New Tail Handle

[JayInSoCal]

This has been working for me in 3-4ft surf. It's a standard surftech handle, I replaced the rope with small bundgy cord, this way the board is pulled away from my hand when a wave hits. Worked great so far.


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[jumpfrom13k]

Has anyone thought of using big Monkey Fist knot as a handle? I think that's gonna happen with mine

[PonoBill]

I used a strap with a knot which stated an online feud with Sam Pae, until it trapped my fingers, ripped the muscles in three of them and nearly took them off. My right hand still looks funny. That ended the feud decisively (Sam 1, Pono 0), converted me to handles.

[eastbound]

pono, can you share more detail on body positioning?

i tend to be vertical in the water or standing, even, in frt of the board, between the oncoming wave ant the board. and i do push down, but i get futched up with the paddle sometimes etc--as you know things can be happening quickly so which hand is on paddle vs handle etc can make a difference, as can how one holds the paddle.

your descrition of a one-handed pushup makes me think you are lying horizontal on the water, maybe even on top of the board facing away from shore, with the board facing backwards??

ill certtianly be getting worked hard by gonzalo tomorrow, probably regardless of technique! damned wind is on it by me right now--big angry slop!

[stoneaxe]

OK....I had to put one on my 9'er. Only board I don't have a handle on and I broke my finger two weeks ago grabbing the leash.

Here's my home made version.
Two glue on plugs, paracord, 5" of 1/2" ABS pipe, pool noodle, duct tape.

I doubled up on the paracord and the knots got the last bit of super glue then I slid them into the tube. The noodle was a thick one so I split it open and took out a quadrant then shaved out the inside. Cut the noodle an inch or so longer than the pipe. Gorilla duct tape......stuff does not come undone.....tightly to make a solid but soft grip.

[stoneaxe]

Eastbound...here's what I do. Pretty much the same as Pono I think. I find that if you try to do it the same every time you get better at it and can do it all in almost one motion. I go for the tail no matter where I am. If I see one coming I'm not going to make or I'm already in the water. Get your body vertical in the water with your back facing the wave, grab the tail and push it down to spin the nose toward the beach. One hand grabs the handle and I throw the forearm of the other over the back of the tail with a death grip on the paddle. Just as the wave hits I push down with both the handle and my forearm. The wave pushes the board down and back and it all rolls over you like its nothing.

[LBH20]

Awesome thread! After more than a few lengthy leash rides, I'm going for the Surfco EZ contour handle. It seems like a solid choice. Just my .02

[linter]

Eastbound...here's what I do. Pretty much the same as Pono I think. I find that if you try to do it the same every time you get better at it and can do it all in almost one motion. I go for the tail no matter where I am. If I see one coming I'm not going to make or I'm already in the water. Get your body vertical in the water with your back facing the wave, grab the tail and push it down to spin the nose toward the beach. One hand grabs the handle and I throw the forearm of the other over the back of the tail with a death grip on the paddle. Just as the wave hits I push down with both the handle and my forearm. The wave pushes the board down and back and it all rolls over you like its nothing.

   i've seen the old sam vid, but, boy, i'd really like to see  vid of you or bill in action doing this.
   and i wonder when bill is going to post about the new handle version he's been testing.  bill?

[PonoBill]

Most times that I"m really using it I'm just grabbing it any old way because in a second I"m going to get pounded. It's best if the nose is pointed at the beach but a little misalignment will be corrected very quickly. Best is to push down but I've probably managed that one percent of the time. Just hang onto your paddle and enjoy the ride.

I'll try to do a MePro this winter in Maui, I'm sure there well be lots of opportunity. I get pasted regularly.

As far as the foam handle goes, I tore my new handle design off the board in a meaty wave on the BOP trip. Back to the drawing board. It works great, and it's much safer, now I need to make it durable.

[eastbound]

thxe, axe--you describe it more or less the way ive been doing it, and it works well, tho i sometimes end up with the paddle in a less-than-good position.

hear you pono--if one can hold position during workage, one is in much better shape once wave passes--hopefully buying time to get the f outta the work zone.

i can see with some time/practice, thisll make time in the work zone shorter/esasier

[southwesterly]

 Testing will continue despite minor setbacks.

[covesurfer]

This is a picture of my tail handle that I loved, at first, but now have decided to modify.

It is a couple of stick on NSI (I think) leash plugs with a Da Kine Raptor strap. The handle is nice and wide, easy to grip lightly or harder, and springy. The springy part is the problem.

I've had the unfortunate pleasure of using this handle when caught on the inside of some big (but mercifully) mushy set waves on at least 3 or 4 occasions.  In head high or smaller, the handle generally works fine. But in larger surf, the elasticity allows the board to travel and the handle just stretches.

Even is mushy waves, if it's big, the whitewash is incredibly powerful and it will just grab the board. The Raptor strap will stretch enough that your hand ends up far enough behind the tail that it will get pinched when the board springs back. I've tried doing the pushup move, but still, when the handle stretches under load and then returns, you will have your fingers trapped between the strap and that nice swallow tail.

In some cases, the board will flip over and the strap, when under heavy load, can twist, potentially ruining your fingers. I know, I know, that's why you have two hands but still, it's really nice to have that auxiliary, functioning hand!

Now that I've had a chance to really demo this, I'm less gung ho than I originally was due to the injury risks. But, I'm thinking maybe a nice soft grip area but without the elasticity of the Raptor strap might work. I am pretty cautious about not hanging on too tightly and have been fortunate so far. I really like the idea of having a chance at controlling the board when you are seriously caught. Stoney's design is looking good to me. Nice and soft, easy to grab without wrapping your fingers all the way around and it's not going to spring away and then trap your fingers or hand.

[The Kernel]

In my view, anything elastic that allows a tail handle to stretch is bad news.  It's been documented on this forum enough times.  PonoBill is on the right track with his foam block, but a glu-on or plug inserts with non stretching/non binding handle works well also.

It's painful to read postings "discovering" a "new" method when that setup is just one of the bad ideas that are already well documented on this forum. 

Please search and read the history on this issue before losing fingers or getting a broken wrist from the newest bad idea.

[stoneaxe]

I have to redo the handle on my Element...not elastic but the cord is a little too long. It's also a swallow tail and fingers can get in there. It wasn't big today...chest high at best so not a true test but I like how this handle feels, fingers do not get trapped and it's soft enough to get a good grip.

How come you haven't talked someone into doing the tail handle Bill? I thought you had it solved long ago.

[The Kernel]

How come you haven't talked someone into doing the tail handle Bill? I thought you had it solved long ago.

Good question for the esteemed PonoBill.  Bill showed me his board when we were at Dogpatch a couple weeks ago; the board had his experimental foam block glued on.  He told me more about the idea of designing a grab ledge that is integrated into the tail block.  So it's all adhered together onto the board and looks natural, but there's no place for fingers to get caught.

I think THAT'S a great idea....Go for it Bill!