To leash or not to leash

[Yann]

I saw Ben Wilson using a leash in a clip. Anyone in here using one? I know it can be really dangerous to use one but I'm getting sick of body dragging looking for my board, losing it completely when it's big or getting it smashed against the rocks. I was thinking I would cut off the leg part of a leash and tie a knot in the end. I could then hold on to the leash with my back hand and just let it go in case i get too much tension when I get dragged. A 4 feet leash would be enough i think. When I'm up for aerials i would just let it get dragged behind the board and in case I lose it it will be easier to get hold of the board again when body dragging up to the wave from behind.

I have also noticed that when i surf a wave and fall, I often still have my feet on the board but I'm getting dragged on my back with the board in front of me in the whitewater. Sometimes I'm in this position for a couple of seconds before losing it. It would then be pretty easy to get hold of the leash and I could concentrate on getting out of the whitewater with the leash in my hand.

What do you think?

The other more extreme idea I had was to tie a helium balloon with a 2 meter string to the leash plug. ...but i prefer something a little cooler!

[Yann]

I have also noticed that when i surf a wave and fall, I often still have my feet on the board but I'm getting dragged on my back with the board in front of me in the whitewater.

This is how i mean.

[gle]

You might want to try the leash that I made for when I want a leash but still the safety of being able to release. I took a piece of delrin (a hard slippery plastic) about 3 inches by 1 by 1. I cut a key hole slot in it with a small hole above the keyhole. I attached a piece of bungy cord to the leash about a foot long at the end that will be attaching to me. I take a small cord and tie a loop into the small hole in the plastic piece and use it to attach it to one of my harness rings. The larger part of the keyhole slot is the same size as the diameter of the bungy cord. To but the leash on, feed the bungy cord all of the way through the hole. Once it is all the way through pull down on the cord and it becomes pinched between the narrower part of the key hole. The tighter the slot the more it holds. If you fall off your board and get yanked the bungy stretches and releases the board. If you get a small pull it may move a little but stays with you. In your case if you know you are going to get a hard pull and want to keep the board just reach for the leash and hold on. You can release at any time if the pull is too hard and the leash will release. If you want to stop the leash from being released then feed the bungy through the keyhole the same way again (creating a cirlce around the keyhole) and it will not easily release. I hope this helps.

[Yann]

I get the concept but not exactly how you put it together. Brilliant idea though! You should sell it to any of the big leash companies. It would be nice to be able to adjust the force required for it to release with different bungy cords.

I'm going to try my idea with a half leash and a knot. I like the simplicity of it but can't tell yet if it's going to work. I'll keep you updated.