> Tight is good, if you're doing "tortured bungie"--that will keep
> out water.

> Mariner has a great rig. After you start paddling and using the
> "traditional" criss-crosss pattern on the foredeck, you start to
> hate it! The three straight bungies on the foredeck are super. Mariner
> doesn't have perimeter grab lines, but they do use a painter that runs
> from a cleat in front of the cockpit up to the u-bolt at the bow. This
> nylon painter can be used for a grab line, or to run a kite or sea anchor
> up to the bow. It can also be unclipped and used to tie down the boat in
> case you forget your straps.

> The x-in-a-rectangle configuration is good on the back deck for
> paddlefloat rescues. Seaward and Nimbus both have good side-release buckle
> straps back there for a very secure paddlefloat outrigger
> connection--their systems are worth looking at, as well. The Mariner
> system, though, is excellent. I'm not a Mariner owner, but I know what is
> wrong with the deck rigging all of the boats I paddle--they're flat-out
> not as well thought out as the Broze brothers' system. (and I even have to
> include myself in the "bad" subset as I put a crappy rig on the
> deck of my Chesapeake 17--hey, I was young and didn't know any better!)

> You could cut a hole in a wood block--any size you wish, and run a brass,
> ss, or wood pin across the hole to retain line/bungie. Look at the photos
> Dean Trexel posted recently.

I added the Seaward style webbing strips to my plastic boat and they work great, much better than bungee alone for paddle float rescue. I found some nice little screw covers at a Lowes store that make this set-up look very professional. The straps are adjustable and hold the paddle much more secure. These straps look a lot like the sternum strap that is used on backpacks with fasteck buckles for release and adjusment.

Larry C.