Kayak/Canoe Grab Handles | SouthernPaddler.com

Kayak/Canoe Grab Handles

oldsparkey

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2003
10,479
123
Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
That would be a comfortable grab handle to use when picking the boat up , hand friendly.

The Stainless Steel Washers........
Or a person could do like txriverrat did for his stainless washers when he found out there were 40. cents a piece. He took some quarters , drilled a hole threw the center and used them to save some money on his one boat. Not sure if the Federal Government appreciated that idea since there is Federal Law against defacing the currency. :roll:

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=4248 Page #4 almost to the bottom of it. :lol:

Chuck.
 

beekeeper

Well-Known Member
Mar 4, 2009
1,917
59
I don't white water paddle, but wasn't there a post recently about a handle or rope loop getting entangled in some limbs? Could this be a potential hazard? Just asking.

beekeeper
 

beekeeper

Well-Known Member
Mar 4, 2009
1,917
59
Must not be a very big problem or someone would have developed something different. I was thinking of a detachable handle or maybe a single(not looped), braided (for griping) rope.
Matt I was not knocking your handle recommendation. Just asking.

beekeeper
 

JEM

Well-Known Member
The white water boats usually have a grab bars over recessed pockets in the hull for knuckle clearance. Still could catch on something but maybe less likely with the lower profile. Could be built into a wood boat if one really wanted to.


file_27_31.jpg
 

Kayak Jack

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2003
13,976
171
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Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
According to Murphy's Law, "Anything can snag on anything else, and will do so at the most inopportune times." Mounted in a recessed pocket, snagging in a forward move seems unlikely, but still possible. If the bow were sweeping to the side in brush, I'd expect the probability of a snag on most grab handles to increase.

I use a Tee arrangement with a wooden handle - pretty similar to a wooden handle on a starter rope - that is tied into the stem ends. It flops loosely on a rope that is 4"-6" long, seized around the middle to hold in the wooden handle. These are a bit safer than a handle that is solidly fixed to the boat if you are pulling a boat through rolling surf, or if the boat rolls for any reason while you have a hold of it. The rope will twist instead of your wrist twisting.

Nonetheless, I try to avoid anything like brush, rolling surf, or rolling boats.

I think the nylon grip is a good one, especially for the price. Some grips have little bungees holding them down, out of harm's way. Almost all grips, even starter cord ones, would benefit from an elastic tether, I think.
 

tx river rat

Well-Known Member
Feb 23, 2007
3,043
2
Waco Tx
I didnt look for the post but I have one on here about fishing and a limb sliding thrue my back hand hold,it isnt a good thing,
Any thing I ever saw on a boat can hang up T handles loops, loops on top. the only time you use them is loading and unloading ,I think on the boat I just completed I am going to make the detachable.
The loops on top I dislike because if the boat is loaded it bangs into your legs,the t if carrying much weight cuts into the web between your fingers,the loop is the most comfortable but also the easiest to hang up.Even with an elastic strap I would have still hung up because the limb rubbed down the deck.
No one has really come up with the perfect hand hold yet.

Ron
 

john the pom

Well-Known Member
Jul 30, 2007
345
1
Queensland
Kinda, abit like this? The chances of catching this loop on something are about as slim as it gets.

100_1125.jpg






SS turnbuckle in the endpour, or can add later. Just drill a hole. Cut turnbuckle in half. Spread the sidebars to an angle that will touch the sides or end and deck and resist pulling through the deck. "Screw" the screw bit through hole, so tight fit, and using stick and bit of tape to hold the female bit in line... I didn't say it was gonna be easy. Then pour a bit of epoxy/woodflour over it to seal it. The carabiners were dead cheap, from memory 'bout a $ each. Wide enough to get a comfortable grip. Remove when you wanna, or use whatever suits you as the removable bit.


Hmm "using a stick and a bit of tape to hold the female bit in line" Ya reckon I could patent that?
Regards John.
[edit] The end loops are also useful as a tie down point and for mooring etc. I also use the rear one, together with a small eye bolt in the rear of the coaming as my anchor trolley. Or use two turnbuckles complete and use the inside loop as per Jack's internal pulley system.
 

oldsparkey

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2003
10,479
123
Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
Without a deck on the boat I use the front hand hold for a place to tie off my line , it is under the side height of the boat and I have it coiled up in the front ( in the bottom of the boats bow ) with a short piece of it coming back to where I am. That piece runs ( lays) over my camping gear so it can be grabbed at any time.

The front bar is the hand hold for the canoe , one forward and one aft.
14x30%20057.jpg


I ... DO NOT... run a line off the stern when paddling.

Chuck.
 

Kayak Jack

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2003
13,976
171
86
Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
I have two, short bungees mounted in both fore and aft decks. I double coil each rope under both bungees, and can quickly snatch it out with a simple grab in between the bungees, the whole bundle pulls free. I run the aft rope over camp gear up to near my hand.

An aft rope has been more handy than a fore rope on a river. I tie it off and the boat simply slides downstream a few feet and comes to rest. If I tie off a bow line the boat has to turn 180 degrees and can get tangled in that process. And, to launch, I often have to rotate the boat again. No thanks.