizes paddle entanglement..