: Deck lines are a stylistic choice, popularized by the British boaters. They
: become another "feature" to add to your boat.

While the Brits are sure prone to more than their fair share of dogma, a lot of their ideas are still good ones.

: I don't use them on my boats. I think they sound good when you're sitting
: home digesting dinner, but in real conditions they could as easily snag on
: your PFD as you try to climb on your deck.

Which is why deck rigging AND PFD fittings both need to be as snag-free as possible. And if you're a really good Inuit or Aleut paddler, you probably don't climb on your deck in the first place. You're still sitting in your cockpit where you belong!! That said, a few concessions have been made for those of us who weren't fortunate enough to grow up in a brutal seafaring society where only the strong and good rollers survived, and even some of them died untimely deaths.

: Whitewater boats and native kayaks never had deck lines. Think they know
: something?

Yeah, they "never" come out of their boats, and if they do, it's a serious situation. (Whitewater boaters can often swim to shore..native kayakers often drowned). Which option do we prefer to take as "modern" sea kayakers?

: So put them on if you feel the need, but those of you out there wondering
: about deck lines should know they are not the safety consensus.

I would argue that they are the safety consensus. It's not a "safety consensus" that I've created in my own mind, either. If it were really up to me, I wouldn't have decklines anyway. I don't often swim, so rarely ever need my own decklines, but a lot of the folks I paddle with don't have bomber rolling skills, so I need my decklines for their safety. Ideally, and in a perfect world, nobody would ever need decklines, but until then, we need to address the skill set that the average paddler possesses, and those decklines are expected in their common limited experience.

I think it's a disservice to simply say,"those of you out there wondering
about deck lines should know they are not the safety consensus," without stating that they can become unnecessary after good skills development and training.

If I'm understanding you correctly, Rob, I do agree completely with the intent of what you're saying. Decklines are definitely ugly, and generally unnecessary, and still prone to failure. I'll take skills and experience and good judgement over reliance on equipment any day. However, for the average paddler out there, they're still better than nothing. Besides, if we reduced all our equipment to nothing, kayaking would be known as swimming!

Best regards,

Shawn