Leash for fiberglass paipo/bellyboard?????

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ClanB
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Leash for fiberglass paipo/bellyboard?????

#1

Unread post by ClanB »

Wrist or Bicep leash?
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Re: Leash for fiberglass paipo/bellyboard?????

#2

Unread post by bgreen »

I use a bicep leash but sometimes they slip down my arm in bigger waves. If I tighten them too much they can be a bit unpleasant. I'm curious what others think.
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Re: Leash for fiberglass paipo/bellyboard?????

#3

Unread post by rodndtube »

I am a long time wrist leash guy. Most of the bicep types are coiled which I simply don't care for -- one reason being they tend to run short in length which isn't too good in larger waves or powerful waves because they tend to recoil back to one's body or head -- not too good for a hard foam and fiberglass board with skegs attached. The wrist position also helps me to grab the leash for those occasions I want to pull the board under with me. I usually have two leashes on-hand, a short one (5 to 6 ft) and a longer one (6 to 7 foot).
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Re: Leash for fiberglass paipo/bellyboard?????

#4

Unread post by mrmike »

none
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Re: Leash for fiberglass paipo/bellyboard?????

#5

Unread post by jbw4600 »

I have been using an ankle leash for last 15 years or so. I used them even on my bodyboards. I got tired of having my arm almost yanked off when big ones come through. I have the plug at the tail of my board.
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Re: Leash for fiberglass paipo/bellyboard?????

#6

Unread post by ClanB »

Well none is what Im used to(prone riding anyway) and the plug is in the front so Im guessing I go wrist 1st then try bicep later.
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Re: Leash for fiberglass paipo/bellyboard?????

#7

Unread post by RNT808 »

On my foam and glass boards, especially in big surf, I use a leg leash like jbw4600. I have one board with a plug up front and one near the tail, I tried a wrist leash with the front plug one time on a pretty big day at Honolua Bay and it was a horror story. Not only did I run into the kick back problem the Rod mentioned but while getting drilled on an especially juicy wave in the inside bowl; my shorts came off and were gone! It was fun, to say the least, getting back to my car with everything just swinging in the breeze. At least with a leg leash, when I lose by shorts they'll get stopped by the board. Maybe its the way I'm built but I lose my shorts all the time, using a leg leash helps me avoid an "indecent exposure" ticket and that's a good enough reason for me.
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Re: Leash for fiberglass paipo/bellyboard?????

#8

Unread post by jbw4600 »

ClanB, I did meet a bodyboarder who uses a leg leash attached to a plug to the nose of his board. You could try that at some point. Having the plug on the nose and attached to the ankle would drag better. I don't know if it interferes with paddling and kicking. My ankle leash does get tangled up or caught in the kelp sometimes. But I still like it that way.
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Re: Leash for fiberglass paipo/bellyboard?????

#9

Unread post by GeoffreyLevens »

I have ridden bodyboard w/ leg leash attached to nose plug. Just used leash from my footie board, no issues as it seemed long enough to stay out of my way.
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Re: Leash for fiberglass paipo/bellyboard?????

#10

Unread post by ClanB »

I went to the surf shop and looked at coiled BB leashes, short board 5' leashes and some straight BB leashes. I ended up getting a higher end BB coil leash. The 5 footers by FCS and Dakine, to me, had too much leash hanging around and I felt it would bother me but they had a nice cuff. The cheap straight leash was like 2 feet long and the cuff was thin. The coil keeps the leash out of the way but I can see the "spring back" thing may be an issue at times but I think less than having a pile of cord in my way at all times. It was 30% off so if I dont end up liking it I will try the shorboard 5 footers.
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Re: Leash for fiberglass paipo/bellyboard?????

#11

Unread post by ClanB »

Now to decide on wax or Cove deck pad.
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Re: Leash for fiberglass paipo/bellyboard?????

#12

Unread post by rodndtube »

Rod's cardinal rule is to never go "cheap" on a leash. You will want it to work when it is needed. Short is also bad due to fling back. With my longer leashes in overhead surf I keep it "coiled" in my hand when in the line-up zone and fling it out when ready to start positioning or paddling for the takeoff.
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Re: Leash for fiberglass paipo/bellyboard?????

#13

Unread post by rodndtube »

ClanB wrote:Now to decide on wax or Cove deck pad.
Not sure about wax on a deck pad. Otherwise, Sticky Bumps is my wax of choice. There are some other good ones, too.
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Re: Leash for fiberglass paipo/bellyboard?????

#14

Unread post by bgreen »

I've never had trouble with coiled leashes springing back. Years ago there was a time this was a very real hazard with leashes on stand-up boards. Having a whole lot of leash just seems to be asking for getting it wrapped around you.

I've never actually lost my boardies like RNT but have come close a couple of times.


Bob
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Re: Leash for fiberglass paipo/bellyboard?????

#15

Unread post by rodndtube »

One of the issues with coiled, bicep leashes is that they tend to be short, under 5 foot and are built to be used with bodyboards (aka soft boogie boards). Personally, I don't think these leashes (built expressly for boogie boards) are up to the quality standards of quality surf board leashes. For the same reason I don't tend to use the thin competition leashes because they are not made to be durable (exaggerating here, but they are throwaway leashes just like competition boards the pros use).

There are some spots and under some conditions that I use a 7 foot leash. Generally in 10 foot plus surf and where there is a long paddle or reefs in-play or some nasty currents. Tangling with the leash has not been an issue. Getting sling-shotted by a board with a short leash has been an issue. Just my experience. Generally not applicable to under head high surf conditions and beach breaks where I will usually use a 5 to 6 foot leash.
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Re: Leash for fiberglass paipo/bellyboard?????

#16

Unread post by Ted »

Dang, 808, completely loosing the shorts sounds rough! I've had my shorts down to my ankles a couple of times. :mrgreen:

I have tried all combinations of wrist, bicep and ankle leashes attached to the front and back of the board.

The ankle and wrist leashes are more secure than the biceps leash; the biceps leash can be really flaky if you have the leash on the inside arm (left arm going left or right arm going right) since the pull of a wipeout tends to scoot the leash down the arm. The wrist and biceps leash can pull your arm really hard if you ditch your board while paddling out. I find that a coily biceps leash stays out of the way better while paddling.

A nose mounted leash tends to pull the board though whitewater much better than a tail mounted leash.

A non-coily leg leash can get wrapped up around coral heads and make for a very unpleasant surprise. The straight leg leash does allow for deep dolphin kicking when ditching the board while paddling out.

The arm leash provides quicker orientation to surface during long hold downs.

A leg leash attached to the nose or an arm leash attached to the tail is a recipe for leash wrapped around neck, body or crotch. You'll want to be practice breath holding for either of these setups.

I use a nose mounted coily biceps leash for the HPD and the Austin 50"; The Austin 44" can take a nose mounted coily biceps leash or a tail mounted legrope (for giant waves or front mounted camera).
Last edited by Ted on Sat Mar 17, 2012 9:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Leash for fiberglass paipo/bellyboard?????

#17

Unread post by bgreen »

Rod,

I wonder if boards with more flotation are more likely to spring back? Maybe this is a good way to stay calm during a wipeout - focus on what the legrope is doing. Brands may also vary - I recall the coiled leashes going straight but not much else. Regarding whether the quality varies - no idea. If they are made by the same manufacturers I wouldn't imagine this is an issue unless there is a plot to force boogie board riders to swim more.

I seldom surf 10' waves but had some solid waves & wipeouts on the OS trip.

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Re: Leash for fiberglass paipo/bellyboard?????

#18

Unread post by rodndtube »

Yeah... the more liters the board the more flotation! Unless it is weighed down by a 4-layer g10oz glass job and quad stringers. But, that isn't the only factor in play... it is the board and you being stretched apart and held apart until something gives and then just like a rubber band, it either breaks or snaps back. Of course this can also happen in powerful 4 to 6 foot waves.

So many of the bodyboard (boogie style) leashes I have come across are either very short, mostly coiled, have very narrow wrist straps, don't have a wrist strap key pocket, and are not made to the standards of quality surfboard leashes... so I stopped even looking at them. Quality factors include the hosing materials, bindings, width and grip of the wrapping strap, swivels... And, of course, you want to match the color to your board, trunks and skegs ;)

Nice summary, Ted!
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Re: Leash for fiberglass paipo/bellyboard?????

#19

Unread post by ClanB »

Well the BB coil leash I got is pretty beefy...more so than the short leg leashes I looked at. The hosing is thick and the swivals are stout and the cuff is wide and well padded and I dont know about the key pocket but I dont need it as I have that elswhere. when it hangs down from the nose it is about 6 inches from the tail and that is coiled.
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Re: Leash for fiberglass paipo/bellyboard?????

#20

Unread post by bgreen »

My thinking is that the less flotation, the less the board will be pulled away, so stretching will be less and shorter lasting. To test this we need Ted to go over the falls several times with the HPD- when he hits the base he lets his board loose and reports back. However, like any good scientific experiment he needs to repeat the experiment several times to ensure the outcome was not a chance result. Then he takes out the Austin and repeats the same number and type of wipeouts. We then have board x number of repetitions x outcomes. If he varies the type of wipeout then this also becomes a variable.
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