DIY Kayaking – Paddle Keeper Installation

July 19, 2009

Our next DIY project is a paddle keeper kit. This kit uses a bungee secured at both ends to the hull of the boat which is stretched over your oar and secured using a j-hook just below. This kit can be installed with the hook above or below the shock cord. I held the pieces in place and then let Daniel and Crystal try using them both by pulling the cord up and pulling the cord down. They both preferred to pull the cord down and over the paddle, so that is the method we used for these installations. My Old Town Vapor has a built-in paddle holder in the molded edge of the cockpit, so it didn’t require this installation.

You can purchase the kit from your local outfitter, from Yak-Gear themselves or you can purchase the pieces indiviudally from an online retailer of your choice. For links to the suppliers we have used, see DIY Kayaking: Deck Rigging Installation.

Here’s the steps to take to install your own paddle keeper:

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This Yak-Gear kits includes two full kits. Each of which includes: 2 feet of shock cord, 3 stainless steel 5/32 screws and matching locknuts, 3 aluminium 3/16 rivets with 1/2 grip, 2 nylon shock cord terminal ends and 1 nylon lashing hook (aka j-hook).

First, you'll want to choose a spot beside your cockpit that is comfortable for you to reach without much effort. For each boat, I had Daniel and Crystal sit as they normally do and then let their hands fall to their side outside of the cockpit. I marked the position and then measured 6" to each side of this mark. I drilled only one hold to begin with and installed a terminal end (see photo of terminal installation below) with a pop rivet and backup washer.

Just below the center mark (about 2-3 inches), install the j-hook.

With the paddle in place, stretch the cord around the paddle, through the j-hook and up to your mark for the remaining terminal end. Once you have the correct tension (allowing you to secure the paddle with enough tension to keep it in place, yet not so much that it is hard to remove the paddle keeper), cut the excess cord off and install the terminal end by clamping the two pieces together and then using the pop rivet gun to secure the terminal end to the hull.